Live music performances on television this week include:

Live music performances on television this week include:

v Jake Owens: Tonight on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC)

v Cage the Elephant: Wednesday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC)

v Flo Rida: Wednesday on “Arsenio” (Fox)

v Kelly Clarkson: Thursday on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC

v Luke Bryan: Friday on “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (NBC)

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (8 p.m., NBC): No, really, we have it on good authority that, every time you watch “It’s a Wonderful Life,” an angel earns his wings. Or something like that.

“A Christmas Story” marathon (8 p.m., TBS): And now we double-dog dare you to watch all 24 hours of the annual “A Christmas Story” marathon — without the aid of any spiked egg nog.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (8 p.m., ABC): You might be a mean one, Mr. Grinch, but you’re infinitely more entertaining than the live action adaptation which follows at 8:30 p.m.

tv listings, b6

entertainment news

Rubino to perform First Night venue

CANFIELD

First Night Canfield will offer a cabaret dinner-show featuring Liz Rubino at 5 p.m. Dec. 31 at A La Cart Catering, 429 Lisbon Road. Rubino, a New York cabaret artist and Austintown native, will sing tunes from the golden age of Broadway, accompanied by pianist Cory Davis.

Tickets are $25 (15 for children under 18), and include First Night admission button. Tickets are available at Always Yours, 584 E. Main St.

For information on First Night Canfield, go to firstnightcanfield.org or call 330-533-2290.

First Night activities will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and conclude at Old North Church, 7105 Herbert Road, at midnight with fireworks.

Russia releases rockers from prison

KRASNOYARSK, Russia

Two jailed members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot were released Monday following an amnesty law that both described as a Kremlin public relations stunt ahead of the Winter Olympics.

Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were granted amnesty last week in a move largely viewed as the Kremlin’s attempt to soothe criticism of Russia’s human rights record ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February.

The third member, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was released on a suspended sentence months after all three were found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred and sentenced to two years in prison for the performance at Moscow’s main cathedral in March 2012.

The band members said their protest was meant to raise their concern about increasingly close ties between the state and the church.

Russian parliament passed the amnesty bill last week, allowing the release of thousands of inmates. Alekhina and Tolokonnikova, who were due for release in March, qualified for amnesty because they have small children.