With two legit classics under his belt — in the form of 1982’s Marshall Crenshaw and 1983’s overlooked Field Day — and a host of pop nuggets lurking in the rest of his catalog, Marshall Crenshaw is one of the most accomplished singer-songwriters around, even if his commercial success never matched his artistic triumphs. In his prime, Crenshaw displayed an unrivaled ability to evoke vintage sources such as the Beatles and Buddy Holly without sounding the slightest bit retro. Rather than fading away after his early-’80s pop moment, Crenshaw has remained active as an actor, author (with a book on rock-and-roll movies), film-music creator (penning the title song for the 2007 early-rock spoof Walk Hard), and record maker (most recently with 2009’s well-regarded Jaggedland). Crenshaw plays the Hi-Tone Café on Friday, March 18th, with local openers Richard James & the Special Riders. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12-$15. — Chris Herrington
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