Futurama New Year's

New Year's Eve Weekend in NYC: a guide to shows, parties & more ways to ring in 2018

As 2017 draws to a close, many New Yorkers can’t wait to ring in the new year (for various reasons), and there are many live music and party options in store around the city before we say hello to 2018. Here’s a guide to the many happenings around NYC on New Year’s Eve weekend:

For fans of jangly, breezy, occasionally jammy indie rock, Real Estate, Whitney and Woods are playing Brooklyn Steel on NYE. You need an AmEx card to buy tickets, but they’re only $20.18 – and, you can enter to win tickets through BrooklynVegan’s Facebook.

DIIV, who do like playing NYE shows, will ring in 2018 at Baby’s All Right with Indiana band Hoops, Boston artist Clairo and Brooklyn punks Chorizo. Tickets are still on sale. UPDATE: Beach Fossils are replacing DIIV on this NYE bill.

Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley's Phantasmagoria

Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley‘s New Year’s Eve Phantasmagoria” happens at Brooklyn Bazaar, which also features This Way to the Egress and special guests Lacy Rose, Alaina Ferris and Kalan Sherrard. Tickets are on sale now.

If you’re looking for strong grooves and stunning horn sections, instrumental powerhouse The Budos Band will be doing a two-night stand at Knitting Factory on December 30 and 31, with openers Electric Citizen joining them for both nights. The NYE show will also feature DJ sets from Sunflower Bean and Mikey Post, among others. Tickets for both shows are still on sale, with a two-night pass available.

NYC punk lengends Television will play two shows with Eleanor Friedberger at Bowery Ballroom on December 30 and 31. These shows are the band’s first in NYC since 2015. The first show is sold out, but tickets for the NYE show are still available.

If you’re in the mood for something rowdier, Nashville’s Diarrhea Planet are coming to the East Coast for a few shows, stopping by Rough Trade on December 30 and 31. Tickets for both shows are still on sale.

They Might Be Giants play Summerstage's Family Day 2017 (more by Sachyn Mital)
They Might Be Giants play Summerstage’s Family Day 2017 (more by Sachyn Mital)

Alt-rock veterans They Might Be Giants will return to NYC for New Year’s, playing two hometown shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 30 and 31. Tickets for both shows are still on sale.

Just few months after completing a 13-show run at MSG, jam band legends Phish will return to The Garden for a special NYE run from December 28-31. Tickets for all these shows are still available, but they’re selling fast.

Speaking of jam bands playing NYE, Gov’t Mule will yet again play two New Year’s dates in NYC, at Beacon Theatre on December 30 & 31. Tickets for both shows are still on sale.

Breakout star of the year Cardi B headlines ‘NYE Champagne Celebrity Celebration’ at Knockdown Center in Queens. Venus X, DJ BEBE, DJ Shelby Sells and DJ Pro Style will also be providing music. (tickets)

Macy Gray will play a four-show “New Year’s Eve Bash” at The Iridium on December 30 and 31, with two shows per night. Tickets for those shows are on sale now, with the nighttime NYE show including packages to watch the ball drop in Times Square in a special location.

If you’re in the mood to dance, Jonathan Toubin is  hosting their annual NY Night Train NYE party at Home Sweet Home. This year, they’re trying to combat overcrowding by not revealing the bands and DJs who’ll be appearing this time around, though he always puts together a great night (more info).

For more dancing, Elsewhere has DJ sets from Hot Chip and Simian Mobile Disco, as well as Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard, JD Samson, Son of Sound, Heidi Sabertooth, Olive T, Evan Michael, Alan & Andrew Blancato, Mira Fahrenheit, Deep Creep and B. Ritz in a party that goes from 8 PM until 8 AM on New Years Day (tickets).

Williamsburg’s Villain will host Club Glow NYE featuring live performances from  Eartheater and La’Fem Dosha, plus DJ sets from UNiiQU3Hexapoda, and Juliana Huxtable (tickets).

nublu

Dave Harrington’s Merry Pranksters (which includes Yuka Honda, Kenny Wollensen and more) will be at Nublu on NYE with the equally awesome Hess is More (tickets).

If you want to ring in the new year with The Smiths (but not really), tribute band The Sons & Heirs will be holding a Smiths/Morrissey NYE tribute show and dance party at Littlefield. Tickets are on sale now.

Jo Firestone headlines a large bill of comedians at “Just A Show: New Years Eve Edition!”, alongside Casey James Salengo, J.P. McDade, Farah Brook, Justin Linville, and many others. Tickets are on sale now.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, the Awesome Aughts NYE Party at Union Hall will be strictly playing many iconic pop, rock, and hip hop jams from the early-2000s. (Think “Yeah!,” “Crazy In Love,” “Mr. Brightside,” etc.) Perhaps a great time for recent readers of Meet Me In The Bathroom? Tickets will be sold at the door.

Actress and comedian Sandra Bernhard is bringing her “Sandemonium” show to Joe’s Pub for a six-night run, from December 26-31 (including two NYE shows), where she’s determined to bring audiences a “brief respite from the endless madness” going on in the world. Tickets are now on sale.

Opry City Stage, the new Times Square location of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, opened earlier this month, and the building’s Studio venue will hold its very first New Year’s Eve Bash. Country music duo Locash is set to perform, and various packages for the 7PM and 9:30PM shows are now on sale.

House of Yes' Y2K New Year's Party

If you’re down to party like it’s 1999, House of Yes will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve Y2K Party. Electronic musicians Moon Boots and Sander Kleinenberg are scheduled to perform, and costumes are required for entry (more info). Tickets are on sale now.

Electronic musician Skylar Spence (fka Saint Pepsi) will be playing a special NYE show at Mercury Lounge, with fellow beatmakers Maxo and Machine Girl also on the bill. Tickets for that show are now on sale.

There are also many further dance options in the city before the ball drops. John Digweed and Tara Brooks will be headlining the NYE celebration dance party at Output, with Push the Night’s Brad Miller, Alan Nieves, and others playing The Panther Room. Tickets are on sale now.

Acclaimed DJ Rich Medina will be spinning some tunes at his NYE party at C’mon Everybody, which stretches into the early hours of New Year’s Day. Tickets for that are now on sale.

Beatmaker duo Soul Clap will be playing a “NYE Love Bomb” show at Good Room, alongside supporting acts Justin Strauss and Billy Caldwell. This show also stretches late, ending at 6AM. Tickets are on sale now.

Electronic artists Eli Escobar, LLOYDSKI, and Andy Pry will be performing sets at Le Bain‘s annual NYE party at The Standard. Tickets are on sale now.

The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan

There are also many notable shows happening around NYC that don’t necessarily fall on New Year’s Eve, which notably includes The Dillinger Escape Plan‘s final three shows as a band, taking place from December 27-29 at Terminal 5. Faith No More’s Mike Patton will appear with the band to perform their collaborative EP at the first show, while Code Orange and Daughters open the last two shows. All three nights are sold out.

Thursday are continuing their reunion tour, and they’ll be playing Huntington, NY’s The Paramount on December 28 (tickets), and Sayreville, NJ’s Starland Ballroom on December 30 (tickets). PUP and My Chemical Romance’s Frank Iero will open both shows, which will surely make for an exciting triple bill.

Sludge metal greats High on Fire will be playing two shows at Saint Vitus on December 29 (6:30 PM and 9:30 PM) with special guests TBA. Sold out.

Cymbals Eat Guitars are continuing their tradition of doing shows around New Year’s, and they’ll be playing Bowery Ballroom on December 29, with support from Charles Bissell of The Wrens Tickets are on sale, and you can enter to win a pair through BrooklynVegan’s Facebook.

Glassjaw returned earlier this year with their first album in 15 years, Material Control. They play a show with Cro-Mags at The Paramount on December 30. Tickets are on sale, and you can enter to win a pair through BrooklynVegan’s Facebook.

Speaking of bands who regularly play shows around New Year’s, Gogol Bordello will be continuing their own tradition, and playing two shows at Brooklyn Steel on December 28 & 29. Regular tour openers Lucky Chops will serve as a supporting act. Tickets are still on sale.

Hard rockers Clutch will be making two stops around the greater NYC area, first playing NJ’s Starland Ballroom on December 28 (tickets), then coming to Clifton Park, NY’s Upstate Concert Hall on December 29 (tickets). Devin Townsend Project, The Obsessed, and Mike Wescott Band are set to open both dates.

Singer-songwriter (and occasional comic book artist) Jeffrey Lewis will be accompanied by his backing band Los Bolts at Mercury Lounge on December 30. Cat Tatt and Candy Boys are set to open. Tickets are on sale now.

The Dictators founding member Handsome Dick Manitoba will be playing Bowery Electric on December 30, where he’s set to play classic Dictators material, and debut brand new music. Soraia, Sick Walt, and The Sacred are tapped to open. Tickets for that are on sale now.

On New Year’s Day people will brave the waters of the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island for the 2018 Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge. The Coney Island New Year’s Eve celebration features fireworks, a new year countdown via a digital “burst” to the Parachute Jump, and free attractions after 6 PM, including Abe Stark Skating Rink, B&B Carousel, Deno’s Wonder Wheel, Stop the Zombies 7D, and Thunderbolt Roller Coaster. Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park will also host fireworks at midnight.

For less hypothermic New Year’s Day option, Joseph Arthur has his annual New Year’s Day show at City Winery, and this year it’s with Juliana Hatfield (tickets).

What else? You can check out all the happenings going on around New Year’s Eve in BV’s NYC show calendar.