Christmas night, Blue Lunch will host their 2nd annual Matzoh Ball and Holiday Latke Party at the Beachland Ballroom (15711 Waterloo Rd.). Frontman Bob Frank says the band's fifth CD, Sideswiped, may be available that night. If the disc isn't ready, fans can settle for non-kosher potato pancakes, which the Beachland will add to its regular menu.
"The idea is to serve two purposes," says Frank. "To give fellow Jews something to do on Christmas, and to give anyone who's had enough of family and is feeling a bit of cabin fever a chance to get out and cut loose a bit. By the way, Blue Lunch is not an all-Jewish band. Right now, our Jewish membership is at .625.
Soulful blues singer Miss Butterscotch will join the band and perform a solo set.
Doors 7:30 p.m.; tickets $10 advance, $12 at the door. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Gathering Place, an organization that provides services to individuals with cancer and their families.
St. Louis-based Scat Records has reissued Bill Fox's 1997 album, Shelter From the Smoke. The 23-song CD/double-LP includes four bonus tracks from his '90s group the Radio Flyers. If the label's finances hold, expect 1998's Transit Byzantium next year. Both records were originally released on NYC indie label SpinArt, whose roster includes Apples in Stereo and Clem Snide. Visit scatrecords.com for details.
Bassist Craig Martini will return from Nevada for reunion shows of two of his former bands. State of Conviction will play a hardcore set at Chimaira Christmas X on Sunday, December 27, at House of Blues (308 Euclid Ave). Then, Martini and SOC singer Jason "J. Mann" Popson will reconvene Unified Culture for a show at 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 29, at Peabody's (2045 E. 21st St.). "I plan on doing most of the [1995] To Know What's Up You Have to Be Down album as well as some other surprises," says Martini. Garmonbozia opens. Tickets: $10 advance, $12 day of show.
The Sex Crimes reunite for a one-time show at 9 p.m. Tuesday, December 29, at the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd.) The co-ed quintet split in 2006. "We're gonna go out and do what we used to," says frontman Fred Gunn, referring to the band's 2005-2006 tenure. "We're a Cleveland punk band." The Death Sweats, Other Grils and Sandman & Postman open. Tickets: $6.
