HO-HO-HO. IN CASE you haven’t noticed, Christmas is just 10 days away, and to relieve some of the stress that thought just brought on, take in some live music, kick back and relax. After all, it’s OK to gift yourself!
Port Angeles
• Don’t tell anybody, but Bill Swanson, owner of the Junction Roadhouse, junction of U.S. Highway 101 and state Highway 112 five miles west of Port Angeles, is celebrating his birthday Friday with Chantilly Lace playing a song for each one of his 55 years, starting with one from 1955. $5 cover.
All Points Charters & Tours will pick you up and take you home afterward — phone 360-775-9128.
Barry Burnett will be doing his Sunday Jam from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
On Wednesday, Jason and friends play roots music and more from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Tonight at Castaways, 1213 Marine Drive, the Sundowners host a jam from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. These fellas really know how to have fun!
• On Saturday, Northwest folk/blues icon Baby Gramps brings his National steel guitar to the Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St., for a holiday treat at 9 p.m. $5 cover — for a show that’s worth $20.
• On Friday, rock on with the Big Fine Daddies at the RBar, 132 E. Front St., at 9:30 p.m. Boogie the night away. $4 cover.
• Tonight at Wine on the Waterfront, 115 Railroad Ave., Charisa Silliman and A Jazz Affair make their debut at 7 p.m. Their passion for Gershwin, Berlin and the sultry torch songs of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s can be your passion, too. No cover.
• Chuck Grall and the Sounddogs will feature local country icon Denny Secord Sr. on Monday at Smuggler’s Landing, 115 Railroad Ave., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• On Tuesday, Howly Slim performs with vocals and guitar at Kokopelli’s Underground, 203 E. Front St., for your dining pleasure at 6 p.m.
• Every Tuesday evening at the Port Angeles Senior Center, Seventh and Peabody streets, the Port Angeles Senior Swingers presents Wally and the Boys playing ballroom dance favorites for the dancing pleasure of all seniors 45 years and older from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. $5 cover, first-timers free!
• On Wednesday at Dupuis Restaurant, 256861 U.S. Highway 101, Bob and Dave play blues with a brew and barbecue from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Victor Reventlow hosts the acoustic jam at the Fairmount Restaurant on U.S. Highway 101 west of Port Angeles from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Tuesday. Don’t be left out!
Sequim and Blyn
• On Friday, at the Oasis Sports Bar & Grill, 301 E. Washington St., the Denny Secord Duo returns with some great country music from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Thomas Sparks and Haunebu II perform at 9 p.m.
On Monday, the Blue Hole Quintet plays jazz renditions of standards, Latin, vocals, etc., for dancing and listening from 5:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
On Wednesday, Final Approach drops in with some boomer music from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• At The Buzz, 128 N. Sequim Ave., Kelly Thomas and Victor Reventlow host the very popular and rousing open mic Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• On Friday, at Stymie’s Bar & Grill at Cedars at Dungeness, 1965 Woodcock Road, Grace Vallez graces the dinner crowd with her beautiful vocals from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• On Friday, Take One Band makes its debut at Club Seven Lounge at 7 Cedars Casino, Blyn, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tina, from Soul’d Out, fronts this party band.
On Saturday, Society’s Child plays Motown, funk and soul from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
On Sunday, there’s a doubleheader with Denny Secord Jr. and Haywire gettin’ your country up from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., followed by Ted Vigil and his John Denver Christmas Tribute, backed by Haywire, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Port Hadlock
• Tonight at The Ajax Cafe, 271 Water St., Buzz Rogowski plays jazz and originals at 6 p.m.
On Sunday, Jim Nyby plays blues, ballads, jazz and soul at 5:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, Jess is styling on the piano from 6 p.m.
Port Townsend
• Blues, in several of its various forms, pervades The Upstage, 923 Washington St., this weekend.
Tonight, Matt Sircely, Bill Shepard and Maggie Coalson play roots, Americana, bluegrass and country blues at 7:30 p.m. $5 cover; youths free.
On Friday, Kitsap County’s homegrown dance and blues band, The Blues Counselors, brings its rockin’ blues at 8 p.m. Blues is its business. $8 cover.
On Saturday, Drag Strip Riot plays outrageous and skilled punkish rockabilly, blues and rock at 8 p.m. $7 cover.
On Sunday, Tony Petrillo and Carla Main provide the vocals for the Rex Rice-Herb Payson Quartet, with songs from the great American songbook, Latin and blues asides and holiday tunes, too, at 6 p.m. $5 cover.
Phone 360-385-2216 for reservations.
• On Friday, the Bluestone Trio from Eastern Washington plays jazz at Sirens, 823 Water St., at 9 p.m. $5 cover.
On Saturday, the Solvents have a CD release party at 9 p.m. that you won’t want to miss! $5 cover.
• On Friday, Fisherking plays acoustic classic rock at 7:30 p.m. at the Undertown, Water and Taylor streets.
Southbound plays country, blues and hillbilly jazz Saturday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• On Friday at the Boiler Room, 711 Water St., Under the Radar opens for Scheherazade at 8 p.m.
• On Friday at 5 p.m., you’ll find Howly Slim at the Banana Leaf Thai Restaurant, 609 Washington St.
Music news
• On Saturday, the Washington Old Time Fiddlers play live music at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road, Sequim. An all-players jam runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., followed by a performance from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Donations support fiddler scholarships. For more information, visit their website at www.olympus.net/community/oldtimefiddlers/play.htm.
• On Saturday, Olympic Peninsula dance presents the Soul Shakers at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St., from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The Soul Shakers’ motto is “dance your blues away.” Adults $15, students $10, 12 and younger $7.
Phone 360-385-6919 or 360-385-5327 for more information.
• Remember, as we get deeper into the holiday season, the parties come closer together and the spirits flow faster.
So please, have a designated driver or call a cab or a friend to see you home safely. We all want you to dance again.
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John Nelson is a self-styled music lover and compulsive night owl who believes in SDLqKLMA — Keep Live Music Alive” on the North Olympic Peninsula. His column, Live Music, appears every Thursday.
Are you performing in or promoting a live music gig? Contact John by phoning 360-565-1139 or e-mailing news@peninsuladailynews.com (subject line: John Nelson).
Also, check out “Nightlife,” a listing of entertainment at nightspots across the Peninsula, in Friday’s Peninsula Spotlight magazine.