Selkie, AKA Jack Doyle Smith, will be playing his first show (ever, apparently) at The Den on Saturday. A self-described player of experimental pop, it's hard to know what you'll see when he's at The Den. All I know is that "I've Never" - one of only two Selkie songs available on the entire World Wide Web - is an appealing slice of hazy indie rock. Saturday's show is another good example of why a place like The Den is important for Tacoma. It gives a stage to first-timers as well as well-traveled veterans, almost indiscriminately. A place like The Den takes a chance on a show where no one knows exactly what to expect - and the band isn't even from Tacoma. I, for one, am curious to find out what a Selkie show looks like.

[The Den @ urbanXchange, 8 p.m., all ages, cover TBA, 1932 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.2280]