Music notes: Robbie Fulks 'Raps-Up 2011' at Fitzgerald's

Wrapping it up

Suburban resident and alt-country hero Robbie Fulks will perform his annual year-end show next week at Fitzgerald's. “Robbie Fulks Raps-Up 2011” will include his musical summing-up of the events of the past year, complete with his trademark humor. (Fulks referred to this performance on his website as one of the most “sheerly enjoyable” experiences he has all year.) Fulks is a wickedly smart songwriter and a dynamic live performer. Here's an opportunity to wave goodbye to 2011 in style.

9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, at Fitzgerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $15. Go to fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

Local singer

Singer-songwriter and Palatine native Andrew Ripp will perform a pre-Christmas show in his hometown this weekend. Ripp recently release an EP of holiday music titled “Light of Mine,” which is available digitally via iTunes.

9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $7. Go to durtynellies.com.

Back together

Now that we're in the waning days of the year, it's a good time to look ahead to 2012. And one of the biggest musical happenings on the horizon is the upcoming reunion of former St. Charles resident (and rock guru) Brian Wilson with his bandmates in The Beach Boys. The reunion, which will mark the band's 50th anniversary, will include a new studio album and a tour that will kick off in April at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest. Wilson and the rest of the band, which includes original members Mike Love (Wilson's cousin) and Al Jardine, have had a prickly relationship since Wilson left decades ago. Before that, though, they were a leading force in American pop and rock, producing one masterpiece, “Pet Sounds,” that continues to influence bands to this day. For further info, go to thebeachboys.com.