Starting Thursday night, April 10, and going to Sunday, April 14, the annual Pop Conference will be held at the Experience Music Project.

Yes, I am one of those freaks who adores this event… and I am not even embarrassed to admit it may be the most fun I have all year (without my wife, of course).

I understand when people are freaked out, intimidated, or too busy for it — but I think most of my wary friends would LOVE it. And this year the Blue Scholars are playing! They do a set midway through the event on Saturday. I haven't seen the blazingly brilliant Scholars since their incredible horn-fueled show at the KEXP BBQ so I am EXTREMELY excited to see them again!

However much you may disagree with heroes of mine like Robert Christgau, the fact is that this conference has so many people with so many interesting things to say. The first couple years the more academic papers would get on my nerves, but they have been more and more leavened with supremely fun presentations like those by Kurt Reighley, Jody Rosen, Amy Philips from Pitchfork, and lots of people reading funny cool stuff you either already adore or will so after seeing them read it.

PLEASE come — and at least grease the sky with your palms in the Sky Church to the Blue Scholars!