Another week closer to Christmas and another week closer to getting Christmas over with. How I love the festive period – all of those repeating adverts on the box, the scramble of mid -weekend shopping, the cheap and tacky decorations but worst of all, the Christmas ‘Hits’. The only worthwhile Christmas song is The Pogue’s, I’m not even opening the debate on this one.

Tonight local SXSW heroes Polly Mackey & the Pleasure Principle are headlining The Picket in Liverpool tonight, also playing are Trader, The Mono LP’s and The Rackets. It’s a cool venue steeped in history, which in 2006 had to be relocated to a different site due to the building being sold but following a huge public response they were able to save the venue, which is an important piece of Liverpool’s music past. The likes of The La’s, The Coral and Shack played there during their early days and since it’s become quite a haunt for Liverpool’s indie elite. It’s £2 a tickets and £3 on the door.

Metal is the flavour of choice tonight at McLean’s. Panic Promotions have Severenth, Impaled Existence and Embrace the Truth playing whilst tomorrow night at the Shotton Lane Social Club they have the last ever gig by Deeside favourites Part of the Queue. Also playing will be Stokoz to Moscow, The Live Wires and Yea Boii. It’s £4 entry for both of them and bands start at 8:30pm.

Telfords Warehouse have a great show on tomorrow night from The Loose Kites. The band have received high praise from numerous people, the most famous being Tony Visconti – producer of David Bowie, T-Rex and Morrissey, add to this airplay from an array of local BBC stations across the land – BBC Radio 6, BBC Radio Wales and XFM. Most bands would lie back and absorb the praise with a glass of the finest Co-op whiskey and a thick Cuban but these guys know that a live gig is where it’s at. Next year they have a lengthy tour planned visiting the likes of Manchester, Belfast, Sheffield and London. Tonight though, they are in Chester, it’s free before 9pm and £4 thereafter.

Alt Nation returns to Central Station tomorrow night for its monthly soiree. It’s dubbed as ‘North Wales’ Biggest Rock Night’ and takes over both floors of the venue. If you are into your rock, metal, punk, ska, hardcore, emo, indie, mod or thrash then it’s likely you’ll enjoy the offerings of this night, that’s of course if you can handle the culture clashes and the Guitar Hero competition.

One of Wales’ most famous bands is playing Central Station on Saturday, Funeral For A Friend. Since forming in 2001 they have released 4 albums, with their last album being on their own label ‘Join Us’. I’ve got to be honest, I don’t like these at all, I put them in the box labelled ‘screaming angry bands’, along with other bands of the same ilk. You see, listening to their lyrics, they don’t sound too happy and I don’t want to hear about how rubbish life is, I’d rather watch daytime TV to discover that, and they can’t possibly have anything that bad to complain about, well apart from the over hyped credit crunch, it’s hardly 1980’s Thatcherism is it? Anyway, they’ll soon grow out of it, or I might just be missing the point. Support on Saturday comes from Cancer Bats, Attack! Attack! and Sirens, it’s an early show starting at 6pm and tickets are £15.

The Talbot Bar in Wrexham has the Redi Session on Saturday night. Headlining will be punk peacock’s Eyelashes That Ate Manhattan with The Fag Machine and Mitsu’s Run. On DJ duties is Pablo Minki and the Noise Unit. Doors are 9pm and it’s £2.50 entry.

You might remember me mentioning a band called Mechanical Owl a few months back. If you do, you’ll probably remember me drooling and declaring my whole hearted love for their music. Well, since then they’ve had some promising news. Mike, Matt, Ian, David and Greg are currently negotiating a possible album deal with the very very cool independent label Akoustik Anarkhy which is based in Manchester. If that isn’t enough on its own, there is also the possibility of a tour with Doves (one of the finest bands to come out of Manchester in recent years) on their 2009 album tour. Sheesh kebab. Exciting news indeed.

That’s all I have to say this week but if I’ve missed something out and you desperately want a mention in next week’s, email ben@wrexhammusic.co.uk and I’ll do my best. Take care.