CYNICS A GO GO

Little Steven's Underground Garage has invited The Cynics to travel to Rochester, N.Y., this weekend for a Yuletide blowout, Little Steven's Christmas A Go-Go, held, in part, to celebrate the garage-rocking soundtrack of the new film, "Christmas with the Kranks." The Chesterfield Kings, who appear on the soundtrack, will headline the show at the Water Street Music Hall, where other acts include the Charms and the Rainy Day Saints. The show is Saturday at 10 if you're up for a road trip, but the Cynics will be back in Pittsburgh at the World next Friday with Black Tie Revue and the Priests.

REX RECS

Chris Theoret is branching out again with the launching today of Rex Theater Records. The label's first release is "New Tomorrow," an album of old-school rock 'n' roll with an uplifting message by Theoret's own project, Leon. Look for more releases in the future. You can visit Rex Theatre Records at www.rextheatre.com.

GOTHEES CHRISTMAS

Leon won't be playing at the Rex tonight, but there's a must-see celebration -- the Gothees' Christmas Spectacle -- headlined, of course, by the fabulous Gothees, Pittsburgh's premiere bubble-goth adventurers, the mad, mad, mad, mad world of Amoeba Knievel, and a band that's clearly far more goth than bubblegum, the Deliberate Strangers. Like any self-respecting spectacle, the night includes a special midnight screening of the cult film "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians."

MUPPET CAPER

Looking for a stranger way to celebrate the season? Try a live performance of the Muppets' "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas," re-enacted at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern by the Hope-Harveys, Aimee DeFoe and Mike Shanley of the Mofones and other local rockers. The band will play authentic "jug band" instrumentation -- cigar box banjo, kazoo, washtub bass, washboard, and jug -- and perform such Muppets gems as "Grandma's Bathing Suit" and "Riverbottom Nightmare Band." The night will also feature open-stage performances, including Weird Paul spinning plates. The show, which starts at 9, is free.

MON SONGS

Todd Tamanend Clark, a multi-instrumentalist from Fayette County, has released "Monongahela Riverrun," an instrumental CD drawing on such genres as Native American tribal music, avant-garde classical, free jazz, psychedelic rock, industrial cyberpunk and dark ambient electronica. The songs are named for 16 towns along the Mon. The album is available on Primal Pulse.

FREEDOM SONGS

Leslie Bowe of The Freedom Band branched out this summer with a solo CD, "Through My Eyes," that showed a range beyond reggae and a good feel for atmospheric acoustic soul. The sweet-voiced Bowe, who delivers a positive global message in his songs, plays a solo gig at Club Cafe, South Side, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

FIDDLIN' WITH JAZZ

Jazz violinist Rodney McCoy is joined by Mike Ward (of New Orleans) and Jerald Daemyon (of Detroit) for a series of Urban Jazz Violin Players Christmas Shows this weekend. They're at the First Church of God in Christ at 7 p.m. Saturday (donations for church accepted) and for an 11 a.m. service on Sunday. Then, on Sunday night, they play the Crawford Grill on the Square at 7 and 10 (tickets $20 advance; $25 at the door). Call 412-363-3953.

MORE CLARKS

Having sold out shows on Dec. 29 and 30, The Clarks have added a third date at the Rock Club on Dec. 28. The band will be joined by Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at noon through all TicketMaster outlets and select Giant Eagles, or charge by phone at 412-323-1919 and online at www.pittsburghconcerts.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

SCHOOL'S IN

School of Athens, a piano-based rock band in the school of Coldplay or Muse, headlines a four-band bill Saturday night at Mr. Small's Theatre in Millvale, and then the band will be looking beyond Pittsburgh in the first part of 2005. School of Athens is flying to Los Angeles in early January to record its first record. Soon after returning, the band will play its first show in New York at Arlene's Grocery on Feb. 4. The Mr. Small's show is Saturday at 7:30 p.m, with Ennui, Reasons for Leaving and Road Less Traveled. Cover is $8.

PHILLY HOTEL

One Star Hotel pulls into the Quiet Storm in Friendship tonight, having just released "Good Morning, West Gordon," an excellent second record that finds the Philly band sounding remarkably like latter-day Wilco. The gig here comes after a rather rough patch for One Star Hotel. In late November, someone broke into the band's rehearsal space and made off with thousands of dollars' worth of equipment. Since then, they've been using borrowed instruments. A fund raiser is being held for the band in Philly the night after the Pittsburgh show. At the Quiet Storm, One Star Hotel is joined by Between the Waters and the New Fiction at 9 p.m. It's $5. All ages.

LONE PARROTHEAD

Parrotheads know Peter Mayer as the lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. Tonight, he breaks away with the Peter Mayer Band to perform a Christmas concert featuring songs from his record "Stars & Promises" at the Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church in Canonsburg. The show is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20.

MARTIN AT BORDERS

Rebecca Martin, a jazzy singer-songwriter formerly of Once Blue (with Jesse Harris), is drawing acclaim for her third solo record, "People Behave Like Ballads." The New York Times wrote of her songs that "nearly every one carries a chilling mule-kick, originating either in Ms. Martin's lyrics, her singing or the arrangements of her modest band." Martin turns up with her band for a free show at the Monroeville Borders tonight at 7:30.

BYRD BENEFIT

Country singer Tracy Byrd brings "Watermelon Crawl," "The Keeper of the Stars," "Holdin' Heaven" and the rest of his hits to the region as part of Y108 radio's funding drive for St. Jude Children's Hospital. The concert is open to donors who reach the "Partners in Hope" level by contributing $30 per month for a year to St. Jude's Research Hospital, which specializes in childhood cancer research and treatment. The show includes country newcomer Catherine Britt and starts at 8 tonight at Benjamin's, 540 Penn Lincoln Dr., Imperial, 724-695-1816. The event is part of a two-day radiothon benefiting the hospital.