Each year the Ten Pound Fiddle hosts the Mid-Winter Singing Festival, along with help from “song leaders,” who keep things moving from the stage. All skill levels are welcome to show up, grab a lyric book and shamelessly belt it out.

For all the local rock scene folks who have an urge to do something positive for those in need, the Benefit for The Greater Lansing Food Bank at Mac’s Bar may be the ticket.

Flashclash, a poppy dance music group, brings its signature mixture of ‘80s-influenced pop tunes and modern indie-rock to Mac’s Bar Thursday.

Back in September, Root Doctor released “Joy,” a new album of soulful blues tunes. For area blues lovers who haven’t heard any of the new tunes yet, the band plays Friday at the Green Door.

A new side project, the Starlight Six, which features members of Steppin’ In It, focuses less on technical skills and more on stripped-down songwriting. Steppin’ In It members Dominic John Suchyta and Joshua Davis formed the band with fellow veteran Michigan-based musicians Seth Bernard, May Erlewine, Rachael Davis and Mike Shimmin.

Chris Bathgate’s melancholy indie-folk has earned him a loyal following in the Midwest and beyond. On Thursday, he plays Mac’s Bar; openers include Small Houses, Pioneer and Kevin Killen. His acclaimed new album, “Salt Year,” has been compared to songwriters Damien Jurado and Will Oldham. Bathgate is originally from rural Iowa, but now calls Pinckney home.

'Lansing Covers Lansing' CD release show A new compilation CD of Lansing bands covering songs by other Lansing outfits will be released Friday at Mac’s Bar. Taking the stage will be a few of the featured artists: Frank and Earnest, Small Houses, Tommy Plural (solo acoustic), Cavalcade and American Gothic. The album, “Secret Identities: Lansing Covers Lansing,” is a co-release by LansingMusic.tv and Good Time Gang Records. The comp features Lansing bands Drinking Mercury, Small Houses, The Break Ups, The Plurals, Narc Out The Reds, Frank and Earnest, Cavalcade, Jason Alarm, Calliope, Fields of Industry and American Gothic covering new and old songs by area bands like The Fix, Small Brown Bike, The Ones, Jen Sygit and Mystic Shake, among others. CDs are $8.

Wednesday, Jan. 4 — With the towering shadow of Detroit looming, the Lansing rock scene has always been an underdog in Michigan music. While the capital city has never had a Motown, MC5, Iggy Pop or White Stripes to call its own, Lansing has nonetheless racked up a fair amount of credible underground sounds, many of which are covered on a new, locally produced, compilation CD: “Secret Identities: Lansing Covers Lansing.” The album features solely Lansing-based bands, covering tunes by other Lansing bands, new and old. The collection of homegrown tunes will be released Friday at Mac’s Bar.

Going to local rock clubs like Mac's Bar or The Loft isn't one click away, and most often it isn't free (unless one has managed to weasel their way onto a guest list). So it's a remarkable feat when bands not only win a local following, but also manage to make some waves nationally and internationally.

Na Style Jaa's pre-NYE rap show For those who cannot wait until New Year's Eve, The Loft hosts a night of unconventional hip-hop acts at a Friday show dubbed “New Year’s Eve EVE.” Lansing-based Na Style Jaa takes the stage. The eccentric rap group formed in January, and has since created a genre the group calls “story core,” which most often combines humor and dramatized historical events into the lyrics.