http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2013/dec/18/266205/

Fast Food Junkies

It started with a banjo and an upright bass at the Walnut Valley Festival, where they met the third member who would round out their sound with powerful vocals, guitar playing and songwriting skills. Fast Food Junkies is a humorous (imagine that) metal-based band with bluegrass, country, rock and folk rolled into the mix, embracing the progressive bluegrass genre. Forming in 2004, the McPherson band has put out two album, Grumpyland and Backwoods. They write songs covering various topics from ballads of moonshine feuds and Irish immigration to comic accounts of warped loves and the McDonald’s drive thru.
Friday, Dec. 20, at Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, 8 p.m.

Dumptruck Butterlips Holiday Show

Free holiday show presented by Free State Brewery? If you’re not in, you’re not doing life right. Self-described as a blend of soul, folk and “good old American music done sexy,” Dumptruck Butterlips is a five-piece band from Lawrence that can do justice to both funky acoustic sounds and deep soul music. They’re not kidding about producing sexy music, claiming to dwell on topics such as drinking, gritty bedroom activities, and “everyday shenanigans of being a ‘gypsy hippie.'” This lighthearted but talented group of devoted musicians are sure to put the “merry” in your Christmas this week.
Saturday, Dec. 20, at Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, 9 p.m. Free.

Son Venezuela

It’s always the time of the year to salsa, if you ask me. Kansas City band Son Venezuela is providing quality live latin music for the occasion. The nine members of the band, who toured mainly in the Midwest for the past 19 years, play congas, timbales, bass, keyboard, sax, trumpet, trombone, trumpet and the bongos, so prepare yourself for a non-stop party that will give you a whole lot more than just the “Feliz Navidad” song constantly playing on the radio. DJ Jalapeno will be joining the band.
Saturday, Dec. 21, at Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, 10 p.m. $7 in advance.

High Magic

If you’re down to check out some new kids on the block, it looks like three-piece band High Magic just released their first five-track EP Joy of Existence in October of this year. The first track, “Mayflower Ave.,” a slow-building rock tune with full, deep vocals and psychedelic sounds, is a nice introduction to the big sound this band is capable of bringing to the Replay stage. As per their instructions, listen to their EP “in whole and at ample volume.”
Saturday, Dec. 21, at Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, 10 p.m. $3.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Lost Christmas Eve [KANSAS CITY PICK]

You could say Paul O’Neill’s vision for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a progress rock opera group, was slightly ambitious:”Basically I was building on the work of everybody I worshipped: the rock opera parts from bands like the Who; the marriage of classical and rock from bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Queen; the over-the-top light show from bands like Pink Floyd,” O’Neill said on his site.

It seems he’s pulled it off. With recognition from Billboard Magazine as one of the top touring acts, and more than seven million records sold, TSO is celebrating 15 years of touring with an encore and final performance of multiplatinum rock-opera “Lost Christmas Eve.” You’ve got two showings to choose from, and if you bring a canned food item to donate to Harvestors, you will receive a complimentary voucher for the GRAMMY Museum Experience at Sprint Center.
Sunday, Dec. 22, at Sprint Center, 1407 Grand Boulevard, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $31-70.50.

Dave Shelton’s Christmas Eve Soul Shakedown

If you get antsy to ring in Christmas Cheer a bit early, head over to the Jazzhaus for a soul cover show put together by some of Lawrence’s finest musicians — this includes ones that have moved away. Known as a night for townies to reunite with family and friends, bassist Dave Shelton is confident this band (who meets up once a year for this special holiday show) has the classic funk and soul tracks to get you off your feet. This will be the first time the party is held at Jazzhaus, the previous five years in a much smaller space of the Taproom, so be prepared for bigger and better than ever before. Songs to look forward to: Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing.”
Tuesday, Dec. 24, at Jazzhaus, 926 Massachusetts, 10 p.m. $3.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2013/dec/18/266206/