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• Event guide: 12 holiday joys

RELATED EVENTS

• Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will perform at the Conseco Fieldhouse. (Submitted photo by Lewis Lee for The Star)

Indianapolis is always filled with beautiful music around the holidays, and this year is no exception. But instead of traditional festive tunes, the pop music scene offers up some of the hottest hits on the R&B charts and Christmas music with a jazzy beat, as well as an orchestra with a flair for heavy-metal sounds.

Radio Now Santa Slam

The tradition of a holiday-themed "Santa Slam" concert continues at "Radio Now," the station ditched in October by Emmis Communications but picked up by Radio One -- the company that owns hip-hop and R&B outpost WHHH-FM (96.3), another favorite of young listeners.

Moving from FM frequency 93.1 to 100.9, Radio Now carries its familiar motto of "We play all the hits."

On Dec. 5, pop-rock band Boys Like Girls and R&B vocalist Sean Kingston will perform at the Murat Egyptian Room.

Featuring: 'Boys Like Girls, Sean Kingston.
When: 7 p.m. Dec. 5.
Where: Murat Egyptian Room, 502 N. New Jersey St.
Tickets: $20 advance, $25 at event. For more information, call (317) 239-5151 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

A Peter White Christmas

Peter White (left) made the transition from writing and recording with 1970s pop singer Al Stewart to becoming a popular solo artist in the field of smooth jazz.

White has led a holiday tour with trumpet player Rick Braun and saxophone player-vocalist Mindi Abair as sidekicks since 2004.

When they visit the Music Mill on Dec. 6, they'll promote a new album titled "Peter White Christmas."

Featuring: 'Peter White, Rick Braun, Mindi Abair.
When: 7 p.m. Dec. 6.
Where: Music Mill, 3720 E. 82nd St.
Tickets: $35. For more information, call (317) 239-5151 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is the world's top purveyor of holiday heavy metal -- an idea hatched by Paul O'Neill, who produced the band Savatage in the 1990s and played guitar in touring productions of "Hair" and Jesus Christ Superstar."

"Wizards in Winter" is a Trans-Siberian Orchestra song that's become a pop-culture phenomenon through its use as a soundtrack for synchronized displays of Christmas lights.

The Dec. 17 audience at Conseco Fieldhouse likely will hear selections from the TSO albums "Christmas Eve & Other Stories" (1996), "The Christmas Attic" (1998) and "The Lost Christmas Eve" (2004).

When: '7:30 p.m. Dec. 17.
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St.
Tickets: $42.50, $34.50. For more information, call (317) 239-5151 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.