Bartlett Christmas Special feat. Chris Molitor, Runaway Octopus, Newman, Scott Ryan, Jenny Anne Mannan, Windoe, Misty Mountain Pony Club

I’m a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas music, particularly that onslaught of the same dusty standards repeating like clockwork as soon as Thanksgiving is over. But when I found myself at the Bartlett’s first Christmas party back in 2014, my cynicism melted away like snow in Miami. The holiday show has since become an annual tradition, a loose, festive celebration that often finds the venue’s stage crammed with musicians. While you’ll hear some holiday classics, the real selling points are the original yuletide tunes written and performed by local music scene stalwarts, including the bubblegum pop of Miles Martin’s “Hello Santa,” Ripe Mangos’ spare folk ballad “Clumsy Bell” and Newman’s dreamy, shoegaze-y “South to North.” Those songs have been released as an EP, which you can hear now on the Bartlett’s Bandcamp and can purchase it at the show on Friday.