Anyone who knows A.D. gets that he’s a big fan of Christmas music in nearly every shape and size. OK, let me amend that. It’s a big “no” to overly slick holiday hits from Mariah Carey, the Beach Boys, “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” and McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmas.” Everything else gets a hearty “yes,” but, you need to make a deep inspection of what’s being thrust at you.
So, if you’re reading this today, December 23… Damn it! You missed the live iteration of WXPN’s Helen Leicht’s 12th Annual Home for the Holidays Concert. This time from her home with husband Biff Kennedy (show yourself, sir), the longtime mistress of local music on a midday basis welcomed several Hooters from near (Rob Hyman) and far (Eric Bazilian), “Star Spangled” doyenne Lauren Hart, Andrew Lipke. The soulful likes of Mutlu (alone) and Ebony Edwards and Joshua Banton (together). And Zeek Burse closing out the whole Leicht affair with a take on the Lennon-Ono “Happy Christmas (War is Over).”
CHARITABLE DONATIONS – THE BIGGEST CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR PHILLY
Yes, Helen’s Holidays Concert airs two more times on WXPN, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Check HERE where you’ll also find times for two New Wave holiday Robert Drake specials: the Christmas Eve starting, midnight to midnight Night Before, and his Christmas Day follow-up, “Merry Fringemas” with Eric Schuman.
I can’t help but think that The Geator with the Heater, Jerry Blavat, has Christmas music and events planned for his THE GEATOR, FRANK & FRIENDS program on WOND 1400, 6 to 8 pm on Saturday (a conflict with Jerry’s Saturday show on WXPN from 6 to 7 pm but you can hear the most recent of Jerry’s XPN shows on-demand at any time HERE or HERE. Or during his new Sunday Facebook Live show.
And while the Geator’s buddy, Low Cut Connie singer-songwriter Adam Weiner, this week’s “Pandemic Person of the Year” at the New Yorker, illustration and all, drops a fresh seasonal romp (“Christmas Makes Me Cry”) romp today, December 23, The Philly Holiday Album, curated by Slomo Sapiens Jon Pritchard, is already on the (Bandcamp) stands. With its monies going to both the National Independent Venue Association’s Save Our Stages fund and the area’s Toys for Tots program. Along with featuring Will Donnelly of Low Cut Connie and Hannah Taylor performing the SNL classic, “Christmastime for the Jews,” Stereo League (who appear on Helen Leicht’s Holiday special), Ali Awan, Trap Rabbit, Nik Greeley and Taylor Swish (yes a local Taylor Swift cover act doing her “Christmas Tree Farm”) all pop up during The Philly Holiday Album. $15 on Bandcamp, streaming for free Christmas Day on YouTube.
Don’t be a cheapskate.
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