Another good weekend for Erie music looms. Check out Rock for Tots on Saturday at Urraro Gallery: Four excellent bands, and you're donating to a cause that makes kids happy Christmas morning. The Jugnle, Matty B. and the Dirty Pickles, the Arden Room, and Yawn Thieves all play.
Saturday features a cool underground craft show at Forward Hall, and live music, too: Matty B. and the Dirty Pickles, Yawn Thieves, and Aggro Hippie. This would be the ideal place to grab original art for holiday presents.

Fiction Family, the new duo with Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and Nickel Creek's Sean Watkins, lists a Jan. 23 concert date in Grove City, Pa. They release their debut CD in early 2009.

Thursday's Golden Globes' nominations feature some strange competition in the Best Song category: Peter Gabriel, Miley Cyrus, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, and Clint Eastwood. Gabriel did "Down to Earth" for "Wall-E"; Beyonce sang "Once in a Lifetime" from "Cadillac Records"; Springsteen's "The Wrestler" is played over the end credits for the Mickey Rourke film by the same name; and Cyrus sang a song for "Bolt."

With such strong critical love for "Wall-E," I'd put my money on Gabriel.

Bluegrass band J.D. Crowe and the New South list a March 27 date at Edinboro University on their web site.

Billboard's 2008 wrap-up issue was just posted online. Bon Jovi led the list of top tours, which is based on concert grosses, besting Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Madonna.
Alicia Keys had the year's No. 1 album, "As I Am," while the top song was "Low" by Flo Rida, followed by Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" and Keys' "No One."