With Hanukkah underway and less than two weeks left until Christmas Day, New York City is in full holiday mode right now. It is also in a positive post-Sandy recovery mode due to near all local transit being back on schedule this week (LIRR finally got running again a few days ago) and the success of the 12-12-12 Sandy benefit concert at Madison Square Garden tonight. Sure the actual show hasn't even started yet but already a lot of money has been raised with all the tickets selling out well in advance. Many scalpers have been strongly criticized for profiting from in-demand, overpriced tickets fetching thousands of dollars for the show that will feature Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Kanye West, The Who, Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, Eddie Vedder, Roger Waters, The Rolling Stones, and others too! Additionally, a big donor response is anticipated from folks watching tonight's live stream of the show on 34 U.S. and international television, radio, and Internet outlets across six continents where folks can enjoy the show and donate to the Robin Hood Relief Fund to help those hit by Sandy.

Upcoming shows for the week ahead include Aaron Lewis and opener Randy Montana at Irving Plaza near Union Square on Friday, December 14th at 7pm. More info here. Then on Sunday December 16th, there's a special Feliz Navidad show with Jose Feliciano at BB Kings on 42nd Street in the Times Square district. Showtime is 8pm. Get tickets and more info here. That same night, rap star Rick Ross (on a bill with Meek Mill and Wale) will headline the Roseland Ballroom at 239 West 52nd Street near 8th Avenue. Show starts at 8pm. More info here.

The organizers of the 2012  Rock The Bells summer festival series have just announced some new additions to this year's stops on the traveling three city, 2-day hip-hop fest. These include DMX (left) and Eve who have now been added to the Bay Area stop, August 25 & 26 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, and Slaughterhouse, French Montana + Red Café, Chief Keef, and Tinie Tempah all been added to the sole East Coast date at Holmdel New Jersey on September 1st & 2nd. Meanwhile for the opening festival tour dates, August 18th and 19th, at the San Bernardino NOS Events Center, the star-studded line-up will now include KRS-One, Xzibit, Hieroglyphics, El-P, Killer Mike, Kid Ink, Machine Gun Kelly, Casey Veggies, I Self Devine, Chief Keef, and Slim da Mobster. The long list of artists for this tour, see flyer down below,  also include such acts as Nas, Rza, Slick Rick, Salt N Pepa, Atmosphere, Mix Master Mike, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi, Asap Rocky and Action Bronson.