Don't miss Five Eight, Long Ryders and Tom Rush

FRIDAY

There really should be a picture of Five Eight beside the dictionary entry for perseverance. For nearly 20 years, this Athens/Atlanta band has rocked the socks off of audiences in Georgia and around the country, crafted some very fine albums, and made fans of many far more famous musicians. After a hiatus following drummer Mike Rizzi's move to Los Angeles (he's performing with Ghost Hounds, www.myspace.com/theghosthounds), the band is set for another all-out assault this year, with the return of Five Eight's longest serving percussionist, Patrick "Tigger" Ferguson. Sean Dunn, who was with the band for much of the '90s, has been back with Five Eight of late, too. The band is nearly finished with a new album, which should be a fine way to mark its 20th anniversary. If you've never seen Five Eight, you really should. These guys still put on a blazing live show.

Kindred spirits the Young Antiques are also on this killer bill. These guys reside where punk meets pop — in a neighborhood that includes folks such as Husker Du, the Jam and the Replacements — adding a touch of literate Southern charm to the community.

• 8 p.m. Jan. 9. $12; $10 advance. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, www.smithsoldebar.com.

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FRIDAY-SATURDAY

It's been more than 20 years since these guys have performed together on this side of the Atlantic, and these two Atlanta dates are the only ones they have scheduled. The Long Ryders brought the country and folk-influenced sound of "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"-era Byrds into the '80s with roaring punk thunder. Though the band was associated with Los Angeles' "Paisley Underground" of the early to mid-'80s, there's only the lightest dusting of psychedelia in their roots rocking catalog. The quartet disbanded in 1987 but reunited for a brief European tour in 2004 (frontman Sid Griffin has been a U.K. resident for more than 15 years). Now they're bringing their legendary live prowess back to their native soil.

• 9 p.m. Jan. 9-10. $20; $18 advance. The EARL, 488 Flat Shoals Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-522-3950, 1-800-594-8499, www.badearl.com.

Country singer-songwriter Davis is best known for a duet. She joined Reba McEntire on the Grammy-winning No. 1 1993 single "Does He Love You." It is, by far, the biggest hit of Davis' career. She reached No. 13 with the title track from her 1994 album "Some Things Are Meant to Be," but only one other production has made a really big impact on country music. Davis is mom to Hillary Scott, one-third of Grammy-nominated trio Lady Antebellum, winner of newcomer awards from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Davis joins Bill Whyte and Brent Rowan for a songwriters showcase this weekend.

• 10 p.m. Jan. 9-10. $17.50. Swallow at the Hollow, 1072 Green St., Roswell. 678-352-1975, www.theswallowatthehollow.com.

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SUNDAY

The quickest way to musically evoke World War II? Play something by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Nothing then or now ever sounded quite the same. Lush, lovely and swingin', the music created by Miller and his big band is a timeless joy. It's hard to believe that his time at the top spanned only about three years. After a precipitous rise in 1939, Miller and his civilian orchestra had a successful run of hits — including "Chattanooga Choo Choo," "Moonlight Serenade," "In the Mood" and "Tuxedo Junction — before Miller volunteered for military service, where he led a modernized Army Air Force Band. He never made it back to civilian life. His plane disappeared over the English Channel in December 1944. He was traveling from the U.K. to Paris to play for soldiers who had recently liberated the French capital. His legacy lives on this officially sanctioned band, led by trombonist Larry O'Brien since 1988.

• 3 and 7 p.m. Jan. 11. $40. Spivey Hall, 2000 Clayton State Blvd., Morrow. 678-466-4200, www.spiveyhall.org.

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WEDNESDAY

Folk troubadour Tom Rush got his start during the folk boom of the '60s and helped jump-start the singer-songwriter era. His own composition "No Regrets" is a folk-rock standard, but he also gave early exposure to up-and-coming songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne. On Feb. 24, he plans to release his first studio album in decades. "What I Know" follows his 1974 album "Ladies Love Outlaws." The new one includes harmony vocals from Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith and Bonnie Bramlett.