Huh. What do you know? Looks like this may truly be the season to be jolly after all. Just received word that one of my all-time favorite hometown bands is getting back together. Sure, it's just for a few nights, but, hey, I'll take whatever I can get.

Earlier this year, when Drag the River was toe-tagged, a great many of us felt like we'd literally had the rug pulled out from underneath us. Though some of the more astute among us sensed a disturbance in the force, for the rest, there was no real warning. I mean, one minute we were happily going about our business, whistlin' "Medicine" and whatnot, and the next thing you knew -- KAPAYA! -- out of nowhere we were broadsided with the news that Drag was dead. Just like that. No farewell show. Nothing. I don't know about you, but I certainly felt gypped.

Well, now I can finally make my peace and get some much needed closure. To celebrate the release of what is presumably the act's swan song, You Can't Live This Way, Drag has set aside the weekend of January 25 to plug in one last time for a string of dates in Denver (at 3 Kings Tavern), Ft. Collins and Colorado Springs. According to my man Virgil at Suburban Home, the specific details are still being ironed out as I write this, but he says we can expect Jon and Chad to be joined by a few noteworthy guests.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but doesn't it seem like there's something about this time of year that inspires dudes to get the band back together and give it another go for old time's sake? If memory serves, wasn't it around this same time a few years back that the cats from Rocket Ajax were all reunited and feeling good. Anyhow, there's two other notable reunions coming up and another rumored to be on the horizon: On Friday, December 14, Hate Fuck Trio will be sticking it to us one more time at the Ogden (uh, you know, for the kids and stuff), and on Saturday, January 26 at the Soiled Dove, another dearly departed y'allternative band, Rexway, will be back in the saddle again, and, finally, word has it, there's also talk of a Baldo Rex reunion.

Bring on the dudes.

BTW, Post Script: Just got a call reminding me about a great bill tonight (Thursday, November 29) at the Oriental Theater. If you're looking for something to do this evening, you absolutely can't go wrong by attending the Relief Project Vol. 2 CD release show featuring performances from Flobots, Braddigan, Gregory Alan Isakov, J.E. Borgen and Katie Herzig -- five of the album's eighteen artists. Tickets are fifteen bucks and all proceeds from both the show and the disc benefit the Denver Children's Home.

-- Dave Herrera