Sean Tillman’s résumé includes a stint fronting the swashbuckling post-punk outfit Calvin Krime, who put out a couple of underrated discs for Amphetamine Reptile, and a stint as a sensitive-boy-with-guitar under the name Sean Na Na. But he’s reinvented himself yet again as Har Mar Superstar, a big-pimpin’ soul brother stripped to his skivvies and crooning R. Kelly–grade porn-star R&B. Bearing an uncomfortable physical resemblance to Ron Jeremy, he made one fairly amusing album for Kill Rock Stars before signing to Warner Bros. (which issued his You Can Feel Me on a new imprint called the Record Company), capturing the eye of Princess of Darkness Kelly Osbourne (he co-wrote several songs for her debut album), and, if the rumor is to be believed, penning a song for the new J. Lo disc. (If anyone’s got it, can you call us and tell us whether it’s on there?) We’re quite sure you’ve never seen anything like him, but we’re also sure that you should: on tour with ace garage-soul sisters the Gossip, he’s at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge on Monday and at Flywheel (413-527-9800) in Easthampton on Tuesday.

If Tillman’s Web site dispatches are to be believed, Har Mar’s been living it up in Hollywood and making out with models — in short, he’s living out the dream that Ivy League wank MC Paul Barman fantasizes about on his new single "Cock Mobster," a laundry list of the many famous ladies with whom he’d like to snuggle. ("I wanna fire blanks in Tyra Banks . . . I’m immersed in Kirstie Alley’s thirsty valley.") If you’re still thinking of going to see Barman at the Middle East on Sunday, or at the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence on Wednesday, show up early and catch Whirlwind Heat, a Moog-led trio who recently became the first signing to White Stripes leader Jack White’s new V2-distributed vanity imprint.

Are radio-station-sponsored Christmas shows a form of legalized payola? Does anyone care when it means you can see Australian soap star turned dance-floor sexpot Kylie Minogue and the "reunited" Destiny’s Child (heck, Beyoncé’s solo album hasn’t even come out yet) on one stage? Kylie and DC3 are joined by Making the Band boys O-Town, platinum-plated country grammarian Nelly, and UK garage pinup Craig David for the Kiss Jingle Ball at the Tsongas Arena (978-848-6900) in Lowell on Wednesday. Re-formed (as in, no longer practicing) rap-rockers Papa Roach — who snuck a Pixies song onto their recent Lovehatetragedy (DreamWorks) — headline WAAF’s holiday shindig at the Palace (781-233-7400) in Saugus on Saturday, with local metal dudes Dogfight opening. The Blink-182 side project Boxcar Racer show up at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on Tuesday for the WBRU Birthday Bash. Hartford’s Radio 104 has the At the Drive-In spinoff Sparta along with Creed-ish modern-rock newcomers Ra at the Webster Theatre (860-422-0000) on Saturday. And Portland’s WCYY has Audiovent at the State Theatre (207-780-8265) next Thursday, December 12, but not before the band open for WFNX’s gala at Avalon (617-423-NEXT) in Boston on Tuesday with Everclear.

Issue Date: December 5 - 12, 2002
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