Central Track Contributor
This New Year's Eve, You Can Pop Bottles or Pop Booties. It's Your Call.
This is typically the space where we give the obligatory believe-it-or-not-there's-lots-going-on-tonight spiel. But, as tonight is New Year's Eve and all, we'll not patronize you guys with that old routine.
Of course there's a lot to do tonight. There's something going on at absolutely every single bar, club and venue in town tonight.
So to help cull it all down, we're highlighting some of the night's best bets.
Big Freedia at Dada
For Central Track's first foray into NYE shindigs, we've teamed with Parade of Flesh to bring you Big Freedia, Brain Gang Blue (backed by the whole Brain Gang crew), Ocelot, Yeahdef and Ynfynyt Scroll. Your $25 admission will get you a front row seat to a whole mess of ass. Trust us, it'll be everywhere. That's sort of just what happens when New Orleans' reigning queen of bounce is in town.
Ishi at Trees
For $20, you can enjoy the larger than life light rig and folktronic rhythms of Ishi's dance-ready tunes. For an extra $10, you get access to a champagne toast, “party favors” and all-important access to a VIP bathroom. Also joining Ishi tonight will be Hello Lover, Party Static and the folks behind THRWD Magazine.
Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights at Granada Theater
JT&TNL at the Granada has happened so many years in a row now that it's starting to become something of an annual tradition. This year, the boys are joined by Somebody's Darling and Quaker City Night Hawks. General admission tickets are $20. An extra $50 earns you admission to the special VIP section in the balcony, a complimentary champagne toast and a VIP goodie bag.
Sarah Jaffe and A.Dd+ at Kessler Theater
In a sort of coup, the Kessler managed to land the top two most-buzzed-about acts in town. Trust us when we say this; we've been keeping track. Tickets are $22.50.
A Fresh Start 2013 at 960 Dragon Street
It looks like there will be two huge throwdowns in the design district tonight, each boasting plenty of badass DJs and open bars. This one will feature a green screen photo booth, an outside patio with a view of the skyline, and a special performance by onetime local Mystery Skulls. Tickets are $55.
The Best 2013 NYE Party at Circuit 12
Just down the street from the above bash, -topic, Chanise Condren, The Chloes, Lady Chase and DJ Killtron will be holding things down. Tickets to this one are $40.
Big D NYE at Victory Park
Ever dream of spending NYE watching the ball drop with Dick Clark in New York in person with 40,000 of your closest friends? The central time zone's largest NYE celebration is sort of like that. The totally free affair will also feature performances from bands like Forever the Sickest Kids. Also, there's a fireworks display at midnight.
Masquerade New Year's Ball at Zouk
To get into Zouk's big masquerade ball, you'll have to adhere to their strict dress code. For ladies, this means dresses or skirts, and semi-formalwear for you gentlemen. Masquerade masks are strongly encouraged but not required. But organizers assure us it will be worth it, as they're providing two dance floors, a dozen bartenders, Maxim models, burlesque dancers and a FlipBook photo booth. Tickets to the only NYE venue open until 4 a.m. are $40.
Parquet Courts at Rubber Gloves
Last we saw Andrew Savage in town, he was thrilling sweaty Vitamin Water-gorged Hot Wet Mess crowds as part of the popular Fergus & Geronimo act. But since moving to New York a couple years, back he's been up to much more — namely forming the post punk band Parquet Courts. The group perform a free show tonight in Savage's old Denton stomping grounds along with Endless Thought and Sin Motivo.
Champagne and Caviar NYE at Ku De Ta
The organizers of this private party co-hosted by Caviar Club and Dallas Observer's Overserved columnist Deb Doing Dallas are serious about requiring their guests to wear only the classiest attire. The event is free to attend, but a Facebook RSVP is required. Judging from the 800-plus folks that have already done so, we're guessing you should get ready for a long, cold wait out front.
The Gorehounds and The Rich Girls at Double Wide
Everyone's favorite white trash bar features performances by a couple of the usual suspects tonight. Cover bands The Gorehounds and The Rich Girls will set things off with their Cramps- and Hall & Oates-inspired sets, respectively. More interesting, this party features something called “toilet racers,” which we're guessing you won't find anyone else in town. It'll cost you just $10 to find out exactly what that entails.
Big Mike's Box of Rock at Lola's
Fort Worth classic rock band Big Mike's Box of Rock are foregoing their Tuesday night residency this week in order to put on a night of classic Metallica covers. According to the band's Facebook page, fans of the long-haired Metallica should fret not as the band plans on sticking to pre-Load material. Tickets are $7 for those over 21, and $11 for minors.
The Cosmos at Where House
With plentiful use of space-themed metaphors, The Where House crew promises that their annual NYE bash will be quote-unquote out of this world. Enjoy sets by Daniel Hart, Skeleton Coast, Son of Stan, The Longshots, Big City Folk, Great Big Beluga, DJ DATABASS and DJ Ronnie Heart for just $12.
Lights All Night at Fair Park
For two nights already, some 30,000 Dallasites have been raving in Fair Park, and it's all been leading up to tonight as Diplo and Ghostland Observatory are among the dozens of acts leading the city's biggest dance party tonight. For $99, you can join the night's festivities, too.
Shape of Things to Come party at Texas Theatre
Throughout the year, the proprietors of Texas Theatre have alternated showing the quirkiest and sometimes downright awful movies and throwing themed dance parties in the theatre's lobby. To close out the year they're doing both. A screening of the 1980 Flash Gordon flick will be followed by a costumed dance party. Host George Quartz asks attendees to dress in their elegant best from their preferred time period — or maybe as your favorite Flash Gordon character. Yesterday's Gold DJs and the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group will be further setting things off. Admission is $20.
Virgin Wolves at Wit's End
New years are all about new beginnings. And The Virgin Wolves make a mighty fine excuse to check out Deep Ellum's newest bar. Peacemaker, Mothership and Brunettes Not Fighter Jets will also be performing in the space once known as The Bone. Tickets are $10.
Sue Year's Eve at Lee Harvey's
A night of beer-soaked anthems courtesy of Dallas' own honky tonkers, Boys Named Sue. Oh yeah, and this sucker is free to attend.
NYE with the DSO at the Meyerson
Start the year off on a classy foot enjoying the strains of DSO's From Budapest to Vienna program. The show features Hungarian dances, Strauss waltzes and solos by violin virtuoso Chee-Yun Kim. Tickets range from $30 to $196, with a buffet and booze each available for additional costs.
NYE Bash and Casino at Omni Hotel
For the price of $108, you too can feel like a celebrity for the night, rubbing elbows with A-listers on the red carpet, enjoying a Vegas-style casino, loading up at the dinner buffet, dancing to live music and avoiding faux paparazzi.
Hayes Carll's Burlesque Circus and Sideshow Freakout at House of Blues
Tonight at the House of Blues, folk and country favorite Hayes Carll will be your ringmaster for a stacked bill and costume party. Prizes will be awarded for the “freakiest, sexiest and classiest costumes,” or so say the event's organizers. And if all that weren't enough, something called Graceland Ninjaz will be going on up the stairs in the Cambridge Room. Tickets to this one range from $30 to $50.
