Chimaira (chimaira.com) put together their first Christmas concert on a whim a decade ago. "It's one of those things that just happened, and it worked out again and again," says singer Mark Hunter. The metal band spent most of the year touring, playing the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Tour and sharing a bill with This or the Apocalypse, Impending Doom, and Daath. They also released Coming Alive, a three-disc collection that gathered songs from their last two Christmas shows. On Thursday, they present Chimaira Christmas 11 at House of Blues. "When we hit the tenth Chimaira Christmas last year, we thought, Do we keep doing this?" recalls Hunter. "But nobody wants it to end. We love it, and the fans love it." The band won't play any seasonal songs or new tunes on Thursday, but you'll hear plenty of rarities and favorites. Chimaira are writing songs for their next studio album, which is due sometime in 2011. Showtime is 8 p.m., with Ohio Sky and Solipsist opening. Tickets range from $20 to $50.
The swing/R&B/jazz band Blue Lunch (bluelunch.com) play the 20th annual New Orleans-themed Mardi Gras Masquerade at Fat Fish Blue at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Blues singer Miss Butterscotch joins the group onstage. Tickets are $54.99.
Into the Blue, a local Grateful Dead tribute group featuring members of Carlos Jones' P.L.U.S. Band and Sultans of Bing, headlines a New Year's Eve show at the Winchester at 9 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $10. Go to thewinchester.net for more info.
Sublime-inspired alt-rockers Tropidelic (myspace.com/tropidelic) host a New Year's Eve party at the Beachland at 7 p.m. Friday. They promise "live painting and LED hooping" in addition to the music. Tickets are $20, $18 in advance. Echo Movement, the Royaltons, Mr. 101, and Wanyama open.
Hard-rock heroes the Suede Brothers (myspace.com/thesuedebrothers) play a CD-release party at 9 p.m. Thursday at Nemeth's Lounge in Painesville. Buffalo-based indie rockers Johnnny Nobody open the show.
Percussionist Jamey Haddad (jameyhaddadmusic.com) performs a pair of holiday-themed concerts at 7 p.m. Wednesday and 8 pm. Thursday at Nighttown. Tickets are $20.
The Beachland Ballroom hosts the second-annual Festival of the Weird Solo Act on Saturday, featuring local novelties Mr. California, Battery Collection, Deadwood Social Club, and others. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $1.99.
Jazz trumpet player Dominick Farinacci (dominickfarinacci.com) — a Northeast Ohioan who now lives in New York — plays two New Year's Eve shows at Nighttown on Friday. Showtimes are 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Akron hip-hoppers Da Kennel (dakennel.com) just released "Fist Pump," an infectious Queen-inspired arena rocker that gives shout-outs to their boys in "Texas, Kansas City, and Chicago." It follows the group's recent mixtape, Dat's What I Do, which features cameos by local rappers Machine Gun Kelly, CJ Platinum, and Caine. Send feedback to [email protected].
