It’s all about the Christmas Specials this week. And quite rightly so, as this time next week it will be the ‘big day’, that of course being Christmas Day. Unlike myself, by now you should surely be in the festive spirit, preparing your liver for some yuletide soaking and priming your belt for the extra notch to be made following the endless repeating turkey sandwich buffet spreads.

Tonight a legend is appearing at Central Station at Don’t Die Just Yet’s Christmas Special. No, it’s not Spider Webb from The Horrors, although he will be DJ’ing, and it’s definitely not the band S.C.U.M, although they too will be playing, it is of course Mr Tim Burgess, front man of The Charlatans. To those who don’t know who The Charlatans are – they started life back in 1989 as a second rate Stone Roses but eventually grew out of the fad and forged their own distinct take on the Manchester sound and carried it on throughout the 1990’s with some classic indie singles and albums, ‘One to Another’ anyone?

Burgess has been DJ’ing quite frequently over the past couple of years, sometimes with his friend Alan McGee (who ‘discovered’ Oasis) but mostly on his own at various small indie nightclubs across the UK. He must clock up some serious Airmiles as he now lives in the horribly fake LA, don’t let put you off though, it’s going to be an ace night. Its £8 entry and starts at 8pm.

As always Thursday night at McLean’s means Panic Promotions night and having been on a break to record new material, local favourites Stokoz to Moscow return to be in front of the lights with Connecting Flight, Man from Michael and Dirty Static also playing. You can also catch the Stokoz and Dirty Static lads in the Cavern Club in Liverpool on Saturday night.

Luv*Jam just love shipping over the best of Berlin, last month they brought you Thomas Schumacher and tomorrow night they are flying in Skinnerbox for their Crimbo offering. If you like your dance music then the capital of Germany is the place to go. Admittedly I know absolutely nothing about dance music but I know that Berlin is where it’s at and the guys at Luv*Jam are on it. DJ’ing before Skinnerbox will be L*J residents Coley, Daniel, Cristoph and Sionky. Tickets are £7 and doors are 10pm.

The Big Beat are playing Telfords Warehouse tomorrow night. Now if you think most cover bands are complete bilge, like I once did, you obviously haven’t seen these yet. They shake off the ‘mulleted men in their 50’s, wearing light blue denim jeans and a loosely fitting shirt buttoned up to and only up to their belly button’ stereotype within a second’s glance and an even quicker listen. It’s free entry before 9pm and £4 thereafter.

Socialist’s Christmas soiree at The Talbot on Saturday brings you the mighty Gallops! for their first Wrexham gig in what seems far too long. Whilst wooing the industry suits at the Sŵn Festival and receiving well deserved high praise from the national press, they’re back for an actual live gig, which is incidentally, what it’s all about. Support comes from the equally dark and atmospheric Light Syndicate (Manchester), Arficeden and JKLMNO. Its £2 entry and starts at 8pm.

Now for some shameless self plugging. Every Christmas we put on our wrexhammusic.co.uk Christmas Spruce at Central Station, its part of the calendar now and without being bias, they keep getting better and better. This year is no exception – we have 10 acts spread across 2 stages, with the cream of local Wrexham talent playing; Trader, The Maydays, Polly Mackey & The Pleasure Principle, Seb Green, Roy Destroy, No Room For Heroes, Parody, Craig Williams and a Danny Gruff Vs Ronnie Rube ‘tune-off’. It’s our way of rounding of a year of good times and great music with a big Christmas carnage blow-out. Its £4 entry with a flyer and £5 on the door, over 14’s are welcome and starts at 7:30pm – the first act is on at 7:45pm so come down early!

And that is where I sign off for this week, that’s more than enough to keep everyone busy. As next Thursday is Christmas Day and the only day that the eternal grafters at the Evening Leader get off, you’ll find my column ramblings in next Friday’s paper (Boxing Day) for a round up of what to do for the New Year celebrations. Merry Christmas and take care.