Buzzbox

Despite the crass commercialization of Christmas, the winter holiday season does maintain a sense of compassion and charity; shoppers often temper their consumption with donations to the less fortunate. The corporate co-opting of love has not inspired the same generosity, but two area benefit shows offer music fans the opportunity to tender a gift with longer-lasting impact than quickly devoured candy or fast-fading flowers.

On Friday, February 9, El Torreon hosts a benefit for Food Not Bombs featuring a fierce punk-rock bill: Sobriety Check, Tanka Ray, Evergreen Terrace and Sloppy Popsicles. Regular admission is $6, but the price drops to $4 for anyone who brings canned beans, winter clothes, backpacks, socks or blankets. On Saturday, February 10, The Kelley Hunt Band plays at a Valentine Dance at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, with proceeds going to the Douglas County AIDS Project. The Klammies-nominated bluesy vocalist has performed at this event for the past ten years; this time she'll deliver two 75-minute sets (an alluring prospect for fans without tickets to her sold-out show with Terri Clark at the Grand Emporium on Sunday, February 25). The Valentine Dance also features a silent auction that begins at 7 p.m. Past prizes have included such gems as a Melissa Etheridge guitar, so this portion of the evening should be a boon for last-minute shoppers looking for a unique gift for their sweethearts.