What better birthday present? Mittenfest, Corner Brewery, December 23.

My list of must-see performers is short, based not on disliking the rest but on my own woeful lack of "cred" (read: having seen them before): Fred Thomas, Chris Bathgate, Canada.

I'll note that "Need Based Paint" continues to be one of the best band names I've heard in quite some time. (Though still well behind "Fuck Yeah and the Rock 'n' Rolls", of course...)