Central Track Contributor
Still Seeking A Way To Celebrate New Year's Eve? Well, Here Are 60 Options.
It's been a hell of a year, you guys.
And whether you're looking to put an exclamation point on a kickass 2013, catch a drunker-than-usual concert, dance your guts out, be a part of the crowd or just avoid all the amateur drinkers that nights like New Year's Eve tend to bring out of the woodworks, just trust us when we say that there is somewhere in town offering just the type of thing you seek.
There's something for every budget, too, depending if one's goal is to find the cheapest drinks possible or to attempt to shield themselves from the riffraff by shelling out for VIP treatment or bottle service.
Seek and ye shall find. Specifically, seek our list below.
Oh, and no matter where the night takes you, just remember to stay safe, to try not to completely overdo things, and watch out for your friends as best you can. Fun as New Year's Eve can be, it can also be pretty dangerous out there. So please be careful.
Live Music
Dead Flowers at Adair's Saloon
A gritty, no-frills offering from a couple of local Americana favorites. Sugarfoote and Co. opens. Cover is free. — Cory Graves
AV the Great, Fab Deuce and more at Rubber Gloves
AV the Great will perform with a full backing band at this Cosign Magazine-helmed party. Also on the bill are Fab Deuce, Killa MC, Wild Bill, Dontae Smiley, Tracy Tc Counts and Stu Brootal. Cover is Free. — CG
Ten Can Riot at The Fillmore Pub
The Fillmore Pub presents a free show by punk rock trio Ten Can Riot. Ring in the New Year with ringing ears and a complimentary champagne toast. Cover is free. — Jeremy Hughes
Shotgun Friday at Common Table
Self-described “hill-hop for party people” band Shotgun Friday is playing the Common Table to help you ease your way into 2014. There will be good beer, too, because Common Table has lots of that. Cover is free. — JH
Starparty, Son Slim & The Gems at Hailey's
An out-of-this-world dance party featuring covers of everything from Daft Punk to the Lips. Cover is $5. — CG
The Black Dotz, Street Arabs, Drug Animal and Fogg at The Crown & Harp (Downstairs)
An assortment of local post-rock bands performs downstairs while an army of DJs keep a dance party stoked upstairs. A single ticket gets you access to both floors. Tickets range from $5 before 11 p.m. to $10 after. — CG
The Gorehounds and Party Static at Double Wide
Dallas' favorite Cramps cover band performs with our personal favorite party band, along with Booty Stew and DJs Gabe and Tiger Bee. Tickets are $10. — CG
Wizardvision New Year's Eve at Lola's
Featuring performances from Son of Stan, Ice Eater, We'rewolves, The Longshots, Nathan Brown, Foxtrot Uniform and Sun Bones. Cover is $14. — CG
Dead Celebrity Ball at The Prophet Bar (Small Room)
Catch sets from local acts Oil Bloom, The Birds of Night, Loyal Sally and Uneasy Pilgrim while dressed as your favorite dead celeb. There'll be prizes for the best dressed. Tickets range from $12 to $15. — CG
The Rail Club's 2014 New Year's Eve Party
In the event you haven't had enough metal in your life this year, make your way to Fort Worth to catch Primal Concrete Cowboys, Warbeast, Hell's Half Acre, Rabid Flesh Eaters and Exploder. Tickets are $15. — JH
Somebody's Darling at Dada
Ring in the New Year with roots-rock aplenty. Whiskey Folk Ramblers, Goodnight Ned and Bad Mountain open. Tickets range from $7.50 to $20. — JH
Pearl Gem, Alyson Chayns & Green Mild Bell Peppers at Cambridge Room
A trio of '90s-era alt-rock cover acts perform in the House of Blues' small room. Tickets range from $15 to $23. — CG
Jonathan Tyler & Northern Lights at Granada Theater
JTNL have performed at the Granada's NYE bash every year since 2008. Opening this year are Quaker City Night Hawks and The Roomsounds. Tickets range from $20 to $70. — CG
NYg(EE) at South Side Music Hall
In addition to his regular set, Larry g(EE) will perform an R&B/Funk/Soul cover set. The Party Police and Hall & Oates tribute The Rich Girls open. Tickets range from $25 to $50. — CG
Neon NYE at The Dram
It'll be all neon everything at this intimate Ishi-led gathering. Tickets range from $25 to $50. — CG
Mingo Fishtrap at The Live Oak
Fort Worth's Chis Watson Band opens for the Denton-based soul-funk outfit. Tickets range from $30 to $40. — CG
Old 97's at House of Blues
Watching the local alt-country heroes at HOB is becoming something of an annual NYE tradition at this point. RTB2 and The Hickoids open. Tickets range from $30 to $60. — CG
Jack Ingram at Kessler Theater
The “Wherever You Are” singer, local boy and former Adair's regular headlines this one. Michael Prysock and Ronnie Fauss open. Tickets range from $30 to $80. — CG
Petty Theft at The Barley House
Hey, it's the only of Dallas' many Tom Petty cover outfits to feature 1310-AM The Ticket's Mike Rhyner. Tickets range from $32 to $73. — CG
X at Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
The quintessential Los Angeles-based '70s punk rockers perform. My Jerusalem and The P-Town Skanks open. Tickets are $35 to $75. — CG
Morris Day & The Time at Choctaw Casino
The dance party that requires no finesse or personality — just two arms and an attitude. And a ride to Oklahoma. Tickets range from $45 to $65. — CG
NYE with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Meyerson Symphony Center
Avoid the amateurs and kick off 2014 in a much more elegant fashion with the DSO's program of Viennese polkas and waltzes. Tickets range from $82 to $146. — CG
Parties
Big D NYE at Victory Plaza
Dallas' best attempt at recreating New York's iconic Times Square party may fall somewhat short of that mark, but for what it's worth it is still one of the largest NYE celebrations in the Central Time Zone — and one of the best places in town to catch the city-sanctioned fireworks display. Cover is free. — CG
New Year's Eve Celebration at Sundance Square Plaza
Fort Worth's best attempt at recreating Big D NYE will feature a live band performing big band standards throughout the night. Cover is free. — CG
New Year's Eve at Sfuzzi
DJ Goody will be spinning all night and there is a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Also? Sfuzzi is closing this night, so it's your last chance to party at the McKinney Avenue mainstay before it says goodbye for good. Cover is free, but you'll have to RSVP for dinner or a table. — JH
Mardi Gras Blowout at Twilite Lounge
We wouldn't expect the local New Orleans dive bar to celebrate this year's other Fat Tuesday any other way. David Washburn's NOLA jazz sextet will perform, costumes are encouraged and cover is free. — CG
New Year's Eve Party at Single Wide
In true Single Wide style, they'll forego the traditional champagne toast in lieu of celebratory cheap beer. DJ Horseshoes & Handgrenades and DJ Dibbs will oversee this tight-quartered dance party. Cover is free. — CG
Strangeways New Year's Eve Bash
Seems like a no-brainer: DJs Gina G and TX Connect will be providing music all night at this vaguely Smiths-themed bar and each table gets a free bottle of champagne. Cover is free. — JH
Moulin Rouge at Kung Fu Saloon
It's a Moulin Rouge party at Kung Fu Saloon, but what does that even mean? We're not sure. You can go and find out, though! Bottle service available for all of your art-deco, French-themed needs. Cover is free. — JH
NYE Masquerade Party at Beauty Bar
Beauty Bar is combining all of its finest DJ' into one fantastic dance music Cerberus, so come dance your ass off to tunes from Redeye, Blake Ward and Colly T. Cover is free. — JH
'80s Flashback Party at The Grapevine Bar
DJ Sista Whitenoise and Co. are gonna party like it's 1989 with some retro tunes at this one. Cover is just $1, and, yes, that includes free champagne. — CG
Trillwave and Battletech at The Crown & Harp (Upstairs)
While live bands perform downstairs, attendees will dance to futuristic trap beats from two of Dallas' top dance collectives upstairs, and a single ticket gets you access to both floors. DJs Dubble A, Phooka, System, Titan, Trailer Swift and Yunglist will each take turns on the decks. Tickets range from $5 before 11 p.m. to $10 after. — JH
Eternal Eden NYE Snow Storm at Eternal Afterhours
There won't be any natural snow occurring at this NYE afterhours party at Jaguars night club, but if you're still ready to rage after most of the rest of the bars in town close, you can keep the feeling alive until 8 a.m. here. Cover is $10 for ladies and $20 for men. — JH
NYE Blowout Bash at The Where House
Just about anything can happen at the semi-DIY space's often debaucherous blowouts. Tonight's shindig, like a lot of other places around town, is masquerade-themed. Unlike everywhere else, though, this one will feature sets from Dark Rooms, Leopold & His Fiction, Patriot, and Wunderland. Cover is $12. — CG
The Action Pack's Rockin' New Year's Eve Music Video Dance Party at Alamo Drafthouse
While a certain amount of twerking is to be expected at just about every NYE in town this year, Alamo Drafthouse is also offering a few amenities those other guys can't. Chief among them? Affordable bottle service, a countdown synced with the atomic clock, and, of course, videos of a 20-foot-tall Miley Cyrus and her tongue up on the big screen. Tickets are $12. — CG
The Lift Off NYE Party at Oliver Francis Gallery
Two reasons to attend this soiree at Oliver Francis Gallery? An open bar and a set by Buffalo Black, among others. Get there early, get there late. Just remember to be in your finest suit or cocktail attire. Cover is $14. — JH
2014: The Year of the Woman at Texas Theatre
Celebrate the fairer sex tonight whilst actively hoping that the coming year is a lot kinder to the women of the world. Zhora, Boan and Jenny Robinson perform along with DJs Wild in the Streets, Ruthie from Blackstone Rangers and a special surprise guest. Tickets range from $15 to $20. — CG
New Year's Eve at Hyena's Comedy Club (Fort Worth)
A single ticket to this newly updated Sundance Square venue will satiate even the most A.D.D.-prone partygoer this NYE, as it features multiple stand-up sets from Dante, Danny Keaton and Anthony Perez in the comedy club, '90s cover band The Dick Beldings in Queen City Music Hall, a piano bar in the Red Room and karaoke in the Jagr Lounge. Tickets range from $15 to $25. — CG
#TeamTattedNYE2 New Year's Eve Party at The Prophet Bar (Big Room)
While the dress code for this one calls for sleek stylish and trendy attire, tattoos are not a requirement. There will be a complimentary buffet from 9 to 11 p.m. and “a very special surprise guest in the house.” Music will be provided by DJ Tr3mendous, DJ Frosty and DJ Dupree. Tickets range from $15 to $350. — JH
Panoptikon 2014 New Year's Eve Masquerade
This might be the only NYE event taking place under an overpass. Come for the underground dance music courtesy of DJs Lord Byron and Son of Sam, stay for the chance to win tickets to a Gary Numan show. The Holiday Inn around the corner is offering a deal on rooms for after-parties. Tickets range from $20 to $100. — JH
New Year's Eve Ball at Sons of Hermann Hall
Show up early to this one for a free swing-dancing lesson. You'll need it to keep up with all the cool kids jiving along to live swing sets by Singapore Slingers and Matt Tolentino & His Swing Wing throughout the night. There'll be barbecue available for purchase and prizes for the best dressed. Cover is $25. — CG
Enferno at SISU Uptown
The programmer for Madonna's “Sticky and Sweet” tour and Cirque du Soleil's “Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour” will be on the decks at this party. Tickets are $25. — CG
Grand Opening/New Year's Party at Arena Night Club
Come help the latest addition to the Dallas night club scene, Arena, celebrate its grand opening. Yung Nation and A.Dd+ are hosting, and keep an eye out for special guests Treal Lee & Prince Rick. Cover ranges from $25 to $40. — JH
106.1 Kiss FM NYE Party at Plush
Four floors and three DJs worth of partying for whatever desires you may have. And don't forget to go skiing at the official after party at Eternal Eden. Tickets are $30. — JH
Dream NYE at eM Lounge
Aiming to prove that quantity doesn't mean less quality, eM Lounge brings you “the largest New Year's party in Texas.” We have to ask, though: If the paparazzi at the red carpet entrance aren't taking photos of celebrities, are they still paparazzi? There will be door prizes and showgirls, too in case the three rooms, 12 bars, ten DJs and confetti cannons an't enough. Tickets range from $30 to $5,000. — JH
3LAU at Lizard Lounge
For years, Lizard Lounge has boasted the best NYE EDM offering in town. Dance until 4 a.m. with DJs 3LAU, Johnny Funk, Raydar & Shaolin, Yosh and a special guest. Cover ranges from $35 to $55.– JH
Fourth Annual Dallas Entourage NYE Ball at Crowne Plaza
While we doubt that this will be the only event going on tomorrow with beer pong, it's most certainly the only one that features a complimentary Italian dinner with admission. See if you can hold down that alfredo and breadsticks while you challenge your peers at beer pong for cash prizes! Tickets are $40. — JH
The Official Kidd Kraddick In The Morning NYE Party with J-Si at South Side Ballroom
If you're looking for live drummers, video DJs, fashion shows and a special guest performer, this is the place for you. Bad news, though: The $1,000 Silver VIP packages are all sold out. Other available packages range from $40 to $4,000. — JH
A New Year in Paris at Avenu Lounge
The only party where yelling “Hurry up with my damn croissants!” will be completely acceptable. And one attendee to this French-themed affair is going to win a trip for two to Paris. Tickets range from $40 to $130. — CG
Maxim Masquerade New Year's Eve Ball at Zouk
Hosted by the Maxim Hometown Hotties, you'll be spared no expense with a red carpet entrance, complimentary glow sticks and a laser light show. The 25,000 square feet of party space will also feature a champagne toast at midnight and DJs Mark-E, Keith Tran and D-Train, who will keep the party going until 3 a.m. Tickets range from $75 to $10,000. — JH
Altitude at W Hotel Dallas
Taking place in the old Ghostbar space, this will be your best vantage point to look down upon all the peons celebrating their NYE at ground level. Well, except for Reunion Tower, maybe. Tickets are $100, and reservations are required. — JH
A Fashionable New Years Eve at Fashion Industry Gallery
Taking place at the Fashion Industry Gallery, we can only assume everyone there will be ridiculously good-looking or at least very well-dressed. If you are either of those — or both — this is probably the place for you to be. Tickets range from $100 to $150. — JH
New Year's Eve 2014 at The Travis
One thing's for sure: It will be ultra-exclusive at the Travis on New Year's Eve. Or it'll at least feel that way, no? Find out! Call ahead for table pricing and reservations. — JH
Fire & Ice NYE at Candleroom
Do you like bottle service? This is probably a place you'll want to go to. Look for DJ Marvel on the ones and twos. — JH
NYE Party with BLACKOUT at The Boiler Room
It's a NYE of rock music at the Boiler Room with Blackout, New Voodoo and Ravencroft. — JH
Best of the Rest
Nephew Tommy at Addison Improv
The Steve Harvey Morning Show co-host will perform a pair of stand-up sets out in Addison. Tickets range from $25 to $60. — CG
Donnell Rawlings at Arlington Improv
Yes, Rawlings was the guy who screamed “I'm rich biatch!” at the end of every episode of Chappelle's Show, but please try not to be that guy who repeatedly yells the line at the comedian if you end up at this stand-up set. Besides, he's been in lots of other stuff, too, like those episodes of The Wire where he played Senator Clay Davis' corrupt legislative aide, Day-Day Price. Tickets range from $30 to $60. — CG
Dallas Stars vs. Los Angeles Kings at American Airlines Center
The Stars will close out 2013 with their traditional NYE game. Just keep in mind: When this thing lets out, thousands of folks will already be crowded in Victory Plaza for Big D NYE. Tickets range from $39.61 to $157.85. — CG
Roll Into 2014 at Bowl & Barrel
From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. it'll cost $75 for eight people to rent a lane. But, for that price, you'll also get shoes for all, a bottle of champagne, hot pretzels with fondue, other snacks, party hats, and noise makers. Plus? All the bowling you can manage in 1.5 hours. At 11 p.m., the price jumps up to $100. — JH
NYE on Cloud 9 at Reunion Tower
This is unquestionably the dance party with the best view of Dallas — and a sushi station to boot. Don't expect much riffraff to show up to this one, either. On the downside, tickets to this exclusive shindig will run you $200. — CG
Porttia Portis contributed to this report.
