It’s been a long year. Scratch that, it’s been a veeerrrry long year. From social revolutions to the end of our occupation of Iraq, from the death of celebrities and dictators to a man who sneezes bullets and the mystery of planking, the world experienced a slew of emotions and all sorts of cultural and political upheaval in 2011. And that’s not even counting the plethora of music news that had the blogosphere abuzz this year.
So, as the question begs, what comes next? Well, 2012. If you were to believe certain factions, it’ll be the end of days. A more likely scenario, though, is that it will be another busy year, with people to meet, triumphs to celebrate, disasters to mourn, and a whole other set of memories to file away as we march perpetually onward toward the Great Unknown. A dreary prospect for sure, one that almost makes the impending Apocalypse sound warm and fuzzy. However, there is temporary respite in the form of New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Eve is that magic night where one year is all but over. It’s the chance to stop worrying for a moment. It’s an opportunity to celebrate surviving the last 364. It’s the start of a whole new scheme or design for the upcoming 365. Rather than chugging cheap champagne and letting off fireworks, NYE should be commemorated with the one thing that makes any year bearable: music.
As we have for every other major celebratory occasion, CoS has your back with our handy-dandy New Year’s Eve 2011 Concert Guide. From the beaches of Miami to life in the City of Angels, and everywhere between, our guide has everything you’ll need to know to see your favorite bands live. Whether you’re planning to rock out with Patti Smith at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, get freaky with The Flaming Lips and Yoko Ono in Oklahoma City, or hit up BOTH of Kaskade’s NYE shows (in two different state mind you), our guide is the only New Year’s Eve accessory you need (save for maybe a noisemaker). Plus, if you’re not one to brave the weather and the sea of drunks, we’ll tell you what you should be watching on the old boob tube. The point is, if it’s happening on NYE, it’s in this guide. Your only concern will be how to get home and/or where to pass out at the end of the night.
If we’ve missed any gathering or shindig, please let us know in the comments below. Call this a cliché bit of writing, but we’d like to leave you with some parting words from the immortal Benjamin Franklin to guide you into what lies ahead: “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.”
See ya in 2012.
–Chris Coplan
News Editor
New York City
— AarabMUZIK, Balam Acab: 285 Kent
— Assembly of Dust: Mercury Lounge
— Avicii: Pier 34
— The Bad Plus: The Village Vanguard
— Charles Bradley, The Budos Band: Music Hall of Williamsburg
— Chuck Berry: B.B. King Blues Club
— Dark Star Orchestra: Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ)
— Deadmau5: Pier 36
— Deer Tick, J. Roddy Watson and the Business, Dead Confederate: Brooklyn Bowl
— Fitz and the Tantrums: The Gramercy Theatre
— Gogol Bordello: Terminal 5
— Gov’t Mule: Beacon Theatre
— Infected Mushroom: Best Buy Theater
— The Knocks: Gansevoort Park Avenue
— Laidback Luke: Pacha
— Lee Fields & The Expressions: The Bell House
— Los Lobos: City Winery
— Matt and Kim, Super Mash Bros., Body Language: Hammerstein Ballroom
— Neru: Webster Hall
— The New Deal: B.B. King Blues Club
— New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men: Roseland Ballroom
— Nick Catchdubs: Loreley
— Nosaj Thing: Glasslands
— O’Death: Spike Hill
— Patti Smith: Bowery Ballroom
— Phish: Madison Square Garden
— Steve Lawler: District 36
— Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Maxwells (Hoboken, NJ)
Chicago
— Alkaline Trio: Metro
— Big Gigantic: Riviera Theatre
— Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears: Double Door
— Cage the Elephant, Sleeper Agent: Aragon Ballroom
— Cave: The Hideout
— Disco Biscuits, Future Rock: Auditorium Theatre
— The Hood Internet: Lincoln Hall
— Keys N Krates: Chicago Urban Art Society
— Local H: Bottom Lounge
— Murder By Death: Subterranean
— Old 97s: Intercontinental Hotel Grand Ballroom
— Rusko, Sinden, Switch: Congress Theater
— The Spits: Cobra Lounge
Los Angeles
— The Aggrolites: Alex’s Bar
— Benny Benassi, Paul Van Dyk, Kaskade, Dada Life: Anaheim Convention Center (White Wonderland)
— DJ Quik: Key Club
— Duck Sauce, Diplo, Chromeo, Felix da Housecat, The Bloody Beetroots, LA Riots: Oak Canyon Park (Together As One)
— The Henry Clay People, Races: The Satellite
— Give Up the Ghost: Ukrainian Culture Center
— Jenny and Johnny, Cults: The Standard Hollywood
— John Digweed: The Avalon
— Junkie XL: Detroit Bar
— L.A. Guns: Whisky A Go Go
— Lupe Fiasco: Hollywood & Highland Center
— Musiq Soulchild: House of Blues
— Wanda Jackson, Best Coast, Dan Sartain: Club Nokia
San Francisco
— The Fresh & Onlys, Thee Oh Sees: Brick and Mortar Music Hall
— Furthur: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
— Kreayshawn: The Regency Ballroom
— The Limousines: Rickshaw Stop
— Maceo Parker: Yoshi’s
— Santigold, Amon Tobin Islam Live, Beats Antique, Claude Von Stroke,: Concourse Exhibition Center (Sea of Dreams)
— Primus: Great American Music Hall
— The Slip: Cafe du Nord
— Sonny & The Sunsets: Amnesia
— Talib Kweli: Sloane Squared
— Tedeschi Trucks Band, The New Mastersounds: The Warfield
— Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: The Fillmore
— X: Slim’s
— Yeasayer (DJ Set): W Hotel
— DJ Z-Trip: Fort Mason Center
London
— The 2 Bears: XOYO
— Adam Beyer: Fabric
— Ferry Corsten: Brixton Academy
— Gabby Young and Other Animals: Royal Festival Hall
— Gary Numan: All Star Lanes
— Gross Magic: The Victoria
— Joker, Brekage, Roska, Plastician, Sigma: Electric Brixon
— Kasabian, Chase & Status, Zane Lowe: The O2
— Toddla T: The Nest
— The Wedding Present: Dingwalls
Elsewhere
Aspen
— Jane’s Addiction: Belly Up
Athens (Georgia)
— MartyParty, Dubconscious: New Earth Music Hall
— of Montreal: Go Bar
— Reptar: Georgia Theatre
Atlanta
— Against Me!, Fake Problems, Franz Nicolay: The Masquerade
— Cake: Fox Theatre
— JJ Grey & Mofro: Variety Playhouse
— Kylesa: The Earl
— Naughty By Nature, Ed Kowalczyk: Hyatt Regency
— Perpetual Groove: Center Stage
— STS9: The Tabernacle
— Zac Brown Band: Philips Arena
Atlantic City
— Brand New: House of Blues
Austin
— Big Freedia: The Mohawk
— The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips, Ume: Emo’s East
— Bob Schneider, Quiet Company: Paramount Theatre
— Designer Drugs: Austin Music Hall
— Gary Clark Jr.: Antone’s
— Groupo Fantasma: Beauty Bar
— Hayes Carll: La Zona Rosa
— Penguin Prison: American Legion Hall
— Russian Circles: Red 7
— White Denim, Royal Bangs: The Empire Space
— Willie Nelson: Moody Theater
Australia
— Arctic Monkeys, Crystal Castles, Dan Deacon, The Naked and Famous: The Falls Festival (Lorne)
— Fleet Foxes, Beirut, CSS, CANT, Unknown Mortal Orchestra: The Falls Festival (Marion Bay)
Baltimore
— Carbon Leaf: Hyatt Regency
— SOJA: Baltimore Soundstage
Boston
— David Wax Museum: Lizard Lounge (Cambridge, MA)
— Lucero: Paradise
— New York Dolls: New England Conservatory
Charlotte (North Carolina)
— Widespread Panic: Time Warner Cable Arena
Dallas
— Girl Talk, Ghostland Observatory, MSTRKRFT, Neon Indian, Pendulum (DJ Set): Lights All Night
— The Polyphonic Spree, Centro-matic: House of Blues
— Quinton and Miss Pussycat: Zubar
Denver
— Flux Pavilion, Doctor P: Colorado Convention Center
— Gauntlet Hair, Pictureplane: The Larmier Lounge
— Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad: Cervantes’ Other Side
— Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Orgone: Cervatnes Ballroom
— Ladytron (DJ Set): City Hall
— Pretty Lights: 1stBANK Center (Broomfield, CO)
— Railroad Earth: Ogden Theatre
— Truckasauras: The Summit
— Ween: The Fillmore
Detroit
— The Detroit Cobras: Magic Stick
— Greensky Bluegrass, The Macpodz: Majestic Theatre
— Maze featuring Frankie Beverly: Masonic Temple
Greenville (South Carolina)
— The Avett Brothers: Bi-Lo Center
Houston
— Blue October: House of Blues
— Christopher Lawrence: Stereo Live
— Young Jeezy: Reliant Arena
Lake Tahoe
— Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Thievery Corporation, The Glitch Mob, Childish Cambino, A-Trak, Theophilus London, YACHT: Snowglobe Music Festival
Las Vegas
— Chris Brown: Pure Nightclub
— Guns N’ Roses, Sebastian Bach: The Joint
— John Legend: Pearl Concert Theater
— Kaskade: Marquee
— NOFX, Lagwagon: House of Blues
— Paul Oakenfold: Rain
— Steve Angello: XS Nightclub
— Stevie Wonder: Cosmopolitan
Louisville (Kentucky)
— The Pass: Butchertown Pub Studios
Miami
— The Heavy Pets: Tobacco Road
— Spam All-Stars: The Catalina Hotel
Minneapolis
— Dawes: Varsity Theater
— EOTO: Skyway Theater
Milwaukee
— Skrillex, Dillon Francis: The Rave
Nashville
— Bassnectar: Bridgestone Arena
— Moon Taxi, Apache Relay: Exit/In
New Orleans
— Big Sam’s Funky Nation: The Joy Theater
— Black Lips: One Eyed Jacks
— Dr. John: House of Blues
— Funky Meters: Tipitina’s French Quarter
— Galactic, Anders Osborne: Tipitina’s Uptown
— Rebirth Brass Band: Howlin’ Wolf
Northampton (Massachusetts)
— Josh Ritter: Calvin Theater
— Rubblebucket: Pearl Street Nightclub
Oklahoma City
— The Flaming Lips, Yoko Ono: Brickstown Events Center
Orlando
— Trivium, Sevendust, Black Tide: House of Blues
— Slightly Stoopid, The Expendables: Hard Rock Live
Ottawa
— Electric Six: Mavericks
Philadelphia
— Clutch: Trocadero
— Eternal Summers, Bleeding Rainbow: Level Room
— Good Old War, River City Extension: Theatre of Living Arts
— Lotus: Festival Pier
— Man Man (DJ Set), Dr. Dog (DJ Set), Sun Airway (DJ Set): Johnny Brenda’s
— Smoking Popes: North Star Bar
Phoenix
— Meat Puppets: Clubhouse Music Venue
Portland (Maine)
— moe.: State Theatre
Portland (Oregon)
— Leftover Salmon: Roseland Theater
— Nurses, Radiation City: Mississippi Studios
— Pierced Arrows: Ash Street Saloon
— Red Fang: Star Theater
— Reverend Horton Heat, Supersuckers: The Crystal Ballroom
— Talkdemonic: Misson Theater
San Diego
— Fedde Le Grand, Porter Robinson, Hardwell, Bart B More: Valley View Casino Center (OMFG! NYE)
— Kinky: 4th & B
Seattle
— Mustard Pimp: King Cat Theatre
— Starfucker, Champagne Champagne: The Crocodile
St. Louis (Missouri):
— Cowboy Mouth: Old Rock House
— Devon Allman’s Honeytribe: Blueberry Hill
— Excision: Koken Art Factory
— Umphrey’s McGee: The Pageant
Toronto
— Elliot Brood: Lee’s Palace
— Kyuss! Lives: Cherry Cola’s Rock N’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge
— The Sadies: Horseshoe Tavern
— Steve Aoki, Thomas Gold: Kool Haus
Vancouver
— Tiësto: Pacific Coliseum
Washington, DC
— Animal Collective (DJ Set), Le Tigre (DJ Set), ANR (DJ Set): 1800 L Street NW (BYT NYE)
— Drive-By Truckers, Booker T, Alabama Shakes: 9:30 Club
— Gucci Mane: Love Night Club
— Morgan Page: Fur Nightclub
— Painted Face: Rock and Roll Hotel
On TV
— Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (ABC): Lady Gaga, Florence and the Machine, Blink-182, Nicki Minaj
— New Year’s Eve with Carson Daily (NBC): Drake, The Roots, Cee-Lo Green
— NYE in NYC (MTV): J. Cole
— Coldplay New Year’s Eve: An Austin City Limits Special (PBS)
