True story—when Black Sabbath reformed and played UBC Thunderbird Arena in 1999, the Straight was there. And while Tony Iommi was every bit the guitar god one might have hoped, poor old Ozzy seems more than a little out of it—yelling like your grandad every time he loses the remote for the 10th time in a day. 

Not the way anyone needed to hear “War Pigs”. 

But that’s about to change in the seven days ahead, with hometown heroes Peach Pit and a remade Kevin Abstract also making the mid-December must-see list. 

Kevin Abstract

At the Biltmore on Thursday (December 14)

It’s one of the most difficult tricks in pop music: reinventing yourself. Once upon a time Kevin Abstract was known as the main creative of Texas hip-hop crew Brockhampton, which burned bright and then walked away from everything at the height of its powers.

A standard script would have had the artist also known as Clifford Ian Simpson cashing in on his pedigree by laser-focussing on hip-hop as a solo artist. Intead, Abstract’s just-released Blanket showcases him as nothing if not versatile, songs swinging from the synth-dappled grunge of “when The Rope Post 2 Break” to mournful alt-country “Blanket” to golden-sunset pop “My Friend”. Reinvention? Mission accomplished. And if it doesn’t work out long-term, there’s always... (Tickets: Timbre Concerts)

Rose City Band

At the Pearl on Friday (December 14)

Continuing with the theme of genre-fluid artists, Portland-based Ripley Johnson has certainly proven himself flexible over the years, moving easily from the dreamy psych of Wooden Ships to the Kraut-pop of Moon Duo to the jammy cosmic Americana of Rose City Band. It’s the last project that brings the singer-guitarist up the I-5 in support of this year’s Garden Party, which Johnson has accurately suggested is best filed under “porch music.”

That’s a tip-off that, if at this point in the Christmas rush all you want to do is to chill with a double bourbon and bliss out, the Rose City Band has you covered, especially if the set starts out with “Chasing Rainbows”. (Tickets: Modo-Live)

Black Belt Eagle Scout with Mount Eerie

At Red Gate on Sunday (December 17)

For DIY disciples who identify more as Cascadians than Canadians, it’s something of a dream double bill. There are numerous threads connecting Mount Eerie and Black Belt Eagle Scout, starting with the fact the former’s Phil Elverum has been a life-changing mentor to the latter’s Katherine Paul. Both acts traffic in a ruminative strain of grey-skies indie-rock that makes space for downbeat folk, overdriven noise-punk, and dark-symphony pop.

Both have devoted themselves to art designed to make their fans think, whether it’s about the inevitability of death, or the endless philosophical challenge that is life. And both deserve to be embraced as Pacific North treasures—something that, on some level, is already the case. God bless Cascadia. (Tickets: MRG Live)

Peach Pit 

At the Commodore on Sunday (December 17)

A lifetime ago (well, 2016 if you want to keep things totally accurate), the Straight ran one of the first reviews of Peach Pit in Vancouver, hailing the band’s debut Sweet FA as a record on which “guitarist Neil Smith deflates drunken teenage declarations of love with ‘I’m 17, don’t hold your breath.’” Translated: some songwriters hit the ground running with a little more depth than others. Flash forward a few years, and the band is not only legitimate Vancouver indie-pop royalty, but sitting at the global cool-kid table with all the privledges that comes with.

Yes, Peach Pit was onstage at Lollapalooza 2023, and you weren’t. If Vancouver’s finest—headlining the Kingfisher Bluez 16th Annual Christmas Party—wasn’t so goddamn lovable, we’d almost be jealous. (Tickets: Live Nation)

Zakk Sabbath 

At the Commodore on Wednesday (December 20)

If we’ve learned anything at this point in late-stage capitalism, it’s that you better have a side hustle if you’re looking to get ahead in the world. That’s evidently also true for rock stars—even the well-established ones. Zakk Wylde took his first steps towards metal immortality when he landed the gig of Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist and creative foil, debuting on 1988’s No Rest for the Wicked. 

A decade later­—clearly not one of those guys happiest when busiest doing nothing­—Wylde launched Black Label Society, a band that now has 11 studio albums and a devoted international metal-scene following under its belt. Throw in his membership in the reconstituted Pantera, and Wylde should at this point just be holding until the Christmas break. Instead he’s on the road with Zakk Sabbath, a super-star band featuring Rob “Blasko” Nicholson (Rob Zombie) on bass and Joey Castillo (Queens of the Stone Age) on drums.

As sure as the Prince of Darkness is married to the long-suffering Sharon, you know what to expect at the Commodore: every one of your favourite Black Sabbath songs covered by a band of insanely skilled black aces. Which is to say that you’ll be getting renditions of “War Pigs” and “Paranoid” that sound better than the real thing at Thunderbird Stadium in '99. (Tickets: Live Nation)