Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA Mamma Mia! The illustrious sounds of ’70s Swedish Europop band ABBA will soon make their way to the Inland Northwest. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” a night of dancing and singing as Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA hits Northern Quest’s Pend Oreille Pavilion stage this final week of 2023. Whether you’re a “Dancing Queen” or a “Super Trouper,” there will be a place for you among the crowd. And don’t worry, the show doesn’t even cost that much “Money, Money, Money.” So set your “Angeleyes” on the Northern Quest, and “Take a Chance on [ABBA’s music].”
Uh Oh And The Oh Wells, Hayes Noble, Puddy Knife, Sick Pay Holiday Spokane isn’t exactly a musical destination for most (see: most bands deciding to not stop here on tours, closing venues, etc.), so it’s worth celebrating when rad musicians migrate to the Lilac City. This year’s standout in that category is Illinois transplant Hayes Noble. The young rocker absolutely rips things up on his 2023 debut, LP Head Cleaner, a collection of sharply produced, fuzzy shoegaze rock that calls to mind bands like Cloud Nothings, Japandroids and even early Nirvana. It’s probably the best Spokane album of the year… if you count it, since he released it before moving here. If you need to escape your relatives in town for the holidays, ducking out to the Big Dipper to catch Noble play as part of a loaded local rock bill is as good an excuse as any.
The Kevin Shay Band Christmas Show This live music event mixes many timeless holiday hits with some rock-n-roll favorites from the '50s through the '80s.
Grieves, Oblé Reed For those into the underground independent hip-hop world, being on the Minneapolis-based record label Rhymesayers Entertainment acts as a seal of approval. That’s the way that Seattle-based MC Grieves popped up on many a hip-hop head’s radar with albums like 2011’s Together/Apart and 2014’s Winter & the Wolves. While he’s no longer rockin’ on Rhymesayers, Grieves’ casually scrappy flow hasn’t missed a beat as showcased on WHY NOT, his 2023 collaborative LP with Mouse Powell. Don’t show up late to Grieves’ stop at District Bar, as opener Oblé Reed might’ve put out the best Seattle hip-hop album of 2023 in the form of LINDENAVE!.
BrrrZAAR It’s OK if you’ve put off gift shopping until now, because there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find plenty of options for every person on your list during Terrain’s annual winter arts market. Filling three of River Park Square’s retail floors, BrrrZAAR unites dozens of local artists and makers to showcase and sell their handmade wares. Those goods range from jewelry and art prints to home decor items, skin care, candles, clothing and beyond! Besides being a one-stop-shopping event, the other great thing about BrrrZAAR is that it helps ensure local small businesses and artists can support themselves while making our community a more vibrant, beautiful and joyful place. New this year, the event has expanded into the Kress Gallery (behind the food court) to accommodate more vendors, added holiday photos from Electric Photoland and local live music.