Austin Music Minute: Recommended New Year’s Eve Shows
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Oh, unmerciful dilemma.
I, your Austin Music Minute hostess with the mostess Laurie Gallardo, am constantly tell people, “This is a great problem to have! Too many shows to see! Most cities would kill for this much live music in a week, let alone a single night!” And it’s true. I stand my ground on that proud declaration.
Still, it tends to catch up from time to time, that overwhelming sensation of so much remarkable musical talent pulling a listener in so many directions that it’s impossible to keep track of it all. Case in point: The party night of all party nights, New Year’s Eve. Countless bands will be bringing in the New Year with spectacular shows at all sorts of places. It leaves the mind reeling! However, I have managed to gather a few recommendations for you to point you in the right direction. And, in all fairness, I realize I couldn’t possibly remember everything going on, but this will hopefully give you some ideas, and you can take it from there.
Here we go, kids. A boatload of New Year’s Eve live music soirees. Try not to let your head explode:
-So proud of these peeps that I act like their mom – except when I remind them to not behave. The Black Angels headline a show that includes Wooden Shjips and Ume at Emo’s East, 2015 E. Riverside Dr.
-This line-up is so amazing and so delicious. Fabulous bands, one and all. Ringo Deathstarr, TV Torso, Marmalakes, Sleep Good, The Zoltars, The Sour Notes, Young Girls, and Gold Spine play at Cheer Up Charlies, 1104 E. 6th St.
-It’s fun to blare D in the car. These cats get better and better. White Denim headlines with Royal Bangs, Oh Look Out, Megafauna (one of my very favorite local bands, thank you) and Sphynx at Empire Automotive, 604 E. 7th St.
-¡Orale! You’ve never danced so hard in your life, baby. Grupo Fantasma and Maneja Beto have a party at the Beauty Bar Ballroom, 2015 Riverside Dr.
-Just get down wif it. Rock and soul with T-Bird and The Breaks and The Sideshow Tragedy at Stubb’s, 801 Red River.
-Songwriters Miles Zuniga (Fastball) and Danny Malone, and band Union Specific have a show at Skinny’s Ballroom, 115 San Jacinto.
-Get some Sabbath in your eardrums. LOUD. Sweet Leaf (a Black Sabbath tribute band) and local psyched-up heavy-duty rockers Ampilfied Heat tear it up at the Hole in the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe.
-Foot Patrol and Panjoma welcome 2012 with the aptly-named Sole Train party at Frank, 4th and Colorado.
-Black and white wear is optional, but it would be so much fun if you played along. The Black and White Years and the mighty RITTZ provide the party at Lambert’s, 401 W. 2nd St.
-Sir, you never cease to be a major badass. Thank you. Hayes Carll has a New Year’s Eve extravaganza at La Zona Rosa, 612 W. 4th St.
-So, picture it: Blondie, David Bowie, Television, Cheap Trick, Talking Heads, the B-52s…they’re all gonna party with you! Well…sort of. Local musicians do their renditions of some of the best music out of ’77 at the Spider House New Years Eve 1977 bash, 2908 Fruth St.
-Get down, get funky. Naw, man, I mean really funky. HIT IT AND QUIT IT: A Funkgasmic New Year’s Experience at the Scoot Inn, 1308 E. 4th St. at Navasota. Featuring the Good Foot Family All-Stars and the Carousel Cabaret. “I had a funkgasm once, but my doctor told me it was the wrong kind.” (For the two of you laughing, thank you for getting the Woody Allen reference.)
Cheers to you, and here’s to a very Happy New Year. May it be filled with more incredible music.
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