Concert Previews

One used to go to a Cat Power show anticipating an emotional train wreck, knowing that Chan Marshall often abandoned more songs midway than she completed. But that time might be over: Marshall teamed with a crack band of Memphis soul vets for 2006's aptly titled

The Greatest,

and she sobered up to tour. When she played here then, she was manically giddy and goofy between songs - and impressively controlled and focused during them. Here's hoping that continues tonight when she brings her Dirty Delta Blues band, which includes Philly's Greg Foreman on piano and organ, to the Starlight Ballroom in support of her new album,

Jukebox,

a series of covers (and a few originals) that serve as love letters to musical inspirations like Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Frank Sinatra.

- Steve Klinge

From the look and sound of Blue Man Group during last week's appearance at the Academy of Music's 151st anniversary concert, it was business as usual. Cobalt-painted pates? Check. Big staring eyes peering through the azure tone? Check. Making mirthful noise with specially created tuned-percussion instruments? Check. Mute save for the snarky voice-over? Check. The only thing that was missing from BMG's usual paint-splattering avant-garde electronic pop shows was the "poncho section" that's usually reserved for the first rows of their "How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.1." No one in tux and bow ties was donning a poncho.

So when BMG takes to the Wachovia Center for its everyday roar - mashing up electro-rock with grand orchestral flourishes and big drumming - it will host opening act Mike Relm. Though he's not in any shade of blue, Relm does mash electronic noise with hip-hop while doing the same sort of cut-and-paste with film clips and commercials. And you won't need a poncho.

- A.D. Amorosi

Drexel University's student-run Mad Dragon records is assembling an impressive talent pool. Since starting up with Jules Shear's

Dreams Don't Count

in 2006, the label has accumulated a roster of mostly locally connected indie acts, including singer-songwriters Andre Lipke and Matt Duke, who are on the Mad Dragon bill Friday at the Mandell Theater, with the Swimmers, the crafty pop band led by Steve Yutzy-Burkey, whose fetching new CD

Fighting Trees

comes out on March 4. The Mandell headliners are the Redwalls, the Chicago four-piece with a Beatles fixation led by brothers Logan and Justin Baren. Pittsburgh would-be British Invaders the Takeover UK are also on the bill.

- Dan DeLuca