WHAT'S UP TODAY? Verbal sparring, Celtic singing and black-metal raging

We have all manner of event listings available for your perusal, as well as Staff Picks chosen by our in-house savvy professionals. But if you don't have time to check out all that our listings have to offer, we can help. 

Here are some highlights for Tuesday, Dec. 2: 

COMMUNITY/WORDS | This Rhetoric in the Ring sounds like a great event — and potential embarrassment for some city leadership. In an effort to raise both money and awareness of the Rogers High School speech and debate club, a couple of its members will square off in debates against Spokane City Council members Ben Stuckart and Mike Fagan at the Howard Street Gym. Let's get ready to rumble! Rhetorically speaking, of course.  

MUSIC EVENTS & CONCERTS | The only thing more disconcerting than the New Age excursions in this group's oh-so-mellow music is their insistence in calling themselves Celtic Woman (singular) and not Celtic Women (which would make more sense, given the number of ladies in the group). Those quibbles aside, Celtic Woman does have a knack for lending their big voices to some decent Celtic sounds, and their symphonic tour of "Home for Christmas" (again, with the dishonest wording—you're on tour!) should make for a fine, low-key night at Northern Quest Casino. Here's a bit of what's in store: 

LIVE BANDS | On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, The Hop! is hosting black-metal dudes Wolvhammer, along with Over Sea, Under Stone, for a show that would surely scare the hell out of the ladies in Celtic Woman. Here's a bit of Wolvhammer: