December isn't exactly the most hospitable time for a band to be schlepping their gear across the country. Even your bigger cities tend to slow down and cramp under the strain of freezing temperatures and the general malaise perpetuated by gray days and below zero nights. Who wants to leave the house when one step out the door sucks all the warmth and moisture right out of your lungs?

Nevertheless, there are a few brave bands willing to keep cranking out the rock this month, though it is a bit telling that most of them end their tours very early on. Like Dir en Grey, who play their final show tonight at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood Colorado. You also have Boris wrapping things up with two more shows, tonight in Danbury, CT and tomorrow in Providence, RI. MUCC also has only two shows this month, on the right coast in New York on Sunday the 7th, then to the left in LA on the 10th.

The biggest event this month is the 2008 Blip Festival. Cow'p will be representing Japan along with about a zillion other awesome chiptune acts from around the world. They all converge on New York starting tonight and running through the weekend. This is the place to be, and you're sure to be seeing reports from the front lines popping up all over the blogotubes.

See anything missing? Let us know in the comments! Hit the jump for a few more details on the shows this month.