Noir Dame

If you’re in the Houston area, or just wish you could be, check out what the Continental Club (sister to the classic club in Austin) has on tap – the fascinating, scintillating sounds of not one, but two excitingly retro acts! This free event is held at 3700 Main St in Houston, doors open at 7:00 PM, band starts at 7:30 PM.

* The solid sixties thump of the Allen Oldies Band. I recommend you check out their website, including the MP3s that let you get a taste of their tunes; or the Houston Chronicle video showing their annual SXSW jalapeno pancake breakfast at the Austin Continental Club, last March.

* The “house” band, the El Orbits, who are also well loved thereabouts, offer a mix of rockabilly, pop and lounge. Their website is a lot of fun but doesn’t offer a sample of their sounds (or maybe I just got lost in the Bingo) … so below you can find a Youtubed copy of their “Sleigh Ride” video.

Now if you’re in the mood for a more traditional New Year’s Eve, you might also check out the SSQQ Dance Studio’s big New Year’s Eve dance, featuring the big band sounds of Bayou City Swing. $35 a ticket, with plenty of dancing in multiple rooms (rumors are that some rooms will feature western and Latin dancing).

Or, in Galveston, the gorgeous Balinese Room, which once hosted Jack Benny, Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra, will have a buffet with funk-rock by the Fondue Monks playing. Would love to see this beautiful club, which overlooks the beach, return to its roots with a more traditional band and dancing… the kind ol’ Blue Eyes could approve of. (Apologies to the Fondue Monks, who have a great downbeat). Let’s hope this venue doesn’t go the way of the Seabrook Beach Club, another great-looking venue that didn’t take advantage of its retro-looking (in this case, a Tiki Bar) roots.