Weekend Picks: Carbon Leaf, k.d. lang, Jason Mraz, Murphy's Kids, No BS! Brass Band, Jackass Flats, DJ Williams Projekt

Here it is. Almost Christmas. Everyone is hunkering down with their family and friends, exchanging gifts, drinking egg nog (wtf is nog, anyway?), eating Christmas cookies, getting in arguments with their born-again, conservative cousin about the War on Christmas (isn't the fact that the stores put up their Christmas decorations on 11/1 enough to see that Christmas is winning?), running around to get that last minute Christmas gift at 5 PM Christmas Eve (my wife/girlfriend will love this quart of motor oil from the 7-11!), drinking spiced rum, wrapping gifts (just throw it in a damn gift bag, I can't wrap this!), drinking Christmas ale, stuffing stockings (I'd like to stuff your stocking, baby! (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)), drinking bourbon, watching "Christmas Story" (Scut Farkus!), drinking margaritas and enjoying peace on earth (for a day anyway) and the goodwill of men (until the post-Christmas sales start).

Oh, what's going on in music, you ask? Well, Saturday night, prepare to rock it ska style at Kingdom with the Skalidays 2013 show with Murphy's Kids, Eastern Standard Time, Signal Fire, No BS! Brass Band, 6TA, and Among Criminals. The show starts at 6 and it's $10 to get in. The show benefits WRIR and Food Not Bombs. Here's Murphy's Kids set at Friday Cheers this summer:

Saturday night at The Camel, get your Christmas bluegrass on with Jackass Flats. Jackass Flats will be taking on the Big Lebowski soundtrack. Tara Williams will open, doors open at 9 and it's $7 to get in. There will be a costume contest so dress as your favorite dude or dudette and win $50 (first prize) or $25 (second prize).

Saturday, there is a big benefit for SPARC's (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community) Live Art: Tree of Life featuring Jason Mraz, k.d. lang, Christina Perri, Rene Marie, Robbin Thompson, Daniel Clarke, Steve Bassett, Susan Greenbaum, Jesse Harper and more. There are less than 30 seats left for the show at the Landmark Theater so get them now. Tickets are $65. Here's Jason Mraz and the SPARC Students from the show two years ago doing "Winter Wonderland". I think the kids' laughter when they come out with Jason says it all.

Also, Saturday, hometown boys Carbon Leaf will be at The National. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8. Tix are $15 in advance, $18 day of show. The Alternate Routes open. Carbon Leaf was recently featured on Huffington Post in an article about the difficulties of getting good sleep and eating right on the road. They'll be wrapping up a two month tour here Saturday. Here's the Carbon Leaf fall tour announcement featuring their song "Circus" and you can see just how far they've traveled and imagine how happy they'll be to be home for the holidays:

If you have no interest in waiting for Santa to come on Christmas Eve, and instead want to get your groove on and maybe catch a glimpse of that crazy sleigh going by as you stumble out of The Camel, head there to see DJ Williams Projekt on 12/24. It's a Funky Holiday Party so wear your tacky Christmas sweater but be prepared to strip it off when you get all sweaty from dancin'.

I'll leave you with this ditty from Animal, Beaker and The Swedish Chef from The Muppets. Have a very Merry Christmas!



Almost forgot this one....



Tony Jordan