Well, we’re in that never-never land between Christmas and New Year’s. I hope you’ve had peace, comfort and joy in the truest senses in your holiday season. If it was a struggle, remember time keeps passing and things do change. Here’s wishing us all peace, joy, health, prosperity, good fortune and great music in 2011. New Year’s Eve New Year’s Eve offers plenty of live music options. Catch Sarah Benck’s new band The Boring Daylights opening for Devon Allman’s Honeytribe at The New Lift Lounge. Sample Allman’s music at thetribalcommunity.com. His new CD is Space Age Blues . Tickets are $19.75 advance or $24.75 day of show. The New Lift is offering a limited number of reserved tables for four at $150 purchased in advance, this includes a complimentary bottle of champagne. Call the club at 339.7170 for more details. Rock out at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar with a full night of roots music. The Tijuana Gigolos play the happy hour slot from 5-7:30 p.m. Admission is $8 advance and $10 day of show. The Kris Lager Band plugs in after 9 p.m. for a separate cover charge of $20 advance/$25 day of show. Here are a few other New Year’s Eve options. Blue House is at Ameristar. Burgundy & Gray play at Pieces Lounge, 2607 S. 120th St. Matt Gagne & the Blues Experience party at Grant Street Bar, 90th and Blondo. That’s just a sampling of what’s going on around the metro. You can find more blues-roots listings for New Year’s and beyond at omahablues.com. Also try slamomaha.com or omahanightlife.com for more music listings. Robin Rogers Dies of Cancer Contemporary blues lost one of its up and coming female artists when Robin Rogers died after a courageous battle with liver cancer. She passed away at home on Dec. 17, with her husband Tony at her side. She was 55 years old. Rogers was seen locally in 2009 doing some great duo work with Debbie Davies and her band. It was the metro’s introduction to Rogers. The North Carolina native was beginning to establish herself with the national blues audience. Her rich, sweet voice would have put her among the top women on the national scene if illness had not intervened. Sadly, she was diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer in August 2010, and sent home. She remained a fighter, inspiring friends and fans with her positive attitude and grace in the face of a terminal diagnosis. Her new disc Back in the Fire (Blind Pig) has brought her to a wider audience. The new CD was released this fall to rave reviews and is well worth checking out. (https://blogs.20minutos.es/) An interview on NPR aired barely a week before her passing, in which she talked about fighting the cancer but also discussed her “sweet departure.” “I’ve learned that time is fleeting, and you should do everything you can do, while you have the chance,” she said in the interview, her voice welling up with emotion. Find the interview online at npr.org in the Weekend Edition archives. Learn more about Rogers’ life and music at robinrogers.com. Jon Dee Graham in the Works Hoodoo hero and Austin legend Jon Dee Graham has two new discs in the works. Chubacabra is a new live CD by Jon Dee Graham & the Fighting Cocks that will soon be available for digital download. Then, Graham’s recent collaboration with the iconic Susan Cowsill and acclaimed rocker Freedy Johnston, recording under the name The Hobarts, culminates in the release of their new CD At Least We Have Each Other . The disc is currently scheduled for a March 2011 street date. Watch jondeegraham.com for updates. Graham and Cowsill have both performed in Omaha as part of the Sunday Roadhouse concert series. Hot Notes If you’re looking for a family-oriented New Year’s activity, the Henry Doorly Zoo offers a “Noon Year’s Eve” event Jan. 31, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. with your paid admission or Zoo membership. The Zoo invites families to “have a wild time with activities, entertainment and an early countdown to 2011.” Catch the old-school boogie, R&B and classic blues of The Bel Airs at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, Dec. 29, 6-9 p.m. and at The New Lift Thursday, Dec. 30, 5:30-8:30 p.m. The dance floor will be hopping. The new Brad Cordle Band is gathering lots of buzz. They play Lincoln’s Zoo Bar for an early 6-9 p.m. show on Thursday, Dec. 30. If you’re looking for a party on Saturday, Jan. 1, Matt Gagne & the Blues Experience are at Shamrock’s, 5338 N. 103rd St. Meanwhile New Orleans’ rock band Cowboy Mouth is at the Waiting Room Jan. 1, celebrating the kick-off of its 16th Annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Tour. Lead singer Fred LeBlanc says, “If The Neville Brothers and The Clash had a baby, it would be Cowboy Mouth.” Take a listen at cowboymouth.com.