LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Big Whisky Saloon Tacoma - Downtown. Sammy Steele Band CD Release Party. Release of their debut full-length record "Songs From The Third Cactus". 8 pm. $20.

Harbor Greens/Forza Wine Bar Gig Harbor. The Kari Ehli Band. 7 pm. NC.

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. Charlie Drown, Serous, Haunting The Disconnect, Days Armor. 7 pm. $5.

• The goth is strong in this one. Charlie Drown is the kind of group/artist/performer/whatever that's totally comfortable throwing around lyrics about beds made of skin and "48 dead in my head," all while drum machines and synths pulse in the background. Lead vocals are not so much singing as they are various vacillations between sultry coos and snarls. The name Charlie Drown is hilarious on its surface, but thinking more about what exactly the band might be getting at by naming itself this is kind of like a cat chasing its tail (is it still funny if maybe they take the name seriously?). Best, I think, to approach Charlie Drown as something that'll get you to dance madly and get all dark and stuff. Nothing wrong with that. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Big Wheel Stunt Show, with Gavin Guss. 8 pm. $7.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Hot Rush, Memory Boys, Skrill Meadow. 9 pm.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Benefit Concert For Veterans, National Guard, Reserve & Family Members, with The Randy Oxford Band. All Ages. 7 pm. $10 & donate a new toy at the door.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. Blue Creepers. All Ages. 6 pm. Seastar. All Ages. 8 pm.

Morso Wine Bar Gig Harbor. Jaime Wyatt, Ted Wulfers. 8 pm. $25.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Countdown to Christmas Show, with Girl Trouble, The Fucking Eagles, The Dignitaries. 8:30 pm.

• Christmas in Tacoma is synonymous with a number of things. Half-racks of Pabst adorned with bows. Eternal darkness. Mediocre gift exchanges. Heavy drinking. Loneliness. Depression. They all have their place on the Tacoma holiday mantle. Luckily, T-Town also has the annual (or somewhat annual) Girl Trouble Countdown to Christmas show, which this year will again be held at The New Frontier Lounge, and - along with its garage rocking namesake - will bring Grit City staples the Fucking Eagles and the Dignitaries to the stage. It will be a Tacoma-centric celebration of the holidays that's easy to get behind, and won't leave you a sobbing mess of tears all alone in front of the TV watching Holiday claymation. Or does that just happen to me? - Matt Driscoll

The Spar Olympia. Paul Mauer. 8 pm. NC.

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. J-Mac, Tie One On. 9 pm. NC

Tempest Lounge Tacoma - Hilltop. Hamell On Trial. 7 pm. $10.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound