It’s a couple of days before Christmas and I’d like to take this quiet time to thank all of our loyal readers and supportive advertisers and sponsors for continuing to see the value in what we do. We thank you most gratefully and promise to continue to cherish and promote local music and culture faithfully throughout the upcoming years.

It’s also apropos to thank our extremely hard-working staff: Joseph Irrera, Stephen Maloney, Elsa Hahne, Katie Walenter, Peter Holden and Brandt Vicknair; Patti Carrigan and family and Doug Jackson; all of our writers, photographers, illustrators and production crews, our interns and volunteers. It’s takes a lot of really hard work to put out OffBeat every month and to keep you informed online and with the Weekly Beat.

Thank you so much for keeping OffBeat around for 27 plus years.

I was thinking this morning about all the folk who have contributed to our music scene who are ill or old; or who are homeless or in need; or who have passed away recently. It’s the nature of the world for us to experience joy, pain and loss. Please know that we are thinking about you this season…and not in the consumerist way that has become the “way” of the Christmas holidays. Everyone is deserving of peace and joy and love from their fellow humans. I believe that showing you care about others with a word or a call is much more important than spending a ton of money. But you knew that!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!