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OH, CHRISTMAS TUNES: Whether you’re the Scrooge of Santa Barbara, the kid who’s never been kissed at midnight, or simply someone who’s (adeptly) decided not to travel this holiday season—worry not. Despite all the holiday cheer being spread around town this season, S.B.’s music makers (and club owners) are showing no signs of slowing down throughout the next week. In fact, it seems that now more than ever clubs are opting to keep their doors open during the yuletide. And whether that means folks are just trying to make an extra buck, or genuinely provide some tunes for fans of the unconventional Christmas, it’s no matter—as long as we’ve got a reason to get out of the house this Friday night that has nothing to do with returning sweaters to Macy’s, I’m happy.

And speaking of Friday, this year the day after has plenty of non-shopping offers for the music fan choosing to stick around through the weekend. First and foremost, Velvet Jones (423 State St.) will open its doors to one of the city’s most famed young rock acts, Them Terribles (myspace.com/themterribles), starting at 10 p.m. Since the band self-released their killer EP, Rock, Paper, Terribles back in 2007, I’ve been waiting with baited breath to see what these guys would offer up next. The answer finally came last month with the online-only release of their newest song, “Mona Lisa.” According to the band’s blog, the ditty is just one of a number of freshly penned rock outs, leading me to believe that this week’s setlist will be littered with new tunes. And if “Mona Lisa” is any indication of what’s to come for Them Terribles, you can expect a harder sound that calls to mind the genius licks and controlled freak-outs that made the Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes such success stories. The show is yet another attempt by Velvet to open their doors to the 18-and-older set, and based on the new setup’s success thus far, I’m betting on a full house. For more info on the concert, call 965-8676 or visit velvet-jones.com.

Also planning a post-Christmas takeover this year is newly minted Colorado transplant Matt Clark. On Saturday, December 27, Clark and his band will share their original mix of blues, folk, and upbeat roots music (think Phil Collins meets Sean Hayes meets Ziggy Marley) with the crowd at Stateside (1114 State St.). They’ll be joined by opening act Dylan Schmidt and the Rhythm Souls, and the show starts at 8 p.m. For more info on Clark, visit myspace.com/mattclarkband. For show info, call 564-1000 or visit statesidesb.com.

AULD LANG SYNE-LANGUAGE: For those of you looking for something to do this New Year’s Eve, it is my honest opinion that S.B. is offering up more in-town (and affordable) parties than ever before. In this issue alone, we detail two killer events (West Indian Girl and DJ Marko at The Mercury Lounge, and Fishbon’s big NYE bash), but the fun most definitely does not stop there. For a musically bombastic celebration of all things ’08, I suggest heading down to Muddy Waters Café (508 E. Haley St.) for a night of tunes courtesy avant-rockers oso (myspace.com/thebandoso). Since returning from Eastern Europe a few months back, these eclectic songwriters have definitely turned things up a notch, dishing out new tunes, stirring up ruckus crowds, and turning up at events large and small. The evening will be shared with New York post-rock dub duo $.99 Dreams (myspace.com/ninetyninecentdreams), featuring Matt Crane and Adam Diller. The night also includes food, drink, games, and prizes, and tickets are on presale for a mere $20. For info, call 966-9328 or visit myspace.com/muddycafesb.

Michigan and Smiley

Also on deck, SOhO (1221 State St.) will be hosting an authentic New Year’s Eve reggae bash with the help of Jamaica’s famed dancehall purveyors Michigan & Smiley. For $100, you can start off the night right with a four-course pre-fixe meal and live music, to be followed by the concert; reservations are required. At 10 p.m., non-reservation holders can pay $25 for Michigan & Smiley’s show, complete with a complimentary champagne toast. For more info, call 962-7776 or visit sohosb.com.

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