The News and Reviews You (Might) Have Missed in the Holiday Haze

If you're like me, and was on vacation since Christmas, today has been something of a readjustment period. Waking up with an alarm? Going into the office? Having to change out of pajamas? Ugh! I'm still trying to ease my way back into blogging -- so read on below for some news stories, reviews and links you may have missed while you were scarfing Christmas cookies.

R.I.P. Vic Chesnutt

*Kevin Renick, the local singer-songwriter whose song "Up in the Air" closes the titular movie's soundtrack, was profiled on the CBS Evening News a few days before Christmas. View video of his appearance at that link. You can head to Renick's website and purchase that song and new tune "Close to Something Beautiful" for just 99 cents each.

*Nelly is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the recent break-in at his west county mansion.

*The Firebird redesigned its website and announced its first anniversary show, which takes place on February 5 and features The Livers, the Natural Selection, Thee Water Moccasins and Dicegrinder. Other notable shows announced include a February 20 indie-rock spectacular with Pretty & Nice, Jumbling Towers and Title Tracks (the new project from John Davis, formerly of Washington, DC mainstays Q and Not U and Georgie James) and a killer hip-hop double-bill featuring Eyedea and Abilities and Dosh.

*The Old Rock House also redesigned its website, and added a few more national acts to its upcoming schedule, including Sybris (February 19), Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights (February 20) and Tyrone Wells (March 23).

*On the national tip, R.I.P. to two drummers -- Remy Zero's Gregory Slay and Avenged Sevenfold's Jimmy Sullivan -- Birthday Party guitarist Rowland S. Howard and to singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt. The latter has been in St. Louis frequently during the last few years, most recently at Off Broadway in 2008 with Elf Power and Jonathan Richman.