Is Whelp really a band? Yes and no. It's not exactly what is the extent of Whelp's existence outside of the Internet and the imagination, but Saturday's show at the Northern would be a good time to find out. What is known about Whelp is that they have created an ongoing comic called Little North Star, which is meant to be read while listening to one of their corresponding songs. "Episode 3: Starlit Voyage," for instance, follows an eerie nighttime adventure into a snowy landscape, accompanied by gently psychedelic music that evokes Sparklehorse. Meanwhile, "Episode 2: Adventure Girl" is an anthemic bit of prog-lite set to images of riding dragons ad camping out in caves. It's a fairly ingenious project, and it makes one wonder how the songs hold up when divorced from their paired images. Why not find out?

WHELP, w/ Fruit Juice, Whatsername, 8 p.m., Northern, 414 ½ Legion Way, Olympia, $5