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The Christmas fever is now waning, with most acts having completed their seasonal specials. But a few intriguing shows remain before the Great Day — including Elton John finishing his seemingly endless string of Hammersmith Odeon concerts, and Lindisfarne carrying their traditional sequence of Yuletide gigs in Newcastle right through the holiday and up to December 30 We even have a brand new tour opening before Christmas, with top Jamaican group The Gladiators setting out at Brixton in South London tonight (Thursday).
The most significant one-off before the break is by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, who return to the scene of their former glories at London's Royal Albert Hall on Christmas Day — and they're back there again on Boxing Day (which, of course, is Monday). Depeche Mode have a festive gig in London on Thursday (23), and you'll find that many clubs have extra special attractions either tonight or on Christmas Eve — as, for example, Dr. Feelgood at London Dingwalls (Thursday, 23).
But be warned, many regular venues are closed on Christmas Eve — and a number are remaining closed for several days So if you're thinking of visiting your favourite club over the holiday, check beforehand to make sure it's open.
The post-Christmas period is always the quietest time of the year on the gig circuit, as the paucity of our listings shows — though, mind you, quite a few venues failed to heed our warning about submitting dates early and have so missed out.
Even so, there are a few bright spots amid the gloom — with The Kids From Fame flying in to make their world concert debut at Brighton (27 and 28), London (30 and 31) and Birmingham (January 1). Imagination and Siouxsie & The Banshees playing London concerts, of which more details over the page; Whitesnake resuming their tour after the holiday, with their second leg kicking off in Birmingham (27-29); and New Year's Eve seeing the start of the admirable Press Gang Rock Week at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, which alms to predict the sounds of 1983.
Other London highlights Sex Gang Children and The Vibrators heading a six-band bill at the Lyceum (26), Marillion starting a three-night stint at the Marquee (28), a concert by The Damned (30) and Fairport Convention beginning a series of gigs on January 2.
Last but not least. Haircut 100 are playing the first five dates of the UK tour, the remainder having been postponed until late winter — they're in action in London (27, 28 and 31), St. Austell (29) and Chippenhem (30)
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