The top concerts in Toronto this December will keep us heathens in tip top shape as we dart from one gloomy non-solstice gig to another, blissfully free of familial obligations with blood relatives who just don't get Gwar. (If you're leaving town for the holidays, sorry but you're missing some good music, and Skrillex.) Then on the 31st, New Year's Eve won't all be DJs - Rich Aucoin, Good Enough, Buck 65, the Sadies, and more will ring in the new year for live music fans. Watch for our upcoming guide.

Speaking of that New Year's kiss, here are your November music missed connections: if you were wearing something furry at Friday's Skinny puppy show, you have an admirer, and I hope this punktastic Not Dead Yet (top notch festival, well done everyone) meet up happened. And, tragically or not, if you accidentally held hands at a Tragically Hip show in early fall, someone is still thinking about you.

Here are my picks for December concerts in Toronto. May you find the love you need.

Jason Collett's Basement Revue (December 5, 12, 26, The Dakota)
Collett's annual Basement Revue shows promise an element of surprise, as you don't know who will be performing out of the star-studded contact list of locals on his phone. From punk to choral, find more holiday concerts here.

GWAR (December 9, The Opera House)
Legendary Gwar live on despite the passing of Oderus Urungus (RIP). For this tour College music prof Blothar is back, and more importantly the band are made 1000 times more hardcore by artist Vulvatron, whose future-breasts spew blood. If Gwar can survive, maybe we can too.

Timber Timbre (December 11-13, Lee's Palace)
The band with a fancy name that still summons images of lumberjacks will be doing the just-give-me-indie-something thing for three straight engagements at Lee's this month. Sean Nicholas Savage opens on December 11th, FIVER on the 12th, and Last Ex on the 13th.

Long Winter (December 12, Great Hall)
It's fun, PWYC, and all ages. This carnival inspired multidisciplinary celebration of leaving the house in cold weather will feature music from Man Made Hill, Sean Nicholas Savage, Army Girls, Animalia, Wrong Hole, Wish, and more.

BADBADNOTGOOD (December 13, The Opera House)
Are they good-bad, or are they bad-good? Figure these genre fusing young men our with our jazz bands to watch list.

Stacey (December 16, Gladstone)
Be here if the cold weather puts you in the mood for singer-song writers hiding out in an old, formerly sketchy hotel. Stacey, one of Toronto's most promising up and coming pop writers, will be joined by LUKA and and Day Wilson.

The Birthday Massacre (December 18, Mod Club)
Toronto's cuddliest bunch o' goths are back from tour and ready to make your holidays full Nightmare Before Christmas.

Austra (December 19, Opera House)
These bats of glittering neon wingspan may be more popular over in Europe, where dancing to strange electronic music is as natural as owning eighteen different plaid button downs is over here, but Toronto fans will show them a good time. Blue Hawaii will open.

Nadja (December 20, Geary Lane)
What have metal-gaze duo Nadja been up to since we interviewed them in Berlin? Knowing the prolific doomers, releasing countless albums and playing one 1000 shows around the world. Black Walls will open. Also don't miss Nadja's Aidan Baker at Ratio on Dec 11.

Offerings Compilation Release (December 30, Cinecycle)
The new compilation from free Offerings Magazine, Toronto's own version of Show Paper, is stacked with weirdos (full disc: I have a song on this comp where I skip radio stations for three minutes), as is this line up. Zacht Automaat, Zones, Doom Tickler, New Chance, Nick Storring and more will perform.

See also

The top 10 holiday concerts in Toronto for 2014
The top 5 dance parties in Toronto December 2014

What did I miss? Leave your must-see December concerts in the comments.

Correction: GZA is canceled.

Photo of Austra by Brian Morton