I know, I know, December is for holiday music. But I must confess, sometimes I need a break from “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas.”
If you’re like me, you’ll want to brave the snow and chill and see one of these shows. Whether you are looking for upbeat or contemplative music, December has a number of quality offerings.
So, put down the eggnog, tie a scarf around your neck and go see some live music. Besides, they show “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on TV every year, right?
HANK & CUPCAKES, 12/11, 8PM, ABBEY BAR, $7
This husband and wife duo is hard to categorize. New York-based by way of Tel Aviv, the pair’s music is infectious, danceable pop with a punk attitude. But when you see them live, you realize that they are much more than they seem. Using an extensive pedal board, “Hank” creates a wall of sound using only his bass guitar while vocalist “Cupcakes” belts out powerful melodies while adding percussion. Their shows are a live experience that separates them from so many other dance musicians who perform from behind a MacBook.
MATTHEW O’NEILL, 12/12, 7PM, DOWNTOWN LITTLE AMPS, $5 SUGGESTED DONATION
A wild, backwoods rocker, Matthew O’Neill draws comparisons to Neil Young and Creedence Clearwater Revival. With chunky electric guitars and gravelly vocals, his sound is weathered, which is appropriate considering the subject matter. Often tackling the realities of hard living, his music offers a wealth of experienced wisdom. Tinged with indigenous cosmology and an appreciation for America’s vast uninhabited country, O’Neill is enigmatic, existing somewhere between the world and what lies beyond it.
BRIAN DUNNE, 12/19, 7PM, MIDTOWN SCHOLAR, FREE
Brian Dunne is a country singer in the truest sense of the word. His melancholic songs resonate with the heartbroken, but he also has a dose of the big city in his music. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, he has called New York home since 2011. With a powerful and emotive voice, he connects with those who have experienced love and loss, suggesting wisdom beyond his years.
Mentionables: Jonathon Boogie Long and the Nighthawks, 12/6, Whitaker Center; Tom Yoder, Midtown Scholar, 12/12; Turkuaz, Abbey Bar, 12/19; Camela Widad, HMAC, 12/27
