V.V. Lightbody at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester
V.V. Lightbody at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester

For the second year in a row, Andrew Sa and his gaggle of pranksters, musicians and singers invaded the Hideout Inn for The Annual Lonesome Holiday Concert.

The sold-out show, which ran Dec. 10, 11, 19 and 20 had little to do with Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any other end of the year holiday—and everything to do with great music, ribald humor, and loads of personality. First created in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lonesome Holiday started as an online event, with The Hideout Inn hosting the in-person version since 2023.

Lexi Goddard onstage at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester
Lexi Goddard onstage at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester

This year’s fourth show started with Sa hitting the stage in a pair of shrieking red sequined pajamas for a lusty rip though “Turn Me On.” For the next two hours the SRO crowd got a blast of sweetness (Lexi Goddard’s wistful take on Cass Elliott’s “Dream a Little Dream of Me”) and goofiness (Mary Williamson, Alex Grelle and Sa’s take on Sonny and Cher—with an assist from Carol Burnett—for a jolly and sloppy medley featuring “The Beat Goes On,” “Islands in the Stream,” “S.O.S,” “If This is It,” and “Love Will Keep Us Together”).

The campfire segment with Sam Cantor, Andrew Sa, H.C. McEntire, and Rosali image by Vern Hester
The campfire segment with Sam Cantor, Andrew Sa, H.C. McEntire, and Rosali image by Vern Hester
H.C. McEntire onstage at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester
H.C. McEntire onstage at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester

There was also a charming and straight faced “Snow is Falling” and “Christmas Time is Here” from V. V. Lightbody and Sam Cantor, and a tripped-out version of The Pet Shop Boys’ classic “What have I Done to Deserve This?” with soul powerhouse Hawk Nebula ripping through Dusty Springfield’s vocal parts like a chainsaw.

Mary Williamson at The Lonesome Holiday Concert at The Hideout Inn. Image by Vern Hester
The campfire segment with Sam Cantor, Andrew Sa, H.C. McEntire, and Rosali image by Vern Hester
LONELY Hawk Nebula at The Hideout Inn image by Vern Hester

The show was not all played for laughs though. Lawrence Peters delivered a sobering “$16.88” that hushed the room while Mary Williamson’s reading of Tom Waits’ “A Christmas Card from a Hooker” was heartbreaking. There was a “Campfire Segment” with Sa joined by Cantor, and openers Rosali and M.C. McEntire for a lovely and weighty “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” When Nebula got his chance at Dolly Parton’s “Light of A Clear Blue Sky” he gave it a furious charge that was joyfully frightening in its intensity.

The finish came with Sa joining Nebula for a riotous “Love Above the Ground Floor” and Sa closing the night down with a sincere “Have Yourself A Merry Christmas” with silken backing from pianist Jeremy Jon Harris.






Alex Grelle at The Hideout Inn . Image by Vern Hester




Andrew Sa closes out the annual Lonesome Holiday concert . Image by Vern Hester




Rosali performing at The Lonesome Holiday Concert. Image by Vern Hester




Sam Cantor at The Lonesome Holiday Concert. Image by Vern Hester




Sonny Bono at The Lonesome Holiday Concert.. Image by Vern Hester