Several more venues are celebrating the holidays this week with showcases. The Meridian is hosting the annual Holiday Babes Christmas Party tomorrow night with our favorite local musical babe, Katie Stuckey. Verizon Wireless will be a haven for country singer/songwriter lovers tomorrow night (includes Roger Creager and Bruce Robinson). Warehouse Live celebrates twice with the Jingle Balls Friday night, showcasing local favorites Paris Green and Glass Intrepid, and their annual Eve of Christmas Eve......

Tonight, catch Soviet-born Regina Spektor and her unique "anti-folk" style at Warehouse Live. Tomorrow, catch Houston's own pop/rock outfit Prodigal Son at Rudyard's. Friday night is a tougher choice: you have Grupo Fantasma at the Continental Club (see our interview with them and win tickets), Ghostland Observatory at Warehouse (more details on them tomorrow), or if you're a club-goer, you may want to catch Paul Oakenfold on his "Greatest Hits" tour at Planeta Bar......

Local bands AWAKE and Together. We Are Instruments play at the ultra-hip Super Happy Fun Land. Other local favorites Prodigal Sons and Lanky open for emerging Geffen pop artist Matt White at Jet Lounge. Thursday, check out Twelve Girls Band: a dozen classically-trained musicians (all women, of course) playing both traditional Chinese songs and popular pop songs. Friday night, Beaumont's own classic blues-rocker Johnny Winter returns to Houston at the Meridian. Saturday, block-off your......

It’s a Whitman’s Sampler of concerts this week: metal, blues, alternative, country, Celtic, zydeco, reggae, etc. If you can find the genre you like, that’s your problem. May we suggest Raul Malo tomorrow night at Warehouse Live. The former leader of The Mavericks recently released an album of covers that seriously challenge the originals. Also, the H-Town Blues Festival sounds like a good line-up (you may want to bring your Prozac). And metal is......