The weekend starts tonight with Pop Noir at The Echo as part of the Hell Ya! party. It's free if your over 21 and $5 if you're only over 18. Also recommended is Paper Pills at the Knitting Factory and Transistor's James Brown Tribute at the Grandstar.

I might be saving up my money and energy for New Year's Eve, but if I decide to go out tomorrow, it will most likely be to attend Vendetta Valentine's gig at the Knitting Factory. They will be playing the Alter-Knit Lounge.

On Saturday, Cute Phase is playing its final show of 2006 at Blues House Cafe in Whittier. The band said via MySpace that this will be its last all age coffee house show. Plus, Par Avion is reuiniting at the Moutain Bar. I mistakenly took the e-vite I received for a New Year's Eve party, but apparently, it's the night before.

As for Sunday, we're undecided on plans, but are leaning towards Chinatown where Transistor, Underground and Atomic are throwing a bash at the Grandstar with only a $10 cover.

Tonight, Club NME presents Young and Stupid, a special 20th anniversary for C86. The C86 All Stars, featuring members of The Mighty Lemon Drops, Aberdeen and Languis will be playing a selection of British indie, lovingly-twee sounds. Dia, Tita, Matt and Nancy will be spinning records. All this happens tonight at Spaceland and it should be a blast. As per usual, such a show happens the day I have to meet a huge deadline so, needless to say, I won't be in attendence.

Sadly, James Brown has passed.

I'm not sure if we can ever bestow enough credit upon Brown. "Godfather of Soul" and "Hardest Working Man in Show Business" aptly describe his own achievements as both a musician and community activist. However, his influence far surpasses both of those titles.

Without James Brown, hip-hop wouldn't exist, if only for the fact that he was sampled so frequently. Without Brown and his collaborators, punks wouldn't have learned how to dance and post-punk wouldn't exist as it did. Later on, his sound informed the work of Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and countless others. He made my parents cut a rug just as he did for me. He will be missed.

Those of you who know me in the real world, know that I'm sort of inept in domestic areas. Let's put it this way, I have been known to set off fire alarms while trying to microwave popcorn. It's sad. Anyhow, last week I ended up watching Nigella Lawson make a trifle on the Food Network and thought, "Hey, even I can do that." So I did. The proof is in the chocolate pudding.



(I took a picture knowing that a few folks wouldn't believe me.)

The best part is that no one got hurt in the process. Oh, and it tasted great, even if I did go a little crazy with the brandy.

Now onto the music. I came across this cover of "Christmas Wrapping" performed by Data Panik. This should appeal to the Bis fans, which is pretty much everyone I know.

Notice that the above is the original Wham! version of "Last Christmas," not the sad sack Jimmy Eat World cover. IMHO, this is either the best damn holiday recording ever or tied with Marlene Dietrich's rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy."
Go head, watch the video. Relish in the snowy winter wonderland that for some reason is always associated with Christmas even though most of us don't ever see Jack Frost. Also note the very '80s ski resort setting and the puffy Aspen-friendly wardrobes. I hate skiing, destest bulky things and don't even care for Christmas that much. 'Twould be a nice celebration were it not for crowds of people trying to spend way too much on people they barely like the rest of the year and those icky, overblown light displays that dot L.A. houses. All things considered, I still love this song.

Then we have Band Aid with "Do They Know It's Christmas?" I want to hate this song because it's so fucking insipid. Of course starving Ethiopian kids know it's Christmas. Ethiopia adopted Christianity way before Europe did. And it doesn't snow in Bethlehem either. In fact, I just checked the weather and it's approximately the same in the West Bank as it is here in Los Angeles.

I can't hate "Do They Know It's Christmas?" because Bob "I'm Running for Sainthood" Geldof co-wrote it with Midge Ure of Ultravox. Plus, Ure produced it with Trevor Horn, producer of countless freakin' awesome records and the reason why I liked TATU and the performers included people from Spandau Ballet, Heaven 17 and the like. Anyhow, here's the video.



Merry Christmas.