Recommended If You Like Chicago New Year’s Eve’s biggest acts 

Very few bands “make it.” Far more toil in relative obscurity, only sometimes earning a fan base and a living wage for their art. A lot of these little-known or under-known acts, though, are the inspiration for or compatriots of those bigger acts, those bands that made it. Thus, The A.V. Club’s Recommended If You Like, where we start with a bigger band—Mumford And Sons, for example—and run down a few acts that Mum-fans might be into.

For this edition, we’re taking a look at some of the musical acts gearing up to play various New Year’s Eve parties across Chicago. It’s the most hyped-up party night of the year, so needless to say it’ll be hard to nab some reasonably priced tickets to Lil Jon or Cage the Elephant—but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a happy new year. There are plenty of bands ready to provide the soundtrack to your celebration, and here’s just a sampling of musical acts that could hit the spot.

If you like Big Gigantic (The Riviera), check out The Hood Internet (Lincoln Hall):
The hugely popular Colorado duo Big Gigantic rolls out funky, fatback-laced tunes with a pulsing dance beat to make music that sounds distantly related to Chicago’s own The Hood Internet. Big Gigantic is kind of like the younger, less-refined cousin of The Hood Internet, one with an unhealthy obsession with jam music, while the Hood makes immediate, hip-gyrating dance tunes that flirt with a variety of floor-filling genres. Plus, The Hood Internet guys are veterans of these kind of celebratory affairs, which means heading to Lincoln Hall is practically guaranteed to give partiers a bang for their buck.

If you like Local H (Bottom Lounge), check out Tight Phantomz (Quencher’s):
Back in the ’90s, Local H made it big with “Bound For The Floor,” a hooky, heavy slab of pop rock. Locals Tight Phantomz have a little more screech and squal in their take on hard rock, but like Local H, they roll out sharp bits of deranged, rough ’n’ tumble tunes that are guaranteed to elicit some fist-pumping glee and a nice spate of head-banging during one New Year’s Eve celebration.

If you like the O’Jays (Congress Theater), check out JC Brooks And the Uptown Sound (Schubas):
The O’Jays have become legends thanks to their sweet and earnest R&B hits. Sure, the O’Jays have a few decades on JC Brooks, but that shouldn’t discourage curious listeners. Fans who admire bands that can pin down two sides of soul—both the fervently upbeat numbers and the toned-down, tender ditties—with swagger should plan to head to Schubas to see one of the most admired bands in Chicago do what it does best.

If you like Alkaline Trio (Metro), check out Material Re-Issue (Reggie’s Rock Club):
Illinois’ own Alkaline Trio rode the massive pop-punk popularity wave of the early aughts to fame and fortune much in the way that Chicago power-pop group Material Issue did a decade before during the alternative-rock explosion. Having recently reunited under the name Material Re-Issue, the band’s oft-peppy, jangly, heart-on-sleeve ’90s indie ditties are sure to strike a chord with fans of aughties pop-punk.

If you like Cage The Elephant (Aragon Ballroom), check out Disappears (Empty Bottle):
Cage The Elephant’s music sounds like a mish-mash of alternative sounds and beloved indie bands from the late ’80s and early ’90s all reconstructed into one big hit—who knew mixing a style influenced by The Pixies and bits of hip-hop could sell so many records? Chicago’s own Disappears present an entirely different sound, but one that’s equally inspired by underground music styles of yore—from garage-rock to ’80s alt-rock to krautrock to shoegaze—all streamlined into a unique vision. Perhaps they’re not for most Cage The Elephant fans, but anyone who enjoys Cage’s more adventurous leanings could certainly fall for Disappears’ fuzz-pedal-hued take on rock.

If you like Black Joe Lewis And The Honeybears (Double Door), check out Deals Gone Bad (Beat Kitchen):
Austin outfit Black Joe Lewis And The Honeybears play a southern twist on soul—they mix bits of country and slab of funk into their lean, mean soul. Locals Deals Gone Bad also enjoy playing around with soul music, though they’ve got a Caribbean bent to their experimentation: They fill their numbers with classic ska stylings and buoyant reggae rhythms. For those looking for soul music inspired by warmer locales, Beat Kitchen may be the place to celebrate the new year.

If you like Lil Jon (Rosemont Ballroom), check out Chet Haze (Hilton):
Lil Jon’s pro-crunk hip-hop platform has long made him the butt of every joke about rap. (However, he should get a little credit for his appearance on “Hard White,” the best song on Yelawolf’s new album.) But it looks like celebrity scion and up-and-coming collegiate rapper Chet Haze is well on his way to replacing Lil Jon as the world’s hip-hop punch line for his rhymes about scholastic irresponsibility and, yes, partying. It’s not for everyone, but for those who like rap songs about tokin’, boozin’, and hookin’ up that get to the point quick, Chet Haze could make a great stand-in for Atlanta’s chosen king of crunk.