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Jarvis Cocker (photo by Flickr user tripwireerin ^[1])

Jarvis Cocker. Look. You have to see Jarvis Cocker ^[2]. The man may well be the most underrated musical genius of our time. Josh ^[3] saw him at Coachella ^[4] 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 ^[5] 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 ^[6]. Fresh off their opening gig with the Shins (and Anita’s tambourine playing on just about every Shins TV appearance ^[7]), 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)