'Tis the season to be jolly! Okay, that's Christmas, but this is our holiday and there is plenty to be jolly about as Ireland's biggest legends play all over the city these next few days!

What better way to kick off the weekend then a Saw Doctors hooley at the Nokia Theater in Times Square on Friday and Saturday nights. They have just released a fun compilation of odds 'n' sods called That Takes the Biscuit (more on that next week).

I recommend the same thing every year because it is clearly the best party of them all - Rogues March maestro Joe Hurley puts on a raucous show called the All-Star Irish Rock Revue.

This year, his special guests include the High Kings, Chis Collingwood (Fountains of Wayne), Stew (star of Broadway's new hit show Passing Strange) and Stephen Frost, star of the U.K.'s Whose Line is it Anyway?

They'll be joining Joe on Saturday, March 15 at Webster Hall in the heart of the East Village. Other guest performers this year include members of the New York Dolls, the Dictators and the Patti Smith Band, Ellen Foley, Willie Nile, and Saturday Night Live's Christine Ohlman.

This eclectic crew run through great renditions of songs from Thin Lizzy, U2, Van Morrison, Sinead, Morrissey, Undertones, Rory Gallagher, SLF, the Pogues, John Lydon, and many more.

The lasses from Celtic Woman will be taking the stage at Radio City Music Hall on March 15 and 16. To get the taste of saccharine out of your mouth I would suggest either a heaping helping of rebel folk with the Wolfe Tones at Connolly's Times Square or join yours truly for the Pogues at Roseland Ballroom.

St. Patrick's Day is chock full of activity, of course. The Pogues return to Roseland, and Black 47 plays their big show at BB King's.

My pick is Celtic Cross, who will be appearing live at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street, New York) in support of their excellent new CD, Shores of America.

This is a party band with a capital "P," with their booze cruises around Manhattan becoming stuff of legend around these parts.

If you fancy red heads - and who doesn't this time of year? - there are none hotter than singer Kathleen Fee. Settle down boys; she is married for one, and even if she wasn't, you would have to get past her brothers in the band, button accordionist John Vesey and fiddle player Kenny Vesey. This family affair is one of my favorite bands and Shores of America is an engaging, entertaining, and poignant take on Irish Americana.

Whatever you do, do something! The music business is really hurting, and artists need your support on tour now more than ever.