DIGITAL JOURNALIST
Lara Landon has a new Christmas EP and is on a compilation to benefit Jars of Clay’s chartity Blood: Water Mission. (Contributed Image)
Lara Landon, a Riverside native who now lives in Nashville, is on a new Christmas compilation album with Christian music heavyweights Jars of Clay for the band’s charity “Blood: Water Mission,” which has provided water and access to HIV/AIDS education, treatment and support in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Run-DMC got into the Christmas music biz for a good cause. (Contributed Image)
The first Christmas album I ever bought was the original “A Very Special Christmas.” I remember getting it when it came out on cassette back in 1987 when I went Christmas shopping with my grandmother. I was supposed to be shopping for others, so I ended up with a lecture about why it’s better to give than to receive when I got home.
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Barry Manilow returns to McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert for his holiday shows. (FIle Photo)
Want to support some local music this holiday season? A lot of bands are doing special shows for the occasion.
Check out my column this week, which features local bands playing holiday shows, including Borrowed Bones, MT Robison and The Messengers, Suspicious Activities, Audigraffiti, Pococurante, MANNTIS, Knock-Out, Hit the Switch, The Robbery, The Sleeping Sea King, The Paper Crowns and so many more.
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Hangar 24 Brewery in Redlands hosts local music on a weekly basis. (Contributed Image)
Redlands combo All Marbles will play at Hangar 24 in Redlands on Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 6-9 p.m.
The show is free and open to all ages (but you can only sample Hangar 24’s wares if you’re at least 21 years old).
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Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson performs at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino Thursday, Dec. 6. (Terry Pierson/Staff Photographer)
Garbage singer Shirley Manson told the capacity crowd at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland on Thursday night that she and her bandmates were disappointed when they came to the venue and saw that it was filled with thousands of seats.
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I’m at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino tonight for Garbage and Imagine Dragons.
Alien Ant Farm will have a special show in Riverside for the holidays. (Contributed Image)
Alien Ant Farm holiday’s concert “Here Comes sANTa” with the Riverside City College Studio Orchestra is happening on Saturday, Dec. 8.
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Andy Warhol did the cover art for Billy Squier’s “Emotions in Motion.” (Contributed Image)
There really aren’t enough blogs out there talking about Billy Squier. I’m aiming to change that today.
You know what the guitarist taught me? He taught me that Christmas is the time to say “I love you.” And for all of you kids who don’t remember Nina Blackwood, Martha Quinn and the glory days of MTV, here you go. (Speaking of that, Martha Quinn is so on my bucket list of people to interview and a bonus like to all of you who can name the rest of the original MTV VJs).
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The Infamous They will play Bratts in Temecula on Saturday. (Contributed Image)
Local Temecula bands are in the spotlight at Bratts on Saturday, Dec. 8.
Rumor has it there will be Christmas sweaters involved.
Reverend Crow, the new band featuring Finch’s Nate Barcalow, Gatsby’s Fiddle Ken Ebeck and Buckstudly will also perform.
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Mariah Carey joined Jimmy Fallon and The Roots for a new take on “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” (NBC/Contributed Image)
All hail the melodica. The instrument isn’t just for Idyllwild’s Casey Abrams anymore. The Roots and Jimmy Fallon channeled its power along with a children’s xylophone and one of those recorders we all had to play in elementary school* to breathe new life into Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
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