JESSE’S PICKS

Benefit Concert For The Children Of Gaza

6:30–9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, FireHouse Arts and Events Center, 1314 Harris Ave.

On Thursday, Dec. 19, some top local performers have teamed up for a benefit for the children of Gaza at the Firehouse. The lineup includes the jazz combo House Kat, a rare appearance by the excellent Celtic duo Giant’s Causeway, and JT & The Blue Impressions, which is a new blues/jazz group led by Jan Peters (who is also the organizer of the event). Come prepared to enjoy great music, but also to give whatever you can. 

Blessing Bled Chimanga

7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, The Blue Room, 202 E. Holly St., Unit 301

Blessing Bled Chimanga is a Zimbabwean singer and marimba player who plays Afro-pop with a bit of gospel mixed in. Now based in Boulder, Colorado, he’ll be bringing his band to the Blue Room on Saturday, Dec. 21. 

Rockin’ Yule Bazaar

6–10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, The Art Center at Buxton’s, 1904 Commercial Ave., Anacortes

The Anacortes Music Project always pulls in a bunch of Skagit County’s best bands for their annual Yule Bazaar, and this year is no exception. Acts include Ebb, Slack, & Flood, Nurhachi, Cascade Cody and The Enthusiasts. The Enthusiasts, by the way, just put out an excellent sophomore album, “To Rest A Field.” That’s going down at Buxton’s on Saturday, Dec. 21. 

Robert Sarazin Blakes’s A Very Subdued Christmas

5–7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, New Prospect Theatre, 207 Prospect St.

Another treasured holiday music event around here is Robert Sarazin Blake’s annual Very Subdued Christmas. The folk singer and songwriter will be telling stories and singing songs that “have something to do with” the holiday season on Sunday, Dec. 22 at the New Prospect Theatre. I would expect that to mean that you shouldn’t expect the usual Christmas standbys. The absurdist, animal-masked rockabilly duo Kitty & The Rooster will be this year’s special guests. 

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LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS

Friday, Dec. 13

• Amendment 21: 7 p.m., Penny Stinkers
• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., The Sulphites
• Bar Two Eleven: 9 p.m., Red Karma (Taylor Swift tribute)
• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., Shanna Manning
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Thomas Harris Quartet (jazz)
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Full Color Dream, Checker Bloom (rock)
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Raelyn Kaplan Trio
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Pete Keating & The Renslow Trestle
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., David Feingold 
• Make.Shift: 6 p.m., Open Mic
• Ramble Tamble: 8 p.m., Preacher and the Freight Train, Andrew Sweet, Shannon Patino
• The Shakedown: 9 p.m., LSD and the Search For God, Tremors, Flesh Produce
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Free Harmony  (folk/rock)
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Wild Applause
• TheVault: 7 p.m., Double Trouble
• TheWaterfront: 8 p.m., Left Lane Cruiser, Leo Crafft (rock)
• Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m., S.O.L.2

Saturday, Dec. 14

• Beach at Birch Bay: 4 p.m., Wicked Timing
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Cats Like Us
• Ono Kitchen: 7 p.m., Joseph Arthur
• Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Stardrums & Lady Keys
• FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 6:30 p.m., North Country Highway 
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Jay Irwin & The GP Sunsets
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Sweet Bean Selene
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Nick Moshier
• Jansen Art Center: 3 and 7 p.m., NOEL, A Celtic Christmas
• Odd Fellows at the Orion: 8 p.m. House Kat (jazz)
• Old Edison: 8 p.m., Mara and the Charm (classic rock)
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Utopian Monk Revival
• Skylark’s: noon, Marley Dzis, 4 p.m., The Non-Stop Carolers, 8 p.m., Badd Dogg Blues Society
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Michael Dayvid
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Shawn Dennehy
• Wild Buffalo: 8:30 p.m., Dean Johnson (country)
• Zeeks Pizza: 7 p.m., ELK  (funk)

Sunday, Dec. 15

• Admiralty Lounge: 6 p.m., Sarah Goodin (folk)
• FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 6 p.m., Gallowglass, The Moving Hats
• Kulshan: 5 p.m., The Problem (jazz/funk)
• Mount Baker Theatre: 3 p.m., Bellingham Symphony Orchestra
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., The Bow Diddlers (classic rock)
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• WWU Pac: 3 p.m., Kulshan Chorus

Monday, Dec. 16

• FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 3:30 p.m., Loch Clark & Bill MacDonough (jazz)
• Bella Ciao: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• Lincoln Theatre: 7:30 p.m., Livingston Taylor, Loudon Wainwright III (singer-songwriters)
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Wild Geese of the West(Grateful Dead tribute)

Tuesday, Dec. 17

• The Admiralty Lounge: 7 p.m., Ivan Sandomire
• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., Jazz Night
• Menace: 7 p.m.,  Invitational Blues Jam
• ‘Ono Kitchen and Bar: 7 p.m., Open Mic ft. Pete Ruble
• Zeeks Pizza: 6 p.m., The Other Thing (jazz)

Wednesday, Dec. 18

• FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 6:30 p.m., Jose “Juicy” Gonzalez Trio (sold out)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Open Mic
• Rockfish: 6 p.m., Savanna Woods
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Chuck & Carr

Thursday, Dec. 19

• Brown Lantern: 8:30 p.m., Open Mic
• Cafe Rumba: 6 p.m., Open Mic
• FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 6:30 p.m., House Kat, Giant’s Causeway, JT & The Blue Impressions
• Honey Moon: 8:30 p.m., Shadies Not Shadies
• Schweinhaus: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• Sugar & Co.: 6 p.m., Saltwater Cowboys
• Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• That’s What I Like! Island Grill: 6 p.m., JP Falcon and Friends (folk/rock)
• Zeeks Pizza: 7 p.m., The Groove Doctors (blues/rock)

Friday, Dec. 20

• Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., Mindset Concept (jazz/fusion)
• Beach at Birch Bay: 6 p.m., PaperHeart Unplugged (alt-rock covers)
• Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Thomas Harris Quartet (jazz)
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Paige Woods Christmas Extravaganza
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Adrian Clarke
• Old Edison: 8 p.m., The Preacher & The Freight Train
• Ramble Tamble: 8 p.m., The Artful Dodgers (rockabilly/surf)
• TheShakedown: 9 p.m., Sons of Rainier, Lonesome Shack (country/folk)
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Neighborhood Songwriters Showcase
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Cardova (funk)
• TheVault: 7 p.m., Michael Dayvid
• Corner Taphouse: 7 p.m., Shady Groove

Saturday, Dec. 21

• Birdsview Brewing: 6 p.m., Cascade Cody (country/folk)
• Blue Room: 6 p.m., Blessing Bled Chimanga
• Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Alex Abrams
• Hotel Bellwether: 6 p.m., Bill MacDonough
• Odd Fellows at the Orion: 8 p.m., Julian MacDonough (jazz)
• Old Edison: 7:30 p.m., The Lucky Dogs
• Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., North Country Highway (country/rock)
• TheShakedown: 9 p.m., Oath Ov Hatred, Vaulderie, Maneater (metal)
• Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Anissa
• Stones Throw: 6 p.m., CGC Trio (folk/rock/jazz)
• Sugar & Co.: 7 p.m., Tea Seas Trio
• Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m. Urban Cowboy and D-Nice
• Brown Lantern: 9 p.m., Honestly No (indie rock)
• Buxton’s: 6 p.m.,  AMP Yule Bazaar ft. Tuscan Harper, Nurhachi, Camp Quitter, The Enthusiasts, and many more
• Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., RJ Rex’s Cedar Groove
• Larrabee Lager: 5 p.m., Honey Ruckus (folk)
• Skagit Cellars: 6 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Wild Buffalo: 9 p.m., Naraly (electronic)

Sunday, Dec. 22

• Kulshan: 5 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
• Lincoln Theatre: 3 p.m., Magical Strings Celtic Yuletide
• New Prospect Theatre: 5 p.m., Robert Sarazin Blake’s A Very Subdued Christmas
• Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., The Atlantics (classic rock and roll)
• Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Open Mic
• Eagle Haven: 7 p.m., The Olson Brothers (country)

Jesse Stanton's music column, The Beat Goes On, appears weekly. Reach him at jsbhammusic@gmail.com; @JSBhamMusic. Check with individual venues to make sure events are still taking place as scheduled. Live music events in Whatcom County: http://www.cascadiadaily.com/category/living/arts-and-entertainment/music/music-calendar