Waylan St. Palan & the Magic Elves LP release

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Justin Kibbel

Waylan St. Palan and the Magic Elves on stage at the High Noon.

Waylan St. Palan and the Magic Elves

In 2020, expecting to be unable to play their annual holiday concert due to the pandemic, Waylan St. Palan & the Magic Elves were proactive — and creative — in collaborating remotely to record an album instead. Old Fashioned Christmas was a particularly nice present that winter we were all staying home. This year, the group is convening once again with a couple more stocking stuffers for their fans: an LP version of the album, and for the first time an early, family friendly set. Never fear, things will get wild for the 8 p.m. show, which also features a set by the Neil M.F. Diamond Experience.

media release: Waylan St Palan & The Magic Elves have been bringing lovers and haters of Christmas music together since 2001 to create a tradition unto itself. Their yearly live shows around southern Wisconsin live in infamy for lovers of campy Christmas sweaters and alcohol fused holiday parties as the official start of the yuletide season. The band is excited to announce the upcoming vinyl release of their 2020 recording, Old Fashioned Christmas. The band will be commemorating the event by performing two shows at the High Noon Saloon on Saturday, December 16. The first show will be an all-ages family show, from 4pm to 6pm, and a 21+ show at 8:00pm.

Back in 2020, the question that The Magic Elves had to answer was, “What do we do if we can’t do our yearly show?” Waylan himself, (otherwise known as Nate Palan,) was stuck in Italy. The rest of the members were stuck at home just like everyone else. The answer was for the group to write and record a new album of Christmas songs. With some talented songwriters in the group, including Ken Fitzsimmons of The Kissers, Nathan Tredinnick of Something To Do, as well as Palan himself of Hometown Sweethearts. The three of them crafted 7 songs, added in a few timeless classics, and somehow made a record without ever being in the same room with each other. The end result was astonishing. The fresh takes on holiday staples Jolly Old Saint Nicholas and Away In a Manger pump them full of new life. 

The original songs stand alongside the traditional numbers like antique stockings on a brick fireplace. Although the tracks touch on what everyone was going through during the pandemic, (like “Quarantine Christmas”), the bulk of the material explores untapped Christmas experiences. In the title track, Waylan sheds a tear missing to be home for the holidays. In You’re off The List, we discover a young person who has done everything they can to be excluded from Santa’s bounty. In Christmas at the Bar, Waylan tires of battling politically charged family members and retreats to find solace at the local tavern. The band also tackles an epic mound of dishes, (Doin’ The Dishes for Christmas), untimely breakups, (My Last Christmas with You), and not getting what you want, (Christmas Disaster).

One standout track, “Bells of St. Ignatius,” may become the “Fairytale of New York” for the next generation. Originally written and recorded by NYC indie rock band Wormburner, The Elves transform this touching waltz into a cinematic masterpiece. Another exceptional number is the Elves take on the recently rediscovered gem “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” Sung by longtime guest singer, Karolyn Bethke, the Elves rendition makes the classic recording updated for a new audience.

December 16, 2023, The Magic Elves will do something they’ve never done before- performing a family friendly show! For years, the band has notoriously been known to enjoy a cocktail or 10, (0r 20.) This year being their 22nd consecutive year of performing their yearly booze-soaked celebration, the band has decided to invite the next generation of gift givers to a show that promises not to include regrets the following morning. Children from one to 92 are all invited for this family friendly Christmas party. As for the later 21+ show, all bets are off.