Aimee Mann's Christmas Show to Feature Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel

Aimee Mann's annual holiday shows will get a boost this year with help from Mr. and Mrs. Ben Gibbard. The Death Cab for Cutie frontman and his wife, actress Zooey Deschanel -- who moonlights with M. Ward in rock act She and Him -- will appear at the first two sold-out shows on Dec. 13 and 14 at the Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles. Mann's husband, singer-songwriter Michael Penn, will be in tow for those shows, plus a newly-added third night, set for that same venue on Dec. 15.

As always, Mann, who holds one Christmas album to her credit -- 2006's 'One More Drifter in the Snow' -- promises several unannounced drop-in guests for the shows. Her tribute to the holiday variety shows of the 1960s and 1970s is notorious for blending comedy and music. In the past, the likes of Paul F. Tompkins, Patton Oswalt and Fred Armisen have hosted, with surprise guests including as Jackson Browne, John C. Reilly, Amos Lee, Josh Ritter, Ben Lee and Gibbard.

Aside from the Christmas gigs, Mann has had a busy year, maintaining an active touring schedule in the US, Japan, South America and Australia, speaking at Yale, co-illustrating a graphic novel and writing a musical. She is currently working on a new studio album, which will follow up 2008's '@#%&*! Smilers.'