By Andrew Gorder

This year’s Rock Against Violence, which will be held Saturday, Dec. 29, has taken on an even more literal meaning and morphed into a benefit show for for Rapid City native Dan Griebenow, who was among those wounded in a Colorado shooting spree on Dec. 9 (Read more here).

The lineup includes Nodes of Ranvier, No One of Consequence, the Reddmen, a Keyboards and Computers reunion show and more. The show will also include a $2 raffle drawing for a chance to win gift certificates to Lakota Ink, dvd players, artwork and lots of other stuff.

The show starts at 6 p.m. and will be held at the T.R.E.A. center in Rapid City (1981 E. Centre St. Across the street from Western Dakota Tech on Hwy 44/Omaha St.)

Cover is a measley $7, and all proceeds from the show will go toward Griebenow’s medical bills, so make sure to be in attendance! It will definitely be worth your time, no matter what your musical preferences are.

For more information and links to the bands who will be performing on Saturday, check out the Rock Against Violence myspace page.

It’s a great cause for a great guy, so be there!

 

By Eric Lochridge

With 2008 looming, I’m thinking ahead to who could have new music out next year. I’ve heard rumblings about a new U2 album, and Counting Crows pushed their new one off from this fall to January.

Other than that, I don’t know who else is threatening to unleash some killer new tunes.

Any of you heard anything good?

By Eric Lochridge

Well, it’s Christmas Eve, and we’re quickly approaching zero hour for Christmas music. At my house, it’s not allowed to be played until Thanksgiving Day and must be put away promptly on Dec. 26 each year.

Last night, I found myself in a conversation about the worst holiday songs. I think it’s strange that some of the biggest names have some of the worst Christmas songs. Paul McCartney is the prime offender with “Wonderful Christmas.” Not only does the chorus of that song grate on you for hours, the crime is committed by a Beatle, who should know better.

Elton John makes my list with “Step Into Christmas” — the one with the Pac-Man sounds.

What are some others? Something by the Beach Boys, I would think. George Michael. Mariah Carey — don’t get me started.

By Ryan Woodard

Has anybody checked out the new CD by Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo yet? The aptly titled “Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo” came out Tuesday. It’s a compilation of recordings Cuomo has done at his house over the years, ranging from tracks he wrote before Weezer’s first, breakout CD “The Blue Album” to a song intended for the band’s latest record “Make Believe.”

You can sample a couple of the songs here. I plan on picking the CD up -  I just haven’t had a chance to yet. I’m guessing it will probably be pretty good, if Cuomo’s track record is any indication. But I’m also a diehard Weezer fan, so I might be biased.

This album could be a good stocking stuffer for that Weezer fan in your life.

By Eric Lochridge

The Buffalo Chip Campground announced Tuesday that ZZ Top would be performing during next year’s Sturgis motorcycle rally. You can read the story from the Journal here.

I’ve lost count of the number of times ZZ Top has played in the Black Hills over the years. I saw them twice here, about five years apart, and I’m pretty sure it was the same show both times.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. ZZ is probably the quintessential rally band. They’ve got a deep catalog of catchy hits to keep the rally crowd revved.