Seven Live Shows to Make Your New Year’s Eve Rock

Phish at MSG 2015. Found on Brooklyn Vegan. Photo by AZN Pics.

Still looking for that special way to enjoy the last bits of 2016 and ring in 2017? Why not see one last live show before the end of the year?

There are many options for New Year’s Eve in New York this year. And while Patti Smith will not be doing her annual New Year’s shows in New York (she’s playing in Chicago this year), there are still some great choices out there.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s top music outlet, has your New Year’s Eve plans covered. We’ve collected a list of seven shows that will surely have you rocking into 2017.

1.       Bush: Looking to stay on Long Island? Bush will be bringing their 90s grunge-style to The Paramount on Saturday night, sponsored by Long Island’s 94.3 The Shark. The band is also hinting at new music in the New Year. They already released a new song, “People at War,” in June.

2.       Phish: Phish will be back at Madison Square Garden this week for a four-show New Year’s run starting tonight (December 28). This run has become a tradition for the band, having played The Garden seven out of the last eight New Year’s Eves. The band released their 16^th album, ‘Big Boat,’ this past year.

3.       Black Lips: Southern punk band Black Lips will be doing New Years right in New York City this year. On Saturday night, the band will be playing with Wolves, Chances, Winstons and more at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn. Then, you can join the band for brunch at The Roxy Hotel on Sunday afternoon.

4.       Macy Gray: The jazz-soul singer best known for her hit “I Try” will be playing three nights at Iridium Jazz Club in Times Square starting Thursday. There will be a total of five sets: one on Thursday, two on Friday and two on New Year’s Eve. Gray released her latest album, ‘Stripped,’ in 2016, which includes reworked versions of her biggest hits and covers of artists who have inspired her.

5.       Guided by Voices: Guided by Voices will be playing at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on New Year’s Eve with The Moles.  The band, who reunited this year after disbanding in 2014, released ‘Please Be Honest’ in April.

6.       Thurston Moore & John Zorn: If you are into improv, this will be the show for you. Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and saxophonist John Zorn will be at Zorn’s performance space, The Stone, in the East Village on Friday and Saturday. Other musicians sitting in will include DNA’s Ikue Mori and cellist Okaying Lee. Moore will be playing at St. Mark’s Church on the 1^st, reuniting with Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo.

7.       Titus Andronicus: Punk band Titus Andronicus will be saying “F*** 2016” with their show at Brooklyn Bazaar Saturday night. High Waisted and Toys In Trouble will be providing support for the show, which will also feature DJ sets from Michael T, Dirtyfinger and Cousin Cole, and a “ball pit drop” at midnight. The band’s fourth album, ‘The Most Lamentable Tragedy,’ was released in 2015.

Whether you like punk, rock, jazz or improv, there are some great shows happening in New York this weekend. Ring in 2017 right with great live music for a great new year.

Before embarking on your New Year’s Eve plans, come down to Vinyl Bay 777 or shop vinylbay777.com and pick up music from all these artists and more. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of new and used titles on vinyl, CD and cassette to choose from, as well as memorabilia, DVDs and more. We are conveniently located at 101-14 Dupont Street in Plainview, just off the Long Island Expressway and the Northern State Parkway.