Elvis, Elvis, everywhere an Elvis.

Byline: Carolyn Lamberson The Register-Guard

Calling all Elvises. Calling all Elvises.

Now's your chance to climb into the sparkly jumpsuit, slick back your hair into a proper pompadour and shake, rattle and roll your way into Eugene immortality.

It's time for Night of the Living Elvis. At the WOW Hall on Saturday, you could get in touch with your inner Elvis - and maybe win some cash, too.

Could there be a better way to celebrate what The King's birthday than with a local tradition that has warmed up our Januaries for 17 years? Oh, yes. This year, in time for Elvis' 70th birthday, there's a twist: the Elvis Invitationals, Eugene's largest amateur Elvis impersonator contest.

The Elvis wannabes will be backed up by the "hell-raisin' ' Memphis Mafia, a rock 'n' roll band in the 1950s Sun Records mold.

The contestants will be judged by a celebrity panel of Elvis enthusiasts, and the winner will receive $100 prize.

Organizer John Barley said the contest is something they've been doing for a few years at the Seattle editions of Night of the Living Elvis.

"It was a lot of fun," he said, so they decided to bring the contest to the show's hometown. "There are some (contestants) who are really trying to do it well and others who are just trying to have fun."

The usual suspects will be back, including Elvises Pete Christie of the Guardians of American Morality, Dennis Fitzgerald, a Seattle-based singer-songwriter, and Mike Dippery of Seattle's All American Playboys.

While the Elvises (or is it Elvi?) will appear in all their costumed glory, the Memphis Mafia will keep the beat. The local all-star band features Barley (ex-Screamin' Jay Hawkins band) on guitar; Dustin Lanker on keyboards and Dan Schmid on bass (the Visible Men); and Dave Fitzgerald (ex-Malchiks) on drums.

The horn section looks an awful lot like the Cherry Poppin' Daddies', with Sean Flannery on tenor sax, Dana Heitman on trumpet and Bryce Peltier on trombone.

Night of the Living Elvis started one sweaty night at Max's Tavern in 1988. Since then, the show has moved up and down Interstate 5.

While it's always been a good time in its hometown, the show has exploded in Seattle. For the past couple of years, Night of the Living Elvis has sold out the 1,100-seat Sky Church at the Experience Music Project, Barley said.

So what is the appeal? Why do people still trek to Presley's mansion, Graceland? Why do people want to don gaudy outfits and gyrate their hips?

Barley thinks the reasons are twofold.

First is the fact that Presley, his style, his mannerism, his persona, are so well known.

"You can do a lot of different things and people will look and say, 'Oh, that's Elvis',' Barley said.

Secondly, the music is good. And it's still popular.

"He died in '77 and he had a gold record last year," Barley said.

Carolyn Lamberson can be contacted at 338-2341 or [e-mail].

CONCERT PREVIEW

Night of the Living Elvis

When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Ave.

Tickets: $7 at the door

Contest entries: Call John Barley at 484-5527 or e-mail [e-mail] to get on the contest list

CAPTION(S):

Mike Dippery of Seattle's All American Playboys gets into the role of Soldier Elvis at a past Night of the Living Elvis. Pete Christie, a veteran of the Night of the Living Elvis, will be back again this year to compete for the $100 first prize. "You can do a lot of different things and people will look and say, `Oh, that's Elvis.' '- JOHN BARLEY ORGANIZER, NIGHT OF THE LIVING ELVIS