• Prepare yourself, children, for the greatest Christmas event in the
history of Western Civilization (well at least in our little world of booze,
bars, and party-ons, dude). The annual Festivus Fuddarestuvus goes public this
year by sponsoring the ever-exciting and always entertaining Los Straitjackets
at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton Springfield.
Included on this fabulous bill of superb entertainment are the World Famous
Pontani Sisters and Kaiser George and the Hi-Risers. Tickets are $15 and are
available at Recycled Records (522-5122). The Hilton is also offering a special
room rate for partakers in this festive holiday celebration.
• How did “Jingle Bells” become Jingle Ball as in the Jingle Ball Tour
concert with Low as I and Saliva this Thursday, Dec. 9? I don’t want to know
and neither do you. But if you like your music loud (not too loud the neighbors
might complain) and rocking, head for the Warehouse, 2548 S. First St., for
the 7 p.m. all ages show, sponsored by WQLZ and Budweiser True Music Live. Tickets
are $15. Go to www.wqlz.com for the lowdown.
• Hey friends, are you interested in a Marly’s Pub camp-out weekend?
You might want to think about it with Post War Fords on Friday and the Debbie
Ross Band on Saturday. The PWFs feature former (it’s been a few years now) F
5 lead vocalist Robin Bosie and an all-star lineup of musicians including Troy
Cunningham, Kevin Smith, Shane Bumgarner, Vic Serbe, and Tim Lynn. The DRB has
of course the great Debbie Ross handling the lead vocal duties and also is filled
with an all-star lineup of musicians including Art Carey, Brian Curtis, Frank
Huston, Frank Parker, and Chili Bryant. Great female vocalists and top-notch
local musicians two nights in a row — where’s my sleeping bag? Music starts
around 9 p.m. each night.
• Be sure to peruse the Holiday Happenings section of the calendar for
the many seasonal singings that pop up in December at churches, malls, squares,
neighborhoods, and back alleyways. Here’s a favorite: Christmas Caroling at
the Carillon. Come hang around a bonfire, sip hot chocolate, munch cookies,
and sing along with community carolers accompanied by the Thomas Rees Memorial
Carillon at Washington Park. Just show up at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, cold, tired,
hungry, thirsty, and ready to sing.
This article appears in Dec 9-15, 2004.
