Despite typical holiday slowdown, there's still plenty of live music available this week
As we get closer to Christmas, there are a bit fewer listings, and some venues take all or part of next week off, but there's still a wide range of options.
Matt York's holiday project out
Pembroke's Matt York recorded a bunch of holiday songs in stripped-down acoustic format, as we've noted, and you can listen via the free streaming at mattyorkboston.bandcamp.com or download them via his website. But now his wife, Beth, has produced a video that includes his version of "Jingle Bells," in a light-hearted video entitled "Dinosaurs and Jingle Bells," and the single is available on all the usual platforms. You can also check it out at mattyorkboston.hearnow.com
THURSDAY, Dec. 14: Say Darling sets up at Spire Center
The exquisite sounds of the folk-pop duo Say Darling at the Spire Center in Plymouth. Tantalizing new combo for jam fans, when Eric Krasno (Lettuce) and Stanton Moore (Soulive) bring their brand new Krasno-Moore Project to the Narrows Center in Fall River. The Fletcheros – musicians whose "day jobs" involve the Fletcher School of Diplomacy at Tufts, or as they call themselves, "diplomacy nerds" – at The Burren in Somerville. The Grippo Funk Band has a lineup of standout players at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke. The South County Brass Band lights up Nickanee's in Providence, Rhode Island. Zemeth – death metal from Japan – thunders into Brighton Music Hall. Canadian R&B duo Majid Jordan headlines The Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Denver dubstep DJ Mersiv at Big Night Live in Boston.
FRIDAY, Dec 15.: Irish Tenors belt out holiday hits
The acclaimed Irish Tenors bring their holiday show to Memorial Hall in Plymouth. The dulcet tones of the beloved Cherish The Ladies at the Spire Center in Plymouth is already sold out. The Dead-like sounds of New England's own Max Creek take over Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke all weekend. Session Americana, with guest star Eleanor Buckland (formerly of the indie trio Lula Wiles), headlines the Narrows Center in Fall River. Boston rockers Hallelujah the Hills shake up The Sinclair in Cambridge. The folk-rock sounds of Hummingbird Syndicate at The Menino Arts Center in Hyde Park. Acoustic bluesman Kemp Harris at Club Passim in Harvard Square. Rock songsmith Mark Cutler and The Men of Great Courage at Nickanee's in Providence, Rhode Island.
Dance-happy trio Moon Hooch rocks The Paradise Rock Club in Boston. Three rock bands, topped by Hardwired, at The C-Note in Hull. Start Making Sense – the Talking Heads tribute – at The Met Cafe in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. R&B singer Trey Songz takes over Big Night Live in Boston.
SATURDAY, Dec. 16: Yellowstone star to perform in Boston
Luke Grimes – who you might know as 'Casey' on Yellowstone – brings his country-rocking persona and band to Roadrunner in Boston. Longtime South Shore favorites The Fat City Band return to The C-Note in Hull. The group Lunasa delivers "Christmas from Ireland' to the Spire Center in Plymouth. The wit and wisdom of folksinger Cheryl Wheeler is enough of a show, but when she has pianist (and Peter Wolf pal) Kenny White along, it is an irresistible night of music at the Narrows Center in Fall River. You don't know quite what to expect when A John Waters Christmas takes over Boston's Berklee Performance Center. The rootsy Ryan Montbleau Band heats up Brighton Music Hall. Justin Quiles is one of the hottest Latin singer/songwriters out there now, and he's firing up the House of Blues in Boston. Steve Snuffer's Green Eyed Soul groove at Nickanee's in Providence, Rhode Island. The Mumblers rock The Next Page Cafe in Weymouth. The 1980s rock songwriters' super-trio Butcher, Baglio and Estes shine at The Fallout Shelter in Norwood. The soulful sounds of Danielle Miraglia at The Porch in Medford.
Montreal electronic duo The Adventure Club hits Big Night Live in Boston. The Four Horsemen – a Metallica tribute – roars into The Met Cafe in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Road trip: The Irish Tenors perform at Barnstable High School's Performing Arts Center. As noted before, Stoughton's Grammy-winning songwriter Lori McKenna does her annual run of four shows at Club Passim in Cambridge on Saturday and Sunday, but all four are already (long ago) sold out.
SUNDAY, Dec. 17: Neil McCarthy takes on Dickens in Fall River
If you're out shopping early, you can catch Matt York performing for Sunday brunch at the Olde Hitching Post in Hanson (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.). At 3 p.m. the Spire Center in Plymouth hosts actor Neil McCarthy's one-man show of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Sunday night, City Winery in Boston hosts the impressive double-bill of Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor; while The Slackers rock The Sinclair in Cambridge.
Coming attractions
MONDAY: Singer/songwriter/storyteller Sam Shaber is doing two shows at Club Passim in Cambridge.
TUESDAY: Professor Caffeine and his motley crew bring an "emo night" to Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke; while the four-piece vocal group Windborne celebrates songs of winter at Club Passim in Cambridge.
WEDNESDAY: Playing Dead has a December residency of sorts jamming at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke on Wednesdays; while Club Passim in Cambridge welcomes Wintery Songs in Eleventy Part Harmony – a collective of at least six singers led by Jennifer Kimball. Also, Grain Thief's quirky roots music at The Burren in Somerville; and the Boston Music Awards are at Big Night Live in Boston.
DEC. 21: Former Soul Box singer George Howard unveils his new project – The Willikers – at The Fallout Shelter in Norwood; while Boston rock/funk queen Jen Kearney invades The Burren in Somerville.
DEC. 23: The Jay Psaros Band tops the lineup at The C-Note in Hull's Christmas Party.
DEC. 28: The always intriguing Adam Ezra Group warms up The Narrows Center in Fall River; while "that other killer roots band from upstate New York," The Felice Brothers, raise a ruckus at The Sinclair in Cambridge.
DEC. 29: Badfish, the longtime and much-loved tribute to Sublime, has sold out their gig at Soundcheck Studios in Pembroke; Scituate's Dalton & the Sheriffs return to The House of Blues in Boston; and after a hectic year of touring around the world, Beantown blues-rockers GA-20 cap it all off with a show at The Narrows Center in Fall River.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Where to see live music near Quincy and Boston from Dec. 14-17