This special Christmas night episode of "Music is Powerful Stuff" features host Mike, joined by his friend Sim Castro, a multi-instrumentalist from the Fat and Funky crew, known for bands like Shinobu, Hard Girls, Terradon, and Albert Square. The duo dedicates the evening to playing a variety of Christmas music, taking live calls from listeners who share their holiday experiences and song requests.

Highlights include heartfelt discussions about Christmas traditions, the joys (and challenges) of the holiday with kids, and a deep dive into listener connections. Mike also offers "55 years of life advice" and even promises a discount on Asian Man Records vinyl. The episode showcases the camaraderie between Mike and Sim, as well as the strong community built around the radio show, with calls coming in from California, Hawaii, and even Ontario, Canada.

Setlist of Songs Played:

• Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio) - "Angels We Have Heard on High"
• The Raveonettes - "The Christmas Song"
• Sufjan Stevens - "Only at Christmas Time"
• The Descendents - "Christmas Vacation"
• High Standard - "War is Over (A Punk Cover)"
• Danny Elfman - "Jack's Obsession" (from The Nightmare Before Christmas)
• Band-Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)"
• The Flaming Lips - (Christmas song, title not specified in transcript)
• Jimmy Eat World - "Last Christmas"
• Camping - "Wish You Were" (Original Christmas song)
• Cat Power - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
• Nick Cave and Shane MacGowan - "What a Wonderful World"
• Masked Intruder - "The Ghosts of Christmas"
• Bad Religion - "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

This episode of "Music is Powerful Stuff" hosted by Mike Park on Pirate Cat Radio (92.9 FM Los Gatos / 101.9 FM Santa Cruz and kpcr.org) is a festive blend of Christmas music and engaging listener calls. As the station approaches the final days of its winter pledge drive, Mike encourages donations to support the non-profit, volunteer-run community radio. He even offers a Pirate Cat Radio t-shirt for donations of $25 or more. The show is entirely dedicated to Christmas tunes, a decision Mike made after realizing the abundance of great holiday songs during his research. Throughout the episode, Mike takes calls from listeners seeking life advice, discussing everything from car troubles and concert plans to managing anxiety and finding joy in music.

Setlist:

• MU330 – "Christmas Merry Christmas"
• Sufjan Stevens – "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever"
• Bad Religion – "O Come All Ye Faithful"
• First Aid Kit – "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Live on BBC2)
• The Suicide Machines – "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
• Pentatonix – "Deck the Halls"
• Chris Farren (featuring Laura Stevenson) – "Waiting for You in the Snow"
• The Pogues (featuring Kirsty MacColl) – "Fairytale of New York"
• Mike Park – "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" / "Let It Snow" (Medley, Live)
• John Prine – "Christmas in Prison"
• The Waitresses – "Christmas Wrapping"
• The Lawrence Arms – "100 Resolutions"
• The Ramones – "I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight (Merry Christmas)"

This episode of "Music is Powerful Stuff" doubles as a "Frozen Frequencies Fundraiser" for Pirate Cat Radio (KPCR), a listener-supported, commercial-free community radio station. Host Mike Park urges listeners to donate to help cover bills and keep the station on air, offering a Pirate Cat Radio t-shirt for a $25 donation. Throughout the show, Mike takes calls from regular listeners, Izzy from Riverside (who always calls around the 20-minute mark), and nine-year-old Ava from Ventura, both of whom request songs. Later, Jacob Martin from the band Mocktag calls in to request one of his own band's songs. Mike shares anecdotes about the bands, discusses upcoming concerts, and even reveals a personal theory about Tom Waits' voice. The episode concludes with a traditional "Weird Al Yankovic" song and an invitation for listeners to join Mike at a Weird Al residency show in Las Vegas.

Setlist

• Hot Water Music - "Trusty Chords"
• Oingo Boingo - "Only a Lad"
• The Clash - "Pressure Drop"
• Less Than Jake - "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads"
• The Kinks - "Father Christmas"
• Royal Dog - "Pickle"
• The Selby Tigers - "Droid"
• The Epoxies - "Need More Time"
• Joyce Manor - "Catalina Fightsong"
• Voluntary Hazing - "Phone Tag"
• The Muffs - "Lucky Guy"
• Bull Shannon - "High on Nag Champa"
• Grave Secrets - "S2L"
• Link 80 - "Turn It Around"
• Mocktag - "All You Folks Are Dead For What You Did"
• Sad Park - "Good Luck"
• Reviver - "Rain Down"
• Buds - "Building Blocks"
• Tidal Fight - "Memorial Field"
• Camping - "Tiny House"
• Iron Chic - "Know What I Mean, Jelly Bean"
• New Order - "Blue Monday"
• Tom Waits - "Downtown Train"
• Social Unrest - "Red, White, and Blue"
• Weird Al Yankovic (unspecified song to close the show)