Weekend round-up: Excuses, excuses, excuses.

Image via Remix Artist Collective'Tis the season for forced coworker interactions at the annual office holiday party, so, if you're looking for an excuse to leave early we have a few good reasons for you to do just that.

Thursday

It's a quiet pre-Christmas Thursday night, but never fear, as usual Popscene have you covered as they open up with prolific remixers RAC for a DJ set + DJ's Ben & Miles. Slims have local rising stars The Frail with support from Music For Animals and Return to Mono. Bottom of the Hill has an all ages evening with Picture Atlantic, Ghost and the City, and Stomacher. Hotel Utah has sets from Sorry Mom and Dad, The Ventriloquists, Eric Lilavois, and Trey Lockerbie.

Friday

SF: We start at Rickshaw Stop who have an audio-visual mashup overload with the incredible Eclectic Method and Justin Paul. At Kimos are Tokyo Raid side project Spirit Camera plus ISL, The Secret Secretaries, and Spiral Bombs. You can also get your rock on at Thee Parkside with Giant Squid, Bottom, and Hazzard's Cure. 

East Bay: In Oakland The Uptown is having a food drive (can food donation gets you $3 off the cover) and great music with The Hot Toddies, The Soft White Sixties, Switchblade Riot, and Sentinel. Around the block at New Parish are Horse Feathers with Y La Bamba. In Berkeley Shattuck Down Low is honoring legacies with DJ's playing tribute to Michael Jackson & James Brown. All the way from San Diego, the Screaming Yeehaws head the line-up at 924 Gilman with Protest Authority, Richocette, and Deathwish V.

Saturday

SF: There's a double header at Cafe Du Nord with an early show (doors 6.30/show 7.30) featuring The Civil Wars and a late show (doors 8.30/show 9.30) with The Unauthorized Rolling Stones and The Rudy Colombini Band. At Triple Crown on Market Street are Jacques Renault with Conor, Robot Hustle, and Juli Odomo. At Ruby Skye SF native Andy Caldwell returns home and fellow house-cohorts Miguel Migs and Julius Papp return to Mighty for another Salted. There's more house and techno to be had at Mezzanine with Swayzak playing live plus Jeno and OM Records head honcho Chris Smith.

You can also get into the swing of things at Red Devil Lounge with Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys with special guests Quarter Mile Combo, The RevTones, and Sister Kate and down the street at Hemlock Tavern you'll find Schande, Bam!Bam!, and Kera & the Lesbians.