Hot Ticket: Cat Power at Stubb's on April 20th

Let's not mince words: when Cat Power comes to town, it's pretty much mandated by law that you attend. This is because not only will you be able to witness one of the most shockingly talented vocalists in the world, but you also may learn a thing or two. For those who don't remember, let's do a brief recap of what we learned last time the timeless (and timelessly eccentric) soulstress was in town: that Chan Marshall, the woman behind the voice, is on steroids, that she was born deaf, that she wants to shoot her monitors, that she likes to apologize to the crowd, that she was born deaf, that steroids make you angry (and that's why they make you stronger), and on and on she went with her pearls of wisdom. Pretty much, she's a spectacularly unpredictable bounty of non-sequiturs and stunning musicianship.

And that's what you get with the enigma that is Chan Marshall, a woman courted by Chanel mastermind Karl Lagerfeld, praised by critics and old-timers, and consistently categorized as a true-to-life headcase--you get all that, and some of the most gorgeously sung modern soul and blues you'll find anywhere. And that's why we're letting you know about this show so far in advance--even though it's on a Sunday and outside at Stubb's, there's a damn good chance it will sell out, and there's no doubt it'll be a sight worth seeing, not to mention a sound worth hearing.

If that's not enough to convince you, adding fuel to the fire is Cat Power's exceptional new album, Jukebox, which features a dazzling array of interpretive cover songs by such no-names as Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and our boy Hank Williams. Sweetening the pot by opening up for Cat Power will be the respected folkies, Appaloosa. So there. But really, friends, take our advice and pick up your tix before it's too late.