While most of the world winds down the year with talk of peace and unity, Schnauzer and WCSB 89.3 FM's late-night freeform/talk program 669 are offering a dose of chaos and mayhem. On Saturday, December 27, the band will host a show at Pat's in the Flat's (2233 W. 3rd St.) to commemorate Krampus, a European pagan tradition loosely comparable to American's Devil Night.
"It's a shits-mas and swallow-een," explains Schnauzer drummer/vocalist Jim Konya. "You can do whatever you want. Give the gift of sickness and we'll give it right back to you."
The show features underground rawk by Whornz and Doktor Bitch. Doktor Bitch is one of four bands, along with Decrepit, Nunslaughter, and Dana Sixty and the Pistol Grips, on Konya's To Hell With Cleveland compilation, issued on Medina's Hell's Headbangers label earlier this year. The four-song slab of rage keeps alive the memory of two deceased Cleveland musicians. Decrepit's "Last Dawn Part I," recorded in 1998, features members of Soulless, Ringworm and From the Depths paying tribute to Decrepit guitarist Tom Rojack, who wrote the tune shortly before his death in 1997. Dana Sixty's "Standard H" features late drummer Dan "Danny D" D'atellus. Konya plans to continue the To Hell With Cleveland series in 2009. The 7-inch vinyl EP will be available at the show.
¥ Christmas night at 8, blues/R&B rockers Blue Lunch host their Matzoh Ball and Annual Holiday Latke Party at the Beachland Ballroom (15711 Waterloo Rd.) with guests Mr. Stress, Norm Tischler and Hollywood Slim. "The idea is to have a music show and place to go on Christmas night," says guitarist Bob Frank, "when Jewish people - and many non-Jews - are kind of sick of the whole Christmas thing and want to get out of the house." The family-friendly event features non-kosher potato pancakes and other food. It's $10 advance, $12 at the door.
¥ Gil Mantera's Party Dream plans to release its new album, Dreamscape, independently. No release date is set; the pressing will be partly financed with proceeds from the first single. The download-only four-song EP, now available exclusively at pureuphonic.com, features one new track, the moving keyboard rocker "Ballerina," plus three remixes. The Youngstown new-new-wave group plays the Grog Shop (2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd.) at 8 p.m. December 31 with Rebreather and the Sleeps. Tickets are $12 advance, $15 day of show.
¥ Kill the Fall will play its entire new EP, Slipping Into Sleep, Friday, December 26 at the Hi-Fi (11729 Detroit Ave., Lakewood). Two new tracks posted at MySpace.com/KillTheFall find the death-obsessed rawk band branching out into a bigger sound. Singer Ray Terry stretches his vocal chords on artier, anthemic songs like "Blood of a Coward." Showtime is 9 p.m.
¥ Dancing With the Muse, one of a trio of CDs released this year by Cleveland folk veteran Alex Bevan, was entered into nomination for a Best Contemporary/Americana Grammy, although it didn't make the final ballot. Bevan will officially release the third, Fly Away, on Sunday, December 28, at the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd.). Doors 8 p.m., tickets $5.
¥ Kent indie-rock expatriates The Library Is on Fire are returning from their new base in Brooklyn to record their second EP at Kent's Waterloo Sound Recording with Todd Tobias (Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard). They'll play the Matinee Cleveland (2527 W. 25th St.) at 10 p.m. Friday, December 26, and the Beachland Tavern at 9 New Year's Eve.
