Photos provided by Matthew & Gunnar Nelson

Musical and actual brothers, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, always had showbiz in their blood as the sons of teen idol Ricky Nelson, along with being the grandchildren of golden age TV stars Ozzie and Harriet.

But the twins carved out their own pop and hard rock niche in the 1990s thanks to a double platinum debut album, “After The Rain,” the chart-topping single “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection” and many more melodic projects through the 2000s.

However, each aspect of the duo’s history has come full circle, starting with the 2022 compilation, “Greatest Hits (And Near Misses),” followed by the newly released album, “A Nelson Family Christmas.”

Much of the latter and a few surprises made its way to The Northern Lights Theater in Milwaukee when the mini-residency, “Christmas With The Nelsons,” opened to a sold out spread of multiple generations.

That’s also the case on November 29 and 30, but for those able to score a ticket, it meant rootsy and uplifting Yuletide-themed sounds, featuring not only Matthew and Gunnar, but two additional musicians and a multi-media scrapbook of sorts.

“Deck The Halls,” “Blue Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” “Away In A Manger” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” were all warmly nostalgic, earning their own twist thanks to Matthew and Gunnar’s flawless harmonies.

In between, stories about past family celebrations were both touching and comical, plus the photos that flashed across the screen were sure to give anyone who grew up watching or listening to any of The Nelsons the warm and fuzzies.

A virtual duet with their dad, “Dream Lover,” further illustrated those feelings and there was even the acoustic debut of an original, “A Thousand Wild Horses,” which found the fellas flashing back to the Southern California style of the 1970s.

Another recent offering, the instant classic “This Christmas,” featured pre-taped collaborators Carnie and Wendy Wilson (of Wilson Phillips fame), while The Nelsons made sure to send everyone home with a communal rendition of “Silent Night” to tap into the true seasonal spirit.

For additional information on The Nelsons, visit MatthewAndGunnarNelson.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at The Northern Lights Theater include The Nelsons (Nov. 29-30); Luminare (Dec. 2); Eric Benét (Dec. 7); Phil Vassar and Deana Carter (Dec. 8-9); Jason D. Williams (Dec. 15); Rodney Carrington (Dec. 16); A Boy Band Christmas (Dec. 20); BoDeans (Dec. 29) and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone (Jan. 19-20). For additional details, visit PaysBig.com/Shows/The-Northern-Lights-Theater.

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