Wether you like it or not, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Ottawa-Gatineau. Minus the snow. Cause the snow’s taking it’s time this year in the National Capital Region, and that’s just fine. That being said, there’s plenty happening this week to put you in a festive mood and kick off the holiday celebrations. So get out there and enjoy what the city has to offer.
Metal heads rejoice, Mavericks has the perfect holiday show for you. This Tuesday night, check out the second annual We Wish You A Metal Christmas with live performances from Lord Dying, Greylights, The Thirteenth Floor, The Aphelion, Vesuvius, RUIN and WKFLD. starting at 7pm. Tickets are $12 at doors $10 if you bring a non-perishable donation. What’s more, there will be an ugly holiday sweater contest and a milk & cookie eating competition so if you plan on attending, dress for the occasion.
Over in the Hull sector of Gatineau, for the closing of the exhibitions Zabriskie of Michel Archambault and They Might be Brainless of Beatriz Herrera, AXENÉO7 and DAÏMÔN invite you to a special gathering to celebrate the holiday season. Theres going to be music with DJ M. Caffrey, Jean-François Laporte, tasty eats and festive surprises. Oh and it’s free admission and parking.

There’s music for a cause happening this Wednesday night at the Avant-Garde Bar. It’ll be an evening of live tunes to raise money to welcome new residents to Ottawa and there will be sets by Goodnight Boy, Andrew Johnstone, Emily Howard as well as Jesse Dangerously and Young K. Check it.

Zaphods wants to spread some holiday cheer and say thanks to all their patrons for another great year so they’re having a Christmas Tree Decorating and Star Wars Special Appreciation Night this Wednesday. For the occasion, the Star Wars Holiday Special will be shown on the big screen and afterwards DJs Matty + DeckTheBalls will play party jams while people decorate the Zaphods tree and enjoy the treats Santa will be delivering throughout the night.

Ottawa alternative folk singer-songwriter and musician Claude Munson will be performing live at the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield this Thursday, December 17. For the occasion, he’ll be sharing the stage with a full band as well as Toronto-based singer-songwriter Pat Maloney

Massachussetts melodic-hardcore/punk band A Wilhelm Scream will be performing live at House of Targ this Thursday night as part of the #WinterIsCummingTour. For this show, they’ll be sharing the stage withNew Orleans hardcore/punk group PEAR, Toronto punks Brutal Youth and Ottawa punk rockers Pistols At Dawn.

Local musician Claude Munson is hosting a special live music show this Friday, December 18 to help raise funds to help a family of Syrian refugees that his immediate family and friends are sponsoring. The event, happening at Flapjack’s Pancake Shack, will feature live performances by Maxim “banjo man” Cossette, Chris Landry, The Minor 9s, Daemon & Ayrdri, and Sean Tansey. There will also be a box for donations at the door for those who feel extra generous.

Ottawa indie folk rock band Amos The Transparent is hosting its now-annual holiday concert at Zaphods this Friday night. This time around the local 6-piece, whose latest album “This Cold Escape” has garnered significant attention, will be performing live alongside special guests Mountain Eyes and The Stringers.

There’s a punk rock holiday jam happening at Avant-Garde this Friday night and it’ll feature live sets by Belleville punk rockers ELE, Ottawa rock band The Tenenbaums, Toronto punk rock group Pseudo and Ottawa party rock newcomers Holy Christopher.

Update: the show has been postponed to January 29, 2016. Troy Ave’s White Christmas Canadian Tour will be making a stop in Ottawa this Friday night. The NYC-based rapper will be performing live at Ritual and sharing the stage with local hip hop artists God Bless, Juvi Da Gemini, Frank Blak and Drae among others.

For two nights this weekend, Ottawa’s low-culture event of the year is back to help set the bar even lower. Friday night will feature a lounge/comedy act with Remi Royale, a country set with Slo’ Tom and the Handsome Devils, weirdo jazz by Super Awesome Club, synth madness of Festive Filters & Merry Modulations. As for the second night, it’ll include Flying Fortress, World War 4 and Blackbread.

Wanna relive the 90s pop craze with the Spice Girls this week? Then be sure to head over to Babylon this Friday, December 18 for 90s or Bust featuring Wannabe: The Spice Girls Tribute Act. Wannabe will bring you as close to the real deal as you can get with costumes, dance moves, glitter, confetti and platform shoes. After the show, stick around for the 90s or Bust dance party and dance the night away to all your fave 90s jams.

There are new bass events coming your way courtesy of Bad Republic, a collective of DJs and promoters that has come together to step up Ottawa’s bass game, both in decibels and in capacity. For this first night happening Friday at Plurr, New York producer Notixx will be dropping some serious bass bangers alongside Montreal dubstep duo the W4rriors, and Montreal electronic music DJ Construct.

This Friday night, SPOOR presents the latest edition of The Deep End at Ritual. Once again, the SPOOR crew brings you a substantial array of furious techno beats all through the night while also bringing a unique experience; intersecting music, lighting and video projection. This is the perfect night to check out if you’re into techno, house, and electronic music.

This Friday night at Raw Sugar Cafe, DJs Sarita, OHJAY and VJ Big Baby invite you to feel all the feels with them as they spin deep house, dance, nu disco and r&b tunes for your dancing pleasures.

This Saturday night, Zaphods and Hot Buttered Pop Cultured vintage shop bring you Bizarre Baazar, a Pop-Up Day Market with lots of local and independent vendors gathered in one place for some last minute shopping needs/gifts/stocking stuffers. Vendors will be selling vintage pop culture, health products, sexy-time proucts, taxidermy, decorative items and rad locally made stuff.

At the Gladstone Theatre this Saturday, December 19, there’s going to be a Tribute to Phil Ochs featuring Sneezy Waters, Tony Turner, Zachary Stevenson, Ian Tamblyn, Eve Goldberg , Jesse Stewart, Daemon & Ayrdri, Erin Saoirse Adair, Larissa Desrosiers, Elizabeth Riley Band, and Moonfruits as well as a special appearance by Sonny Ochs. 
On Saturday, December 19, Live on Elgin will be hosting ‘Music Feeds’, a benefit show in support of the Ottawa Food Bank. As part of the event, there will be live performances by local alternative hip hop group Alex Silas & The Subterraneans, hip hop artist Aron The Alien, rockers The Bristol Hum, rapper Nick Travis from Lost Kids and experimental hip hop crew wotts. If you attend, please bring non-perishable food donations.

‘Tis the season for ugly Christmas sweaters, sweating & grinding. What? If you want to get down at a dance party this Saturday night, there’s the Queer Mafia’s OhMyJam Christmas Edition being held at Babylon. Hip-hop, dancehall and RnB hits will be provided by DJs Mace and Ken L Jones.

The House of PainT fam and Aunt Thelma’s have joined forced to present a Hip Hop Holiday Lunch this Sunday at Midway Family Fun Park. The family friendly event will feature a hip hop lunch with DJs, a special lunch menu, hip hop workshops for the young ones along with door prizes. Proceeds from this event will support House of PainT’s continued programming in the Ottawa community as we celebrate and elevate hip hop arts and culture.

Gatineau indie folk rock trio Okies will be giving a live performance at the Petit Chicago this Sunday, December 20. The local band, who just released the new single Rolling Thunder, will be joined on stage by alternative folk/rock/grunge duo Blanche & Noir.
