After unwrapping presents, the Nuge heads for Mt. Pleasant, Mich., and the Soaring Eagle Casino. He’ll also make stops in Merrillville, Ind.; Auburn Hills, Mich.; and Fort Wayne, Ind., where he’ll wrap up (for now) December 30th.

Toronto guitar slinger Rik Emmett opens the Whiplash Bash festivities on Nugent’s House of Blues stop in Chicago.

The Nuge isn’t out in support of a new album, though he does have an election-related ditty called “Stand” he penned for Blender on sale at his Web site.

Sample lyric: “I don’t need nobody to hold my hand, don’t need nobody, I can stand. Make it on my own in a Rock-n-Roll band, kiss my American ass I’m a Republican.”

As if there were any doubt.