NEON THURSDAY

Avril Lavigne plays the Palms

Avril Lavigne’s single “Girlfriend” burrows into your brain with the speed, precision and insidiousness of a bullet fired at close range.

Like the most effective of TV jingles, it hardly matters whether you love it or hate it: You won’t be able to pry it from your frontal lobe either way.

Whether that’s cause for joy or despair is up to you, but at least the catty, ceaselessly bouncy hit will be shouted out for a good cause tonight when Lavigne headlines the fourth annual Nina’s Night Out benefit concert, with all proceeds going to the Rape Crisis Center.

The show starts at 8:30 p.m. at The Pearl at the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo. Tickets are $53-$118; call 942-7777.

— JASON BRACELIN