Many of us will be spending New Year’s Eve in a paddock somewhere, hugging dirt-encrusted strangers as the clock ticks us over to 2017 and an international headliner bids us a happy new year as they leave the stage to do it all again in a few hours in another country.
For those of us forgoing the festie experience, fear not – there are still plenty of ways to soak up huge doses of live music without a three hour car expedition, and we’ve detailed a few here.
If you’re looking for some last-minute stocking stuffers, a couple of tickets to these babies might be just the thing.
Clowns & More
Where: Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood VIC
When: 8pm – 11:30pm, Saturday Dec 31
Why: Not only do you get Clowns in the bargain here, but a stack of other great bands in The Nation Blue, Flour, and Würst Nürse taking you through until just before midnight, at which point you can start gearing up for the countdown.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Slamapalooza
When: 4pm – 12:00am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: If you want to see this prick of a year off with some riffs, this is the gig. Better yet, it’s free. Some quick maths… yep, that works out to be pretty insane value for money, as you’ll score seven punk and metal bands from 4pm to 9pm, and a stack of DJs afterwards. The perfect way to fire up your NYE.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Rolling Stones Tour Of ’76
When: 8:30pm, Saturday Dec 31
Why: Flash back forty years for an evening and soak up some old-school debauchery as Nick Barker and the Monkey Men relive the Stones at their wildest in a tribute to their whirlwind tour of Europe in ’76. You can grab dinner and a show, or just rock up for the main event and hear all the classics smashed out by a talented mob including Nick Barker of The Reptiles, Grant Cummerford (Jeff Lang), Shane O’Mara (Paul Kelly), Ash Davies (The Models) and Justin Garner (Nikka Costa).
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Wax’o Paradiso
Where: Stokehouse Precinct, St Kilda VIC
When: 6pm – 1am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: Psychedelic disco crew Wax’o Paradiso have been killing it this year, and are taking over the newly-opened Pontoon for a whole night of choons, with support from Pjenne and Millú. They’re tempting you in with a free drink if you rock up early enough and food included in your ticket price, so you’ll be set for the whole evening.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
The Gooch Palms
Where: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley QLD
When: 5pm – 5am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: Joint winners of our 2016 Live Act of the Year award, what else needs to be said? You’ll even get Walken, Concrete Surfers and Muddy Chanter thrown into the mix for a night of fuzzy rock, and with no lockouts in place you can charge through for 12 whole hours. A confetti-coated blowout when the clock strikes twelve, too.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
GL & More
Where: The Curtin, Carlton VIC
When: 8pm – 3am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: The Curtin turns it on with a great double-header of GL and Broadway Sounds – two bands who are basically perfect to ring in the new year – plus DJ Manchild leading a host of killer DJs to round it out. Have some smooth electronic vibes to sand off the rough edges of 2016 and charge on into an equally-disappointing new year.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Badlands Blowout
Where: Badlands Bar, Perth WA
When: 6pm – 2am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: A stack of bands descending on the Badlands of Perth for NYE – and we mean a stack. The Kill Devil Hills, Verge Collection, Childsaint, Salary and more head up one stage, and there’s a whole other stage equally packed. Cheap drinks until 7:00, and a food truck on site to line the stomach.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
ORB & Dumb Punts
Where: Yah Yah’s, Fitzroy VIC
When: 8pm – late, Saturday Dec 31
Why: This is a double-header we can get behind, as two of our favourite bands pile into Yah Yah’s for a night of debauchery and cheap drinks. The bands will be backed up by indie floor-fillers from a crew of DJs, and things are guaranteed to kick on until the early hours, so you can squeeze the absolute last drops of partying out of 2016.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Death Disco
Where: Amplifier Capitol, Perth WA
When: 9pm – 5am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: You’ll be in very safe hands at the Amp, as Thundamentals DJ/producer PON CHO and bass maestro Axen join forces to lead the NYE charge, accompanied by the Death Disco DJs for a massive night of choons.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Ja Rule & Ashanti
Where: Peninsula Shed 14, Docklands VIC
When: 7:30pm – 3am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: You already know if this is how you want to spend your NYE. Yes, Ja Rule and Ashanti are heading over to Oz for a party on the water. Who better to ring in the new year than these two? They are, after all, always on time.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
Punkfest
Where: The Foundry, Fortitude Valley QLD
When: 2pm – 7pm, Saturday Dec 31
Why: Maybe you want to thrash the day away and then have an early night (or kick on elsewhere). If so, this is the one for you, Brisbanites. From 2pm to 7pm, you’ll be able to catch The Black Market, Skinpin (Sydney), Stuntpegs, Morte Lenta (Sydney) and Unbound and The Gutter as they unleash a veritable festival of punk – just don’t tire yourself out before the evening with too much moshing.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
New Year’s Eve Fiesta
Where: The Rosemount Hotel, North Perth WA
When: 6pm – 2am, Saturday Dec 31
Why: Pond may have had to remove themselves from this lineup due to Falls-related scheduling conflicts, but don’t worry, it is still a monster bill of acts, headed by the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, FOAM, Pow Negro and plenty more. Three stages, 25 bucks, and one hell of a way to see out the year.
Tickets & Info: More info here.
