** Bullet points indicate CL's critics' picks**

Thursday, Dec. 6

Blues/Roots/International
Blues and More... (Wet Willie's)
Latin Thursdays (Dream Nightclub, Matthews)

Classical/Jazz/Smooth
Beats and Keys (Encore Bistro and Bar)
Bill Hanna's Vintage Dance Band (Grand Central Events)
John Alexander (Blue Restaurant & Bar)

Country/Folk
Electrician, Rita's Gift, Matt the Movies (Milestone)
Open Mic w/ Brett Greer (Tommy's Pub)
* Tara Nevins Of Donna The Buffalo (Double Door Inn)
Tyrone Wells, Andy Davis (Evening Muse)

DJ/Electronic
Cameo Thursdays (Phoenix)
Dance Party w/ DJ Glow (Wild Wing Cafe (Ayrsley))
Nuvo Thursdays (Marigny)
Salsa, Cumbia, Norteno, Banda music w/ DJ (Las Rositas)
* Shiprocked w/ Scott Weaver (Snug Harbor)
Touch One Thursdays f/ live music, DJ Flemingo (Wine Up)

Hip-Hop/Soul/R&B
Speakeasy Thursday Open Mic (The Nickel Bar)

Pop/Rock
Absolute Convixtion, The Persevering Promise, Blu Avenue, Forgive Me Not (Tremont Music Hall)
Heroes at Last (Boardwalk Billy's, UNCC)
Incognito Mosquito, Stamper (Neighborhood Theatre)
The Independents, The Live Grenades, All Rise, Black Bag Operation (Chop Shop)
Jonathan Coulton, John Roderick (Visulite Theatre)
Rayen Belchere (Kylie's Sports Bar and Grill, Cornelius)
Richard Marx (McGlohon Theater)
Walter (Villa Antonio)

Friday, Dec. 7

Blues/Roots/International
* Popa Chubby (Double Door Inn)
Shana Blake Band (Jack Beagle's)

Country/Folk
Blackberry Smoke, A Thousand Horses (Coyote Joe's)
* Crowfield (Rusty Rudder, Cornelius)
* Jessica Lea Mayfield & David Mayfield, T. Hardy Morris (Evening Muse)
* Jim Avett (Evening Muse)
The Lenny Federal Band (Comet Grill)

DJ/Electronic
After Work Groove with DJ Festivus (Davinci's Pizza)
DieselBoy, DLX, Legion, Sapien, Disc-Oh!, Phat Rabbit (Chop Shop)
DJ Dance Party w/ DJ Glow (Wild Wing Cafe (Ayrsley))
DJ T-Nice (Phil & Tony's, Matthews)
Techno Wars, Michael Brisco (Crown Station Pub)

Hip-Hop/Soul/R&B
* Lee Fields & The Expressions, The O-Getters, Yardwork (Tremont Music Hall)

Pop/Rock
* Beards Because Finale (Amos' Southend)
Gasoline Heart, Death of Two Wheels, AM/FMs, Pullman Strike (Milestone)
Hipshack (Boardwalk Billy's, UNCC)
Jen & Tonic (Lucky Lou's Tavern)
Junque Gallery (Puckett's Farm Equipment)
Leslie & Rico Duo (Mickey & Mooch, Huntersville)
* Metalocalypse: Dethklok w. Machine Head, All That Remains, The Black Dahlia Murder (The Fillmore)
Nicholas & The Human Race, Serfs, (young) American Landscape (Snug Harbor)
Steve Engler (Blue Restaurant & Bar)
Walter (Villa Antonio)
Wizards Roadshow (Fat Parrot)

Saturday, Dec. 8

Blues/Roots/International
* Keb Mo, Chuck "The Charleyhorse" Johnson (McGlohon Theater)
Shana Blake and Pivotal Souls (Common Market (Plaza-Midwood))

Classical/Jazz/Smooth
58th Annual Singing Christmas Tree (Ovens Auditorium)
Bill Hanna Jazz Jam (Double Door Inn)
Richard Elliot, Nick Colionne (Dale F. Halton Theater, CPCC)

Country/Folk
Mike Alicke (The Wine Cellar, Cornelius)
* Steep Canyon Rangers, The Corduroy Road (Neighborhood Theatre)
Stepside Deluxe (Puckett's Farm Equipment)
* Sunshone Still, Elonzo (Evening Muse)

DJ/Electronic
* Bass Church 30 (The Fillmore)
DJ Wojo (Phil & Tony's)
ID Saturdays (Phoenix)
Krewe Saturdays (Marigny)
Salsa, Cumbia, Norteno, Banda music w/ DJ (Las Rositas)
Whylefiles, DJ Sved (Crown Station Pub)

Hip-Hop/Soul/R&B
* Rick Ross, Meek Mill, Wale (Bojangles Coliseum)

Pop/Rock
Dead Kings, 25 Minutes to Go, Southside Punx (Milestone)
* Desert Noises (Evening Muse)
Gorilla Productions Battle of the Bands (Tremont Music Hall)
Hotshot (Boardwalk Billy's, UNCC)
Iron Cordoba Viking Metal Party #4 (Chop Shop)
Kroy Presley Band (Blue Restaurant & Bar)
Leslie & Rico Duo (Mickey & Mooch, Arboretum)
Public Radio, Vess, All The Bright Lights (Amos' Southend)
* Recess Fest Grab Bag f. Joint Damage, Low to the Earth, Center of the Sun, Columns, Bazooka, Paint Fumes, Brody & Choch, Clicks & Whistles (Snug Harbor)
* Recess Fest Grab Bag f. Calormen, Jenny Besetzt, One Another (Studio 1212)
* Recess Fest Grab Bag f. Ghost Bikini, We Are Now, Late Bloomer (Lunchbox Records)
* Recess Fest Grab Bag f. Great Architect, Southern Femisphere, Some Army, Andy the Doorbum (Century Vintage / Patchwerk Playhaus)
* Recess Fest Grab Bag f. Sister Fister, 2013 Wolves (Thirsty Beaver)
Truth & Its Burden, Camisado, Mercia, Dr. Cirkustein, Souldera, Shadows of Deceit (Tommy's Pub)
Tyler Ward (Visulite Theatre)
Wizards Roadshow (City Smoke)

Sunday, Dec. 9

Blues/Roots/International
The Session (RiRa Irish Pub)

Classical/Jazz/Smooth
Jazzy Sundays (Tempo)

Hip-Hop/Soul/R&B
* Ceschi, The ThoughtCriminals, Keyza Soulsay (Milestone)

Pop/Rock
Rock the Holidays 2 f. Horsefly, Beyond the Broken, The Weakness Being Mine, The Resisters, Randy Paul, Funky Geezer Show, Blaine DeBoo, Jess & Brandon Acoustic (Amos' Southend)
Rockin' in a Winter Wonderland (McGlohon Theater)
Sense of Purpose f. Paul Agee, Chris Allen, Joe Lindsay, Jody Gholson (Tyber Creek Pub)

Monday, Dec. 10

Blues/Roots/International
Monday Night Allstars (Double Door Inn)

Country/Folk
Find Your Muse Open Mic (Evening Muse)
Open Mic Night (Jackalope Jacks)

Tuesday, Dec. 11

Classical/Jazz/Smooth
Bill Hanna Jazz Jam (Double Door Inn)

Country/Folk
Acoustic Open Mic (Hideaway Sports Bar, Mooresville)
Full Band Open Mic (Ed's Tavern)
Little Johnny Trailor Trash (Stooges Pub & Grub, Mint Hill)
Open Mic (The Kilted Buffalo, Huntersville)
Quincy on the Patio (Philosopher's Stone Tavern)
Red Rockin' Chair (Comet Grill)
Open Mic w/ The Smokin' Js (Smokey Joe's Cafe)

Pop/Rock
Affiance, Of Sirens and Sailors, Vices & Vessels (Tremont Music Hall)
Fairplay & Special Guests (Lucky Lou's Tavern)
George Terry (Jeff's Bucket Shop)
* Marina & the Diamonds, Icona Pop (The Fillmore)
Wizards Roadshow (Bonfire Bar & Grill, Indian Trail)

Wednesday, Dec. 12

Classical/Jazz/Smooth
* Charlotte Symphony: Messiah (Belk Theater)
Los Leones (Kalu, charlotte)

Country/Folk
Acoustic Whiskey Wednesdays (The Gin Mill)
* Dan Bern (Evening Muse)
Dixie Moon (Puckett's Farm Equipment)
Open Mic w/ Chris Sanchez (Forty Rod Roadhouse, Mint Hill)
Open Mic w/ Jon Linker (Boardwalk Billy's, UNCC)
Open Mic w/ Leebo (Comet Grill)

DJ/Electronic
After Work Wednesdays w/ DJ LP (Tilt)
Le Bang (Dharma Lounge)
Limelight (Marigny)

Pop/Rock
Ed Sheeran, Meagan and Liz, Noah Guthrie Sold out. (Amos' Southend)
Kissmas 2012 f. PSY, Cher Lloyd, Conor Maynard, Rita Ora, Cody (The Fillmore)
Morrowville, Tiny City (Milestone)
Steve Engler (Blue Restaurant & Bar)
Walter (Villa Antonio)