Merry Christmas y'all and a Happy New Year, Merry Kwanza, Happy Hannukah, and Festive Festivus. This is my first blog for HVmusic.com, although I've been writing it for a year, and all past blogs are archived on my website. I'd like to thank the two Steves for taking me into the HVmusic family and posting my blog on their site.

My next one will be posted during the first week of January, and weekly thereafter. I will be writing about music and music related topics and every week will recommend live music events for my readers. I hope I can bring a little joy and music into your lives in the process.

This week’s live music picks will also extend through Wednesday, January 4, 2012, and since there is so much going on for the holidaze this week and next, we’re gonna get right down to the real nitty gritty right now!

Friday, December 23- THE JOHNNY MONSTER BAND does a rare Friday night before Christmas at American Glory BBQ in Hudson. I’ve heard the barbecue is off the hook, and The Johnny Monster Band is one of the better blues bands around.

Monday, December 26 – Christmas is over, but it’s still a legal holiday, so that makes it a great day to drive to Manhattan and catch the DISCO BISCUITS at the Best Buy Theater. Now, I am not really familiar with this band’s music, but I’ve heard they’re really good. If in doubt, check them out on the web first.

Tuesday, December 27 – THE FAB FAUX, the best Beatle band in the business, is at City Winery in Manhattan. Consisting of A list players from Late Night TV, The Fab Faux faithfully recreate The Beatles, often doing material that The Beatles themselves never performed live! They often do full British versions of Beatle albums for each of two sets. I’ve seen them do “Rubber Soul” for the first set and “Revolver” for the second! I’ve also seen them do “Sgt. Pepper’s”, “Abbey Road”, and singles like “I am the Walrus” and “Strawberry Fields”, and they play every instrument that was used on the original records! No synthesizers here! As the band likes to say, “It’s not a tribute, it’s a recreation”! Disco Biscuits continue at the Best Buy Theater and our own BEN ROUNDS hosts his regular Tuesday night open mike at The Catamount Restaurant in Mt. Tremper.

Wednesday, December 28 – PHISH start a 4 night run at Madison Square Garden, culminating with New Year’s Eve. Disco Biscuits finish up at Best Buy, and ROSS RICE AND THE VERY SEXY TRIO return to The Catamount for one of their biweekly Wednesday night shows.

Thursday, December 29 – THE PATTI SMITH GROUP kicks off their annual 3 day run at The Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan and Phish continues at The Garden.

Friday, December 30 – Our New Year’s weekend begins in style with a multitude of shows. Patti Smith and Phish continue at their respective venues, and GOVERNMENT MULE starts their annual year end shows at The Beacon Theater in Manhattan, finishing up on Saturday night. Punk/glam rock legends THE NEW YORK DOLLS are at Irving Plaza, and, closer to home, Country-rock legends, THE NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE, christen the new Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville, THE WAILERS are at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, 3 is at The Bearsville Theater, and THE BIG TAKEOVER, the Hudson Valley’s premier Reggae band, is at The Black Swan in Tivoli.

Saturday, December 31, New Year’s Eve – The Master, CHUCK BERRY, makes a rare appearance at B.B. King’s in Manhattan. Phish, Patti, and Government Mule finish up at their respective venues. Local favorites, THE FELICE BROTHERS are at Club Helsinki in Hudson; Ramble veteran, ALEXIS P. SUTER is at The Falcon in Marlborough; The LINDSEY WEBSTER BAND is at The Bearsville Theater; The best band in the Hudson Valley, PITCHFORK MILITIA, is at the new BSP in Kingston (with Johnny Monster Band opening); ROBERT BURKE WARREN is having a busy New Year’s Eve by playing an afternoon family show at The Bearsville Theater as UNCLE ROCK, then growing up by nightfall to play a New Year’s Eve Dance Party with THE CATSKILL 45’S at The Kleinert Center in Woodstock; and I don’t know who’s at Harmony in Woodstock, but it’ll probably be good and owner, Sha Wu will probably lay out a scrumptious buffet for his loyal patrons, so at least stop there for a nightcap. Happy New Year!

Monday, January 2, 2012 – LITTLE FEAT returns to The City Winery in Manhattan, though sadly without their MONSTER DRUMMER, Richie Hayward, who lost his battle with liver cancer last year. Tonight is the first night of a three night run, which concludes Wednesday, January 4.

Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hannukah, a lovely Kwanza, a Happy New Year, and a festive Festivus! See you next year!

Fred Perry is the owner of Reservoir Music Center on Route 28 in Shokan, and founding member of Alt-Country supergroup, The Brooklyn Cowboys, is from a 3rd generation musical family and lives in the Hudson Valley, where he does what he can to promote live music.