Sat. Dec. 29

 Having New Year's Eve fall on a Monday this year is a pretty good deal for musicians and fans who would like the party to start over the weekend and continue through the wee hours of Tuesday. The New York-based jam band U-Melt (pictured, sorta) is playing their New Year's Eve gig on their home turf, but they're warming up here Saturday Dec. 29 at the Paradise Lounge. You can expect mesh of rock, jazz, trance and funk, and covers, if they're in the mood, from Pink Floyd to Smashing Pumpkins and, yes, even, Huey Lewis & the News. U-Melt, by the way, is a pretty good name for a jam band - the idea being you melt into the music and become one with it. Or something like that. It's the jam band variant of U2. Yes, we know the U-2 was an American spy plane; but we also know U2 meant their name as to be inclusive. Like "You - too." We're all in it together. So, stop the world and melt with UMelt at the intimate Lounge and warm up for the end of the year as we know it. New York magazine calls 'em "one of New York's favorite jam bands." Starts at 9:30. Tickets: $12.

969 Commonwealth Ave., 617-562-8814 www.rockonboston.com