In conjunction with two sold-out performances at Town Hall this week by The Magnetic Fields, lead singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt will take the Hugo House stage for a discussion with executive director Lyall Bush. Known for being bored with love songs, Merritt enjoys blurring gender lines, singing about vampires, and wearing the color brown. He also takes musical cues from ABBA: “They never write down music,” he said on NPR, “because they figure if they can’t remember it, then other people won’t remember it.” And though he’s an unabashed fan of pop, his music is hardly genre- specific. Compositions range from country to musical theater to music for Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Beyond his eclectic influences (by many accounts he’s morose and by all accounts he’s gay), he’s a workaholic who’s been described as depressing, unpleasant, and brilliant. He describes himself as a clown. Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., 322-7030, www.hugohouse.org. Free. 8 p.m. BRENT ARONOWITZ

Wed., March 5, 8 p.m., 2008