So, I’m trying to figure out what to do tonight. There’s a number of options, all appealing, and all conveniently (or inconveniently, depending on your point of view) located essentially on the same (large) city block.

First off, and this is the one that’s been on my calendar for a while so it’s probably got the inside track, there’s Vampire Weekend at the El Mocambo. If I were to be influenced by the local entertainment weeklies then this would be the one to see since both NOW and eye are running features on the Brooklynites this week (Metro Times also has an interview but Detroit doesn’t really count as local). I can’t say I’m especially familiar with any of their stuff, nor am I an avowed fan of African soukous music or even Paul Simon’s Graceland (the most common talking points in any press on the band). But the stuff on their MySpace sounds like good pop music to me, and that’s usually a good enough sales pitch for me. They’re touring in advance of their their debut, self-titled full-length which is out January 29 and also on the bill is Toronto’s We’re Marching On.

MP3: Vampire Weekend – “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”
MP3: We’re Marching On – “1800s”
Video: Vampire Weekend – “Mansard Roof”
MySpace: Vampire Weekend

Now option B is right around the corner at Rancho Relaxo where Two-Way Monologues is hosting an evening headlined by Ottawa’s Amos The Transparent (whom you may recall from this post) as well as locals Oh No Forest Fires and The Craft Economy (whose EP of hepped-up dance-pop, All In C, you can download the entirety of from their website – Worth the effort). If nothing else, it’d be interesting to see how Amos crams all their members onto that tiny Rancho stage. And seriously, listening to material from all three bands whilst writing up this paragraph… maybe this is now option A…

MP3: Amos The Transparent – “After All That Its Come To This”
MP3: The Craft Economy – “Drag-On”
MP3: The Craft Economy – “The Crash, The Wagon, The Dying Horses”
MySpace: Amos The Transparent
MySpace: The Craft Economy

And finally, just a little further down College St at ye olde Tiger Bar, you’ve got a night of No Shame with Gentleman Reg, taking far too long to follow up 2004’s Darby & Joan, along with a couple visitors from The Big Apple – Michael Leviton and Leah Hayes, aka Scary Mansion. I’m not familiar with the Noo Yawkers at all but again, the MySpace samples are compelling and on any other night it’d probably be a no-brainer but with the competition… I dunno. Maybe I’ll flip a coin. A three-faced coin. Update: Just heard that Michael Leviton and Scary Mansion have cancelled for tonight. Show is in question. I will update when I hear. Update 2: So the Tiger Bar show is off, but Gentleman Reg has been added to the Rancho Relaxo show (option B) above, which makes my pick for this evening a total no-brainer. Sorry Vampires, some other weekend. The show now begins at 9:45 or so, be there! $7 or $5 with a canned food item. Update 3: So Reg didn’t play the Rancho show after all. Hope no one was inconvenienced.

MP3: Gentleman Reg – “It’s Not Safe”
MP3: Scary Mansion – “Sorry We Took All Your Money”
Video: Gentleman Reg – “The Boyfriend Song”
Video: Gentleman Reg – “Over My Head”
Video: Michael Leviton – “The Beach Gets Cold”
Video: Michael Leviton – “Summer’s The Worst”
MySpace: Gentleman Reg
MySpace: Michael Leviton
MySpace: Scary Mansion

If that’s not enough, there’s also The Hidden Cameras’ show for World AIDS Day at Hart House at University Of Toronto, details on tickets here. eye and Chart talk to Hidden Camera-man Joel Gibb about this and that and the state of the new record.

Stereogum talks to members of The Acorn about their day jobs.

Coming to town February 9 for a show at the El Mocambo, Yeasayer and MGMT. The former are appearing on a number of year-end lists for their album All Hour Cymbals while the latter were just in town the other night with The Fiery Furnaces. Pitchfork has full tour dates.

MP3: Yeasayer – “2080”
MP3: Yeasayer – “Sunrises”
MP3: MGMT – “Time To Pretend”

And speaking of year-end lists… rounding up everything out there is a task for one with a heart larger than mine but I will point out a few more noteworthy ones – The AV Club has tallied up their best of the year, Pitchfork picked their 50 favourite videos and 20 worst album covers Harp has their top 50 for 2007, as well as a number of artists’ lists for the year.