Texas singer/songwriter/all-around-funny-dude Robert Earl Keen plays in Raleigh on Wednesday night. Click through for a spot of verbiage on him, past as well as present.

So we had to do this instead, to preview Wu-Tang's Monday night show at Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre -- which has already been postponed and rescheduled once. But here's hoping it stays on-course and actually happens, even if the price is mighty steep ($50 at the door!).

UPDATE: Looks like WKNC scored some interview time. Jealous... 

Cabaret-punk singer/pianist Amanda Palmer does an onstage bit called "Ask Amanda," in which she reads and answers written questions submitted by the audience. She introduced it as "my favorite part of the show" Saturday night at Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre. But she probably had mixed feelings about this edition, because somebody actually had the nerve to ask:

How's Ben in bed?

That would be old Chapel Hill hand Ben Folds, who produced Palmer's latest album. She seemed simultaneously mortified and amused at the question.

"I have no idea, he has a wife!," Palmer said in a tone just short of scolding. Then she smiled: "But... I'm sure Ben in bed would be just like Ben on-record -- geek chic!"

Palmer offered up plenty of geek chic herself with a very fine show that was long on dramatics. Helping things along there was the Danger Ensemble, a quartet of performers who acted out various songs. They were particularly effective on "Guitar Hero" (yes, about the computer game) and the very kinky "Coin-Operated Boy." But my personal favorite was a deadpan little piece of perfection called "I Googled You," a solo torch song that reimagined Frank Sinatra in the internet age. Very cool.

The hip-hop gods taketh away, but they also giveth: Wu-Tang Clan's on-again/off-again show at Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre is back on again, set for Jan. 12 (a mere eight-and-a-half months after the original date). We'll see if it actually stays on the schedule this time.