Jarvis Cocker (photo by Flickr user tripwireerin)

Jarvis Cocker. Look. You have to see Jarvis Cocker. The man may well be the most underrated musical genius of our time. Josh saw him at Coachella this past weekend (I hate you 4-eva, Josh) and couldn’t stop raving about him (from LAX). And when I was living in the UK ten years ago, all the cool kids were totally into Jarvis and the greatness that was Pulp’s mid-90s opuses Different Class and This Is Hardcore, while the drunker ones were still stuck on 1995-era Oasis. Poseurs. Anyway, the man is a friggin’ genius. He’s sexy, coy, a little shy, highly literate, and very engaging all at once. I really think that when Samantha finally finds herself a man that doesn’t weird her out or have a criminal record, he’ll be an American version of Jarvis Cocker. Or Canadian. Or Botswanan. (Showbox, 8pm, $25)

Viva Voce. But if you’re not into Jarvis, and again, you really should be, there’s the adorable kids of Viva Voce. Fresh off their opening gig with the Shins (and Anita’s tambourine playing on just about every Shins TV appearance), they’re driving up from Portland for the umpteenth time this year. Unfortunately for most of you, the show is “invite only.” But then, I wasn’t invited either, so go see Jarvis instead and tell Kevin and Anita off at the Capitol Hill Block Party later this year. (Crocodile, who knows, I told you it was “invite only” and I didn’t get invited so stop looking at me)

Dora the Explorer/Wonder Pets/Backyardigans Marathon. However, some of us can’t go to see Jarvis because taking a three year old to a rock show makes you look like a bad father. Well, at least in the eyes of her mother. (my house, this evening, free but bring your own juice)