Though most Christmas music tends towards the sappy — "Christmas in the Northwest" anyone? — there are plenty of non-holiday music options in December and beyond.

Today, Club Pop presents the Italo (read Euro) disco sounds of Portland's Glass Candy. I wish this show were on New Year's Eve, because it will be an amazing 18+ dance-party.

Hardcore/ experimental/ and sometimes folk outfits JPNDRDS ("Japandroids"), We Quit, The Last Slice of Butter, Talbot Tagora and Mt. Alps will play at a secret Capitol Hill location Dec. 1.

I'm really excited about this show because haunting garage punk band Talbot Tagora has been getting strong press in local weekly papers and I can say for sure that each band has established place in the contemporary West Coast underground music scene.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra will headline the Key Arena with the kitschy winter-themed instrumental progressive metal. Tickets are at least $40 with service charges, but at least the band plays an afternoon show to bring in the family crowd. TSO performs literally 60 shows in two months to round out their annual U.S. holiday tour.

Dec. 6 at Deck The Hall Ball will be on the show for those of you who like crazy radio festivals and a good time. On the bill are Modest Mouse, Spoon and a number of less critically acclaimed national acts.

The best show at Vera Project this month might be Seattle party-music mavens United State of Electronica — be at Vera Dec. 14 for their killer disco-funk fusion.

I want to highlight the Wu-Tang Clan's appearance on Dec. 30 at The Showbox. The show will feature Furious Styles and local heroes Dyme Def and Cancer Rising, who are probably two of the greatest hip-hop acts in the Northwest. Starting Dec. 21, Neumos will feature five nights of beats and rhymes sponsored by the politically conscious Blue Scholars. Hip-hop for the holidays ya'll — the Seattle scene gets better every year.

New Year's stands out every year as the night when the best parties get the best bands and the best DJs. Everyone stays up late and gets a kiss at midnight. Remember that many parties are organized last minute (I know mine are) and friends' parties are more fun than anything put together by a radio station. Keep an eye out for better New Year's options to come your way.

A party that is a guaranteed success is the Arion New Year's Eve costume ball at the Capitol Hill Arts Center. For best results, try the VIP tickets for $75 from Brown Paper Tickets.