With University Avenue outside the Turf Club still looking like a war zone (light-rail construction), it's nice to see bands lining up to play the St. Paul venue and help pull it through the winter:

As promised, Solid Gold ramped back up for a busy latter half of the year, and now it will wind down the year with a two-night stand at the Turf on Friday and Saturday nights. The psychedelic dance-rock quartet recently added drummer Drew Christopherson and contributed a wigged-out cover of George Harrison's "Love You To" for the new "Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 3." Still working toward a new album next year, the band will perform Friday with Christopherson's other band, Poliça. Collections of Colonies of Bees opens on Saturday. Next weekend, you can catch Solid Gold performing in its all-Oasis alter-ego Auasis at Brit's Pub (Dec. 17). ...

Even after seeing some thrilling stoner-rock sets the past few weeks by Kyuss, the Sword and Black Box Revelation, I still believe that Gay Witch Abortion is one of the best bands anywhere at creating powerful sludge and slime. The metallic noise-rock duo, guitarist Jesse Bottomley and drummer Shawn Walker, have a busy December that includes a monthlong Tuesday-night residency at the Turf (9 p.m., $5). Bottomley promised "some improvisational stuff, and maybe some Christmas standards." You can also catch GWA on a wicked Dec. 17 bill at the Cedar with the Book of Right On and Kill the Vultures. The duo plans to record with John Kuker at the revived Pachyderm Studio over the winter. ...

One other thing to look forward to at the Turf: a Dec. 16 reunion of Valet, one of the more adored indie-rock bands of the early '00s, led by Robin Kyle (now of Black Audience). A very welcome reunion.

Random mix

Quietdrive singer Kevin Truckenmiller has a new group that will never, ever be mistaken for his other one: DRRT is an electronic hip-hop duo with a slapstick bent, as evidenced in the costumed photos and song titles such as "Butt From Befo." Catch it Friday at the Cabooze (9:30 p.m., $10). As for Quietdrive, the band is playing its usual holiday-week gig at the Varsity Theater on Dec. 28. ... New Wavey garage-rock sextet Speed's the Name has a release party Friday at the Kitty Cat Klub for its new EP, "Strangers" (10 p.m., $5). ...

Star Tribune
DRRT is Quietdrive singer Kevin Truckenmiller's alter ego.

Speaking of Poliça, the band's debut album, "Give You the Ghost," has been set for release on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), and the band will play that night at First Avenue. Although the band had offers, it is keeping the release in-house and putting it out on drummer Christopherson's label Totally Gross National Product. ... Another one to look forward to early next year, Tapes 'n Tapes bassist Erik Appelwick just finished a new Vicious Vicious record with Martin Dosh and James Buckley as his rhythm section. The roll-out starts next week with an iTunes-issued cover of "You're the One That I Want" (yep, from "Grease"). The album is due to land Jan. 10. ...

Appelwick's old Hopefuls bandmate Darren Jackson, who moved back to rural South Dakota and became a music teacher last year, will slip in the release of his new Kid Dakota album before year's end. He's performing with partner Eliza Blue Dec. 30 at the Cedar to tout "Listen to the Crows as They Take Flight." ...

A North Dakota coroner has cited a blocked artery as causing the death of GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot (Flattus Maximus) following the band's departure from First Avenue Nov. 3. Smoot, 34, had a pre-existing heart condition, the coroner said. A fund has been set up via GWAR.com for Smoot's wife, who is expecting their first child. ... Gone from the usual mix of December shows at First Avenue is Soul Asylum's pre-holiday homecoming. Word is the band is saving up its steam for the release of a new album next year. ...

First Ave always looks the same, but it might sound a little different following the departure of longtime sound engineer Lee Marcucci, who quit to move to Arizona. No further explanation is needed. Especially sad to see him go was stage manager Conrad Sverkerson, who recounted a tour they did with Soul Asylum in the "Grave Dancers Union" heyday. Amazingly, they didn't butt heads until the long drive home. Marcucci bought Sverkerson a peace-pipe bag of Gardetto's at the gas station when they pulled back into town, "and it was all kiss-and-make-up after that," Sverkerson recalled.