On Dec. 19, the local band is presenting its first holiday concert in downtown Campbell at the Gaslighter Theater. It is a special event that aims to start a new kind of seasonal tradition for families. The concert will feature music that is the Houserockers' specialty—rock & roll—but with a holiday twist. The big man himself, Santa, will be dropping in to help celebrate, and local charities Second Harvest Food Bank and Toys for Tots will be on hand to accept donations.

The Houserockers' founder, Paul Kent, says that the inspiration to hold the event came from several sources.

"In the past couple of years, we've played a couple of holiday tunes in December during regular shows, and the reaction we get for them has always been great," Kent says. "So there was that, combined with the fact we have so many friends, neighbors and people on our mailing list that ask about this type of thing. Also we had the desire to do something with charities, and that led us to doing a full show of holiday music."

Kent says the event sold out in about two weeks. "The reception to this has been so good that we're looking forward to growing it to at least 1,000 people next year, and doing it again, and really do something that can become a community tradition for people to go out and celebrate the holidays."

The Silicon Valley Houserockers are a 10-piece band that performs at clubs and festivals throughout the Bay Area. The group plays rock and R&B classics from the 1950s to present-day hits. Revelers at the family concert will be treated to tunes in the holiday spirit. "We do rock & roll Christmas songs," says Kent. "We do all kinds of rock & roll, up-tempo versions of Christmas classics, like the Brian Setzer Orchestra versions of 'Sleigh Ride' and 'Jingle Bells.'"

It turns out that many concertgoers weren't even born until well after Springsteen and Setzer first became big names (though maybe just in time for Setzer's comeback during the swing revival of the mid-'90s), but even the littlest listeners should have a good time.

"We have lots of children coming," Kent says. "We have lots of elementary-aged kids coming to the concert and that's really what I want to see. I want to see moms and dads dancing with their kids and having a good time and celebrating the holidays together."

The event is sold out. For more information about future shows, see http://www.svhouserockers.com.