If sitting around the house listening to recorded versions of “Deck the Halls” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” isn’t your idea of a festive Christmas experience, there are options if you prefer your fa-la-las live.
Whether you’re into Celtic, pop, rockabilly or R&B, you have choices. Many of them.
Tickets to all concerts can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000 unless otherwise noted.
Radio 105.7 Presents The Holiday Spectacular. Atlanta's alt-rock station brings listeners a holiday fiesta spotlighting X Ambassadors, Portugal. The Man and Welshly Arms. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1. $35-$75. Coca-Cola Roxy, 800 Battery Ave. SE, Atlanta.
Brian Setzer Orchestra. It's the 14th annual "Christmas Rocks!" tour for the onetime Stray Cat. He and the Brian Setzer Orchestra just released a special 12-inch single LP, "25 Live!," to celebrate their 25th anniversary. 8 p.m. Dec. 6. $47.50-$62.50. Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta.
Ronnie Spector. The R&B-pop maven promises the "Best Christmas Party Ever!," where she will also perform as "Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes" for the first time since the '70s. 8 p.m. Dec. 6. $45-$60. City Winery, 650 North Ave. NE, #201, Atlanta. 404-946-3791, www.citywinery.com.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Despite the death of tour founder and mastermind Paul O'Neill earlier this year, his legacy will live on through the lasers and pomp-rock of TSO. 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 9. $48.50-$88.50. Infinite Energy Arena, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 1-888-929-7849, www.infiniteenergycenter.com.
Robert Earl Keen. This is the sixth year the Americana favorite has presented his "Merry Christmas From the Fam-O-Lee" show, and this year will include a set of songs from country music mainstays as well as Keen favorites and holiday tunes. 8 p.m. Dec. 9. $35-$55. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta. 1-877-987-6487, www.ticketfly.com.
Christmas with the Celts. Singers/musicians Ric Blair and Eimear Arkins front a show that blends traditional Irish music with American pop stylings. They'll be supported by other multi-instrumentalists and, of course, Irish dancers. 8 p.m. Dec. 11. $20-$35. City Winery.
Star 94.1 Presents Christmas with Kelly Clarkson and Bleachers. The powerhouse vocalist is finally doing things her way on her new "Meaning of Life" album, but she still has affection for those massive pop hits. And if you haven't seen Bleachers live yet, this is a good opportunity to check out one of pop's smartest bands. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. $44.50-$69.50. Coca-Cola Roxy.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Power 96.1 Jingle Ball. The Atlanta stop on the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour is a top-name affair with Demi Lovato, Halsey, Logic, Cheat Codes, Zedd, Fifth Harmony, Nick Jonas, Charlie Puth, Camila Cabello, Liam Payne, Julia Michaels and Why Don't We on the bill. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15. Sold out. Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive, Atlanta.
"A John Waters Christmas." The subversive director/writer/comedian will spread "Yuletide profanity and perverted piety" with his one-man show, which posits such questions as, "Is Prancer the only gay reindeer?" 8 p.m. Dec. 15. $39.50-$125. Variety Playhouse.
Robin Meade. Though she's best known as the morning shot of sunshine on Headline News, Meade has established herself as a noteworthy singer as well. This season brings the new song "Ghost of My Christmas Past," produced by Sugarland's Kristian Bush. She will be joined by the hot country-rockers, Sixwire. 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Dec. 16. $25-$30. Eddie's Attic, 515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976, www.ticketfly.com.
V-103 Winterfest. Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Yo Gotti headline this year's arena gathering, which will surely include some nods to the holiday season. 8 p.m. Dec. 16. Sold out. Philips Arena.
Casting Crowns and For King + Country. It will be "A Glorious Christmas" when these two top-selling Christian acts share the stage for a holiday tour for the first time. 7 p.m. Dec. 17. $29-$83. Infinite Energy Arena.
Keith and Kristyn Getty: Sing! An Irish Christmas. The Irish duo, now on their sixth annual holiday tour, will be joined in songs with Celtic, bluegrass and Americana undertones by Ricky Skaggs and David Crowder. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18. $19.95-$99.95. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 1-855-285-8499, www.foxtheatre.org.
Jennifer Nettles. She and Sugarland partner Kristian Bush are back together, but first, Nettles has some solo work to present with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20. Sold out. Atlanta Symphony Hall.
Seventh Annual Holiday Hootenanny. There are two reasons to attend this year — the show benefits Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and it will be dedicated to the memory of Col. Bruce Hampton. The lineup includes Larry Keel, the Rev. Jeff Mosier, Johnny Knapp, Ralph Roddenbery and many more. 7 p.m. Dec. 20. $25-$35 (18 and older only). Terminal West, 887 W. Marietta St. NW, Atlanta. 404-876-5566, www.ticketfly.com.
Ed Roland's Winter Wonder Bash. After many years of multiple shows at Eddie's Attic, the Collective Soul frontman shifted his annual charity concert for the TJ Martell Foundation to a larger venue. This year, he will be joined by Emerson Hart of Tonic and Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra. And there's a solid chance that Collective Soul will perform. 8 p.m. Dec. 21. $25-$63. Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road, Atlanta.
Kris Allen. The boyish season 8 winner of "American Idol" released "Somethin' About Christmas" last holiday season, an album that mixed classics ("Jingle Bells," "Winter Wonderland") and originals ("Peace and Happiness"). 8 p.m. Dec. 22. $20-$30. City Winery.
John Berry. The country voice behind hits "Your Love Amazes Me" and "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye" is in the 20th consecutive year of his Christmas tour, which will feature his noteworthy performance of "O Holy Night." 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23. $38-$43. Mill Town Music Hall, 1031 Alabama Ave., Bremen. 770-537-6455, www.milltownmusichall.com.
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Joe Gransden Big Band Christmas Show featuring Francine Reed. New York native Gransden hit the road early as a sideman with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller, so his musical pedigree is solid. He's a regular presence in Atlanta venues, as well as the Blue Note in New York and the Jazz Corner in Hilton Head, S.C. Reed, meanwhile, is an Atlanta treasure. 5 and 8 p.m. Dec. 23. $24-$28. Red Clay Music Foundry, 3116 Main St., Duluth. 404-478-2749, www.eddieowenpresents.com.
B.o.B. The Atlanta rapper traditionally plays the cozy venue every Christmas Eve. Perhaps he'll keep the focus on his melodic raps and not venture into his theories about the shape of the Earth. With Scotty ATL. 9 p.m. Dec. 24. $25-$35. Smith's Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta. 1-877-725-8849, www.smithsoldebar.com.
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