Thurs. July 26

An odd pair, perhaps, but this should make for quite a night of music. Amanda Palmer - the Dresden Dolls singer-pianist who's been recording her solo debut in Nashville with Ben Folds - returns to the Middle East Upstairs for a solo gig. And preceding her is the full-tilt rock band, Aberdeen City, made up of four Boston College guys whose debut disc, "The Freezing Atlantic," was produced by Grammy winning ace, Steve Lillywhite. Palmer knows a thing or two about conjuring up dark, sexy moods with her cabaret-punk stylings; Aberdeen knows a thing or two about pumping it up with U2-like bravado. The Thursday July 26 gig begins at 9 p.m. with Dixie Dirt - who we confess we don't know - opening. Tickets: $12. (Insider note: I intereviewed Amanda for a Q/A that will be running in a fall issue of, yes, Playgirl magazine, where she talks about love, sex and music.) Here's a late-coming shock: The show has sold out. This means you must be resourceful and make friends with that single guy or gal who bought two tickets just in case. Or befriend a band member and angle for a guest list spot ...

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