With a tip of the stocking cap to the 12 Days of Christmas, here are 12 things worth noting about the eighth annual New Standards holiday show Saturday night at the State Theatre.

  1. The program featured three original holiday tunes (written by Minnesotans) that deserve to be widely heard: Trip Shakespeare's 1990 nugget "Snow Days," Jeremy Messersmith's brand new "Let's Ditch Christmas" (and head to someplace warm, a production number featuring the Tinsel Toe Dancers in beach wear) and Chan Poling's "Christmastime Next Year," which has become the New Standards standard holiday finale (this year's was less melancholy and more joyous, with Poling's vocal more aggressive).
  2. A tribute to the late and influential jazz disc jockey Leigh Kamman was fitting, with kind words by New Standards mouthpiece/bassist/singer John Munson and a splendid instrumental piece, written by Gerry Mulligan.
  3. New York cabaret star Nellie McKay was the perfect guest. She brought along a little toy Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and had him sing parts of her song, "Take Me Away." Afterwards, always the wacky social commentator, she announced, "Rudolph, let's go kill a hunter."
  1. Minnesota-raised rocker Craig Finn of the Hold Steady was his usual wired self – and maybe too manic for the room. He delivered "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" with the Springsteen arrangement but it didn't connect with this particular crowd.
  2. The most unexpected guests were two Vegas-styled chorus girls doing a feather dance during the Suburbs' "Love Is the Law," which closed the first set in festive fashion (complete with beach balls thrown into the crowd and a marching drum unit).
  3. Minneapolis soul man Maurice Jacox added style and soul with his version of the Temptations' "Just My Imagination" and his gold-sequined vest and gold-lame beret.
  4. Props to Twin Cities singer/guitarist Chris Koza, who not only sang a solo number but he handled guitar chores for much of the night and rocked a Santa outfit, complete with fake beard and red pants decorated with holiday lights.
  5. Once again, local songstress Aby Wolf delivered an appealingly understated "Silent Night" with distractingly overwrought gestures.
  6. Pixel Farm put together cute videos about the New Standards, with each of the three members featured as a snowman made of Styrofoam. (The Munson snowman had a droopy mustache, the Poling one a big fluff of hair and the Steve Roehm one eyeglasses.) Also adding to the levity was droll comic Mike Finley, who pulled his jokes out of a Christmas stocking and read them. His first zinger was his best: I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus and now I've been seeing my therapist for 57 years to deal with it.
  7. One fan shouted a request for Matt Wilson, Munson's longtime musical pal who usually sings a big ballad at the New Standards holiday show. He was in the audience but not onstage, Munson said. But Munson promised that Matt would be back for the ninth annual show next year.
  8. Poling played straight man to Munson's musings all night. Munson accused Johnny Mathis of trying to steal the New Standards thunder by playing the first holiday concert at the State on Thursday. Munson gave a shout-out to KQRS for the "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" by Springsteen and then realized that this concert was sponsored by 89.3 the Current. Frankly, though, it didn't sound like a Current crowd; yes, Dessa's rap cameo earned some cheers but hardly an overwhelming Current-like reaction. Munson's funniest bit may have been when he argued that Joseph, husband of Mary, doesn't get enough respect in the Christmas story.
  9. The concert was filmed to be shown on TPT Channel 2 in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the New Standards head to New York's Lincoln Center for a holiday performance on Dec. 18, with special guests McKay, Finn, Dessa, Mike Doughty and Rhett Miller.