This is usually where I mention the relative strengths of this week’s shows, as well as my personal picks for the week. But, err, it’s Christmas, and there ain’t crap goin’ on this week, aside from two Waco Brothers shows at Schubas next weekend (I’m hoping to be back in town for the Sunday show).

Aside from those, though… at least there’s always internet porn.

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Monday, December 21
Beat Kitchen: Pat McCurdy (holiday show)
Empty Bottle: Netherfriends, A Lull, Aktar Aktar
Martyr’s: Tin Lynott
Reggie’s Music Joint:  West 34
Schubas: The Singleman Affair, Jeff Harms, Mean Sea Level

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Tuesday, December 22
Beat Kitchen: Chicago Underground Comedy
Double Door:  Breakers Broken, City at Large, Ghosthouse, Coltrane Motion
Empty Bottle: Camera, Milk at Midnight, Bullets in Madison
Hideout: Sanctified Grumblers
Martyr’s: Cole DeGenova & the People’s Republic, Drama Junkies, The Yuletides
Reggie’s Music Joint: Mr. Blotto, Homegrown
Reggie’s Rock Club:  Hollywood Holt, Dave Coresh, Nick n Beans, Youngsta, more
Ronny’s: Bill Tucker, Bartleby, Cup’nString, Plan B
Schubas: Schubas Holiday Party ft. live band karaoke
Subterranean: The Downtown Struts, The Non-Believers,The Alright Alreadies

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Wednesday, December 23
Abbey Pub: In Bound Kennedy, Sons of Mary
Beat Kitchen: Exmortus, Vektor, Diamond Plate, Deadnight, Centaurus
Bottom Lounge: Blah Blah Blah, Panic Pixel, The Memories
Double Door: Scott Sweeney, Kevin Prchal, Ron Robinson, Mia Leblon
Empty Bottle: Avagami Lord of the Yum-Yum, Sequioia, Percolator
Hideout: Immediate Sound Series ft. Drake/Bishop/Parker/Abrams
Lincoln Hall: Covers For Cover II
Martyr’s: Kick The Cat, The Renegades
Metro/SmartBar:  Frankie J, Ori Kawa, Greg K., The Fo.R. [FREE SHOW]
Reggie’s Music Joint: Tina Howell & The Fellas, The Primeridian, Fate of Five, Urbanized Music
Reggie’s Rock Club: Rough Cut, The Human Defect
Schubas: Puking Pearls, Louis & The Hunt, Jon Drake & The Shakes

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Thursday, December 24
24 straight hours, yo

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Friday, December 25
Aragon Ballroom: Montez de Durango, Larry Hernandez, Robert Tapia, more
Metro/SmartBar: DJ Joe Garrido, Holiday Tetris Tournament

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Saturday, December 26
Abbey Pub: Lockeroom Talk, Youth Dekay, Johnny Rev M, more
Beat Kitchen (6pm): Veil of Maya, Monsters, Elysion Fields, Small Town Murder
Beat Kitchen (10:30pm): The Heligoats, Caw! Caw!
Bottom Lounge: Mustard Plug, Flatfoot 56, Cheap Girls, Rule 22
Double Door: Gene Yaas, The Desperate Club, The Dirty Blue [FREE SHOW]
Empty Bottle: Unicycle Loves You, Pet Lions, We Will Eat Rats to Survive
Hideout: Platform 29
House of Blues (6:30pm): Stellar Road
Lincoln Hall: Emily Wells, Azita
Martyr’s: Cornmeal Acoustic Christmas
Metro: Lucky Boys Confusion, The Fold, The Action Blast, The Attraction
Metro/SmartBar: Colette, Brian Gardner, Brenda D
Reggie’s Rock Club: Macabre, Maggot Twat, Johnny Vomit, These Are They, more
Reggie’s Music Joint: Holiday of Horror, Macabre, Primitive Evolution
Schubas: The Waco Brothers, The Mediums
Subterranean: Mike Kinsella/Bob Nanna/Joe Trohman play the songs of Morrissey, Empires

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Sunday, December 27
Abbey Pub: Papa Jupiter, Jack in Space, The Human Defect, 6 Degrees of Separation
Beat Kitchen: Perseus Noble, Inkbat
Bottom Lounge: Deals Gone Bad, Tracer Bullet, The Blind Staggers
Empty Bottle: Love of Everything, The Drink Up, Honey, Tim Kinsella/Frank Rosaly Duo, Locks
Hideout: Dasboton, Sonoi
House of Blues: Rusted Root, Tom Fuller Band
Metro/SmartBar: bOY13 & eeks!, DJ Larissa, Toast
Reggie’s Music Joint: Scourge, Angry Hate Infestation, Hot for Preacher, Gonzo Violence
Ronny’s: The Kremlin, Sir Vixx/Khrusty, Ghetto Caviar
Schubas: The Waco Brothers, YellowHammers
Subterranean: Cochise Soulstar, Awdazcate, Elevation, Simon Sez & Polo