After last week’s mid-term elections, the onslaught of annoying commercials subtly shifted from pointed political slam ads to overtly obnoxious televised, broadcasted, and subliminally planted reminders that the holidays are coming no matter what. Fortunately, the dipping temperatures, nightmarish shopping ordeals, and occasionally awkward work and family functions between now and the new year are softened with a handful of annual occurrences that brighten up the season.
Joining events like Hover Craft and Jim Gaffigan’s yearly multi-show Pabst Theater residency is Mad Planet’s Ugly Sweater Holiday Party, which is essentially just a stacked local show in Riverwest with slightly more hideous and ironically outdated articles of clothing than usual being worn by those in attendance. Phox, The Fatty Acids, and Surgeons In Heat played the inaugural event. Last year, Soul Low, Shoot Down The Moon, and Ikarus Down echoed the first installment in grand fashion (excluding out-of-fashion sweaters, of course).
This time around, Mad Planet and Honeycomb Productions have enlisted Fresh Cut Collective, Sat. Nite Duets, The Living Statues, and WC Tank to take the stage in their shittiest garments for the third annual Ugly Sweater Holiday Party, December 20. The show costs $7 (or $5 if donning an ugly sweater). There will also be a contest for the highly-sought “Ugliest Sweater In The Best Way” award. Hurry up, there are only 38 thrift-store-sweater shopping days left.