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New Year’s Eve Weekend in NYC: a guide to shows, parties & more ways to ring in 2019

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Whether you’ve had a great or a not-so-great 2018, there’s one thing we can all agree on: it’s almost over. 2019 beckons and New York City will be buzzing with New Year’s Eve activities, with big concerts, bands doing multiple nights, dance party extravangas, comedy shows, and more. (There is of course Times Square, one of the symbols of New Year’s Eve, and if that’s something you want to do, here’s info.) Here’s a guide to the many happenings around NYC this New Year’s Eve weekend:

First and foremost, The Get Up Kids will play a pair of BrooklynVegan-presented shows at Rough Trade on 12/30 and 12/31 as part of their four-night Northeastern run, with exciting support from Active Bird Community and Retirement Party. Tickets for these shows are still on sale, and we hope to see you there!

Williamsburg dance club Output announced they’re shutting down for good at the end of the year, and you’ve got one last chance to experience their tricked-out Funktion-One sound system at their combination New Year’s Eve / Farewell party, featuring DJ sets from John Digweed and Tara Brooks in the main room, with DESNA, Chilly Mox, and Alex Raouf in the Panther Room. Advance tickets are sold out, but some tickets will be available at doors (more info here).

Speaking of New Year’s runs, Phish will be holding their annual, sold-out NYE run at Madison Square Garden from December 28-31, with the New Year’s Eve show being the band’s 60th appearance at the venue overall. (Look out Billy Joel, they’re catching up to you.)

In related jam band news, Gov’t Mule will be ringing in 2019 with their own annual NYE shows at Beacon Theatre on December 29 & 31. Tickets for both shows are still on sale.

If you’re looking for other jam band options, Dead & Company bassist Oteil Burbidge will be performing with his full band Oteil and Friends at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre on December 27 and 29, and at Brooklyn Bowl on December 30 and 31. Tickets for all shows are on sale now.

If you think a song like “Congratulations” is perfect for ringing in the new year, Post Malone is set to play two shows at Barclays Center on December 29 & 31. Tickets for both nights are still on sale.

The great Hop Along will be playing two nights at NJ’s Asbury Lanes on December 30 and 31, along with special openers Diet Cig. Tickets and two-night passes are on sale now (we’re also giving away tickets).

If you’re looking for a dose of Americana, The Lone Bellow are set to play a run of shows at Bowery Ballroom from December 29-31, with killer support from Courtney Marie Andrews on all three nights. Night one (12/29) is sold out, but tickets to the remaining two shows (and three-night passes) are still available.

Snoop Dogg will ring in 2019 with a special show at Terminal 5 on NYE, as part of his current “Puff Puff Pass” tour. Tickets are still on sale.

Philly-based shoegazers Nothing will close out 2018 with a show at Knitting Factory on NYE, with fitting support from fellow heavy shoegaze band Weekend and hazy Brooklyn outfit Teen Body, with additional DJ sets from DJ Jordan and DJ Fembmp (tickets).

Surreal, nostalgic, messed-up video collective Everything is Terrible are doing a special live show at Brooklyn Bazaar on NYE, where they’re promising to premiere new videos, in addition to doing giveaways and other surprises. Tickets are on sale now, and if you’re not familiar with their brand of content, here’s a preview:

Party-hardy garage rockers The Nude Party are playing a special NYE show at The Loft at City Winery with support from French-American psych outfit Champagne Superchillin’, dubbed “A Night At The Boot-In Casino” (tickets).

If you’ve always dreamed of seeing The Smiths on New Year’s Eve with The Pixies opening…that’s never going to happen but you can come kinda close at Littlefield on NYE, where Smiths/Morrissey tribute band The Sons & Heirs will headline, along with Pixies tribute act Gigantic and DJ Ceremony serving as openers (tickets).

The Kingsland New Year's Eve Bash

If you’re seeking to get rowdy, the NYE Bash at The Kingsland features legendary NYHC band Murphy’s Law as headliners, along with fellow veteran punk bands US Bombs, Total Chaos, and The Krays listed on the bill. Tickets are still on sale.

Similar to last year, Macy Gray will be playing four New Year’s shows at Iridium on December 30 and 31, with an early and late show on both nights. Both shows on night one have sold out, but tickets for night two’s shows are still on sale.

If you’d like to laugh, The Stand NYC (which is between locations at the moment) is hosting a special New Year’s Eve show at SubCulture! with Jim Norton, Ron Bennington, Janeane Garofalo, Todd Barry, Tim Dillon, Vladimir Caamano, and more (tickets)

Margo Price will celebrate the new year with shows at NJ’s Asbury Lanes on 12/29 (tickets) and a special NYE date at Music Hall of Williamsburg (tickets). Both shows are with her friend and fellow Nashville songwriter Lilly Hiatt opening.

Alt-rock vets Come have two shows happening during New Year’s weekend at Union Pool on December 28 and 29, with support from fellow indie veteran Jennifer O’Connor on night one, and Speedy Ortiz members Sadie Dupuis and Andy Molholt on night two. Tickets for both shows are still on sale.

Thursday will be playing an exciting four-night run at Music Hall of Williamsburg from December 27-30, performing two of their most acclaimed records in full: Full Collapse on nights one and three, and War All The Time on nights two and four. Night one (12/27) is sold out, but tickets for the remaining three shows are still on sale.

Japanese Breakfast is set to have a busy New Year’s weekend this year: first, she’ll play NJ’s Asbury Lanes on December 28, then travel to Philly for a sold out, three-night run from December 29 to 31, with indie pop songwriter Gabby’s World opening all dates. Tickets for the NJ show are still on sale.

Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah has a pair of New Years shows happening around the NYC area, first at Montclair, NJ’s Wellmont Theater on December 29, then at Huntington, NY’s The Paramount on December 30. Tickets to both shows are on sale now.

Clutch have an upcoming date at Sayreville, NJ’s Starland Ballroom on December 28 as part of their annual holiday run, with support from Fugazi-related band The Messthetics, frequent collaborators Lionize, and The Mike Dillon Band. Tickets are still on sale.

NYC folk rockers The Felice Brothers are playing Brooklyn Bowl on December 29 as part of the band’s year-ending Northeastern tour. Tickets are still available.

Long-running NYHC icons Cro-Mags are playing a NYE weekend show at The Kingsland on December 29, with opening support from NJ-based hardcore punks Silence Equals Death (tickets).

Like he did last year, Dictators vocalist and original member Handsome Dick Manitoba, along with his band The Wanderers, will play The Bowery Electric on December 30, with openers The Nuclears and Cody Melville rounding out the bill (tickets).

Finally, songwriter Joseph Arthur will be doing his annual New Year’s Day show at City Winery, where this year he’ll be joined by the great Lee Ranaldo (tickets).

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