Best Bets: 'Twas the night of the Crunchy Bunch

Longtime DJ collective the Crunchy Bunch will perform during a "Home for the Holidays" show at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at The Caddy Shack in Duluth. According to Facebook, Drew Untethered will join them and it's been two years since they all DJed together.

In the meantime, The Crunchy Bunch has a twice monthly show on Twitch where they play music and whatever, but also play messages and live calls during the show.

Caddy Shack is asking for proof of vax or a negative COVID-19 test from the past 24 hours and wants attendees to know that they have a "dope air filtration system."

Remember: No requests; shut up and dance. Tickets: $5 at the door.

From the annals of charming holiday things: Gaelynn Lea will host her parents, Peggy and Tim White, for a Christmas Carol Sing-Along on her very, very active YouTube channel.

The event, at 7 p.m. Thursday, will be livestreamed with captains and download-able lyrics for the home-viewing audience.

Gaelynn Lea is a world-touring musician specializing in fiddle who has been tapped to write the score for "Macbeth" on Broadway. Her parents are the longtime local theater-heads behind the former Change of Pace Productions, home of "Ole and Lena's Wedding."

Boss Mamma, also known as Colleen Myhre, is in the middle of a December-long residency at the Cedar Lounge taproom in Superior. The Mahtowa artist has a big, bad voice and chilling lyrics and will stop you in your tracks and make you feel, for once in your life.

She's got a lot of music-minded friends and one or two or three might join her for her show from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, and also Wednesday, Dec. 29.

These performances are free and open to the public.

"I am obsessed with art," Emily Koch says at the start of a quick-hit profile on "The Slice," a series by WDSE-TV that slips into her studio space and shows off the portraits she has made of friends who inspire her.

The 1 minute-plus episodes introduce viewers to ballet dancers, visual artists, jewelry makers, musicians and more. There are also looks at dog rescue, farming and gardening.

You can do a deep dive on theslice.tv .

Get your last licks of holiday lights with The Other Mansion.

Fairlawn Mansion and Museum in Superior is hosting self-guided holiday tours along with cider, music, s'mores and more.

The mansion is a Queen Anne Victorian home that was first a private residence for lumber/mining baron Martin and Grace Pattison and their six children, then was converted to a children's home. Expect gilded murals, a grand entrance and stained-glass windows.

The "Twinkling Holiday Evenings" tour is at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 28.

The Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth is offering an after-dark event this year: "Larger Than Life Lights," which features six massive inflatable animals, holiday lights and some of the zoo's star animals, like the ring-tailed lemurs, black-crested mangabey monkeys, sloth and more.

The gift shop will be open and the cafe is stocked with cocoa.

"Larger Than Life" is 5-8 p.m. Dec. 23, 26, 30 and 31. Tickets are $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers.