Goodbye, aughts: The 2009 New Year's Eve guide
Can you believe it? Ten years after Y2K and we're still here. Celebrate that resilience at one of the many parties around town. We did it! (At least until 2012.)
MUSIC & CLUBS
Bojono: 318 Café, 7 & 10 p.m., $20
Audiencess will say goodbye to more than just the year at this show: The acoustic trio made up of Boyd Lee, Joe Cruz, and Noah Hoehn is going on indefinite hiatus.
Breaksea Caravel + Painted Saints: 331 Club, 10 p.m., free
Holding your CD-release show on New Year's Eve is a bold move, but that's exactly what Breaksea Caravel is doing. Not that it's a bad idea—the band's raucous gypsy music makes for an excellent party.
Twin Cities Dubstep New Years Eve 2010 + Pnuma Trio, Two Fresh, Mimosa, Sovereign Sect: Bar Fly, 9 p.m., $20
Memphis jam band Pnuma Trio and Nashville electro-soul combo Two Fresh head north to ring in the next decade at this downtown dance club.
Toast Of The Nation: Dakota Jazz Club, 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m., $80-$200
Take part in NPR's coast-to-coast countdown: Jevetta and Jearlyn Steele play the early dinner show before the Irvin Mayfield Quintet reps for Minneapolis on the station's live broadcast.
Trampled By Turtles + Two Many Banjos: Fine Line Music Cafe, 9 p.m., $65/$75
Get a taste of Duluth bluegrass wizards Trampled By Turtles' forthcoming 2010 album Palomino here. Admission price includes open bar.
Deep Space Danceteria: First Avenue, 8 p.m., $5/$15, 18+
First Ave's bash has a space theme this year, which means that in addition to the usual champagne toast and music by the club's DJs, the night will feature Tang drink specials and a Moonwalk contest.
Hell's Kitchen New Year's Eve Casino & Lounge Show: Hell's Kitchen, 10 p.m., $75.58
Lounge crooner Vic Volare headlines this casino-themed party.
"Mad" New Year's Eve Celebration + The New Standards: Hotel Minneapois, 8 p.m., $35
Jazzy trio The New Standards, teaming The Suburbs' Chan Poling, Semisonic's John Munson, and Electropolis' Steve Roehm, headlines this '60s-themed swankeria where you can get your best Mad Men vibe going.
The Crystal Ball: International Market Square, 9 p.m., $40/$50, VIP $70/$80, room rates available
Local R&B band The New Congress headlines this New Year's party, which also features a fashion show hosted by Project Runway's Ra'mon Lawrence-Coleman and Christopher Straub.
E.L.nO, Lucy Michelle And The Velvet Lapelles, DJ Jill Riley: Lee's Liquor Lounge, 9 p.m., $10
Each passing year carries pop acts out of the limelight, but Jeff Lynne songs are forever. Celebrate the transition from one E.L.O.-loving era to another with this fantastic cover band.
2010: The Year We Make Contact: Marriott City Center Grand Ballroom, 8 p.m., $25-$75
Electronic pop combo Solid Gold headlines the festivities here, joined by opening acts including legendary club DJ and rap scholar Freddy Fresh, beatboxing one-man band Heatbox, and dance band The Histronic.
SOL2010: A Space Odyssey: Solera, 9 p.m., $75/$90
Solera ups the space-theme ante with aliens, break-dancing robots, go-go astronauts, and decor that will turn the club into a spaceship.
Grant Hart + Phil Solem: Station 4, 8 p.m.
It's been a good year for Grant Hart, who marked 2009 by releasing his first solo album in a decade. Help carry that good fortune into the new year with a lineup that also includes The Rembrandts' Phil Solem.
Black Blondie, Toki Wright, The Prizefighters, DJ Turtleneck: Triple Rock Social Club, 9 p.m., $7/$10, 18+
Genre-hopping R&B/rock combo Black Blondie and rapper Toki Wright welcome the new year at this West Bank punk club.
Mark Mallman + White Light Riot, First Communion Afterparty, Koo Koo Kanga Roo, Attitude City: Varsity Theater, 9 p.m., $12, 18+
Given the way Mr. Serious can turn even the quietest weekday night into a full-on riot with one of his high-energy sets, his end-of-the-year gig is sure to be nothing short of insane.
Best New Bands Of 2009: 400 Bar, 8 p.m., $10/$20, 18+
Kill To Kill + Jenny Dalton, Aaron And The Sea: 501 Club, 10 p.m., free
Unicorn Basement + Gospel Gossip, MC/VL: 7th Street Entry, 8 p.m. $6/$8, 18+
Carole Martin & The Irv Williams Quartet: Artists' Quarter, 9 p.m., $35/$45
The No-No's: Big V's, 9 p.m., $5
Dr. Mambo's Combo: Bunker's, 9:30 p.m., $12
Wookiefoot: The Cabooze, 9:30 p.m., 18+
Hookers & Blow: Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues, 10 p.m., $10
Pretty Boy Thorson, The God Damn Doo Wop Band, The Evening Rig, Banner Pilot, The 86'd, Amen And The Hell Yeahs: Hexagon Bar, 9 p.m., free
Fuck Knights + Cadillac Kolstad And The Flats, The Goondas: Nomad World Pub, 9 p.m., free
G.B. Leighton: O’Gara’s Garage, 9 p.m.
Far From Falling + Drift Effect, East 18, Tepetricy, Blood Root Mother: The Rock, 8 p.m., $12/$15, all ages
Hip Hop Not Rap: Spring Street Tavern And Club Underground, 10 p.m.
Pumps & Pearls Drag Revue: Town House Bar, 10 p.m.
3rd Annual New Year's Eve Cover Night: Vampire Hands, Leisure Birds, Daughters Of The Sun, Marijuana Death Squad, Secret Language, DJ Winship, DJ TRL: Turf Club, 9 p.m. $8
THEATER & COMEDY
The Scrimshaw Brothers' New Year's Eve Comedy Workout: Bryant-Lake Bowl, 7 & 11 p.m., $15-$20
The brothers attempt to fulfill their 2009 resolution to get in shape before the night is over. Expect some heavy cardio and plenty of sweat and body-image disappointment in between laughs.
Martini & Olive Unzipped: A Tribute To Tony Martini: Bryant-Lake Bowl, 9 p.m., $25
The recent death of Grant Richey (a.k.a. Martini) put this show in doubt, but Judy Heneghan (Olive) and Lorna Landvik (Anita Twist) are determined to carry on this lounge-lizard cavalcade in memory of their polyester-wearing partner.
Whoopi Goldberg: Mystic Lake Casino - Celebrity Palace Theater, 7 & 9:30 p.m., $59-$69
The famed comedian takes a break from arguing with Elisabeth Hasselbeck to ring in the new year with (hopefully) far fewer crazy people.
What The F--k! Just Happened?? With Lizz Winstead: Parkway Theater, 9 p.m., $35
Minnesota native and Daily Show co-founder Lizz Winstead and MSNBC pundit Ed Schultz recap the year's news the only way they know how—with razor-sharp political satire.
Derek Hughes: Acme Comedy Company, 8 p.m., $15-$55
Brett Favre's Christmas Spectacular: The Immaculate Interception: Brave New Workshop, 7 & 10 p.m., $24-$27
ComedySportz: ComedySportz, 8 p.m., $10
Isaac Witty + Shannan Paul, Joke Joint, 7:30 & 10 p.m., $35
Kyle Cease: Rick Bronson's House Of Comedy, 7:30 & 10 p.m., $25.95
Holly Henson: Scott Hansen's Comedy Gallery, 7:30 & 10 p.m., $15/$20
Gus Lynch + Brooks Robinson, Gabe Noah, John Conroy: Spring Street Tavern And Club Underground, 7:30 p.m.
KID-FRIENDLY
Noon Year's Eve: Como Zoo, 11am, free
If your family is usually in REM sleep by midnight, the zoo has an alternative: an afternoon of games and a midday ball drop.
