It saddens me when I hear that some people just want to stay home on New Year's Eve. I know it can definitely be a rookie night, and people imagine monstrous parties, but the reality in San Diego is that we have a ton of options, from free dance parties or free shows -- like at Tin Can -- all the way up to Epic New Year's up at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with thousands of your closest friends. Personally I'll be ringing in 2011 with 225 (the capacity) people at the Casbah for Transfer, Rafter and the Shape of Future Frames, but if I could be at more places at once, I'd probably swing up to Tin Can, drop by Eleven, Soda Bar and close the night at the Til Two Club. If you're into the huge dance parties, Voyeur, the W, Hard Rock Hotel and Hilton Bayfront all have big blowouts that are worthy of their cover charges.
Friday, Dec. 31:
- Transfer, Rafter, the Shape of Future Frames, Low Volts (Atari Lounge) @ Casbah
- Crocodiles, Heavy Hawaii, Raw Moans, Mrs. Magician @ Soda Bar ($12)
- NYE 2011, featuring DJ Ryan Hand, Lights On, Dudes, D/Wolves, the New Kinetics @ Tin Can (no cover)
- The Mother Hips, Billy Midnight, Nicki Bluhm and the Gamblers @ Belly Up
- Manchest & Her @ The Ould Sod
- Swami's New Years Heave, featuring the Creepy Creeps, the Swami Sound System @ Bar Pink
- Ziggy ShuffleDust and the Spyders from Mars, Geezer (as Weezer/the Beastie Boys) Dubstep and Glitch by Hannibal Selektor and Free Mace @ Ruby Room ($20 cover, free wells from 9-11p.m.)
- The Zeros, New Mexico, the Dabbers, Gun Runner, Wild Weekend DJs @ Eleven ($13 advance/$15 at the door)
- DJ Lethal Ethan and guests @ Whistle Stop ($5 cover)
- Nihilist, Eukaryst, the Bastards, DJs Old Man Andy and Sam Hitz @ The Shakedown (Benefit for Washington Street Skatepark Assoc.)
- NYE Party with Chango Rey and His Broken Heart Beat, Thee Nottinghams, DJs Mikey Ratts, Juliancito, Chango Rey @ Til Two Club (no cover)
- Samiam, Tiltwheel, the Situation @ Ken Club
- Cash'd Out @ Gallagher's
- White Riot: NYE Rager with DJs Ayla Simone, Havok, Richy the Kid @ U-31
- DJ Beatnik and guest DJs @ The Office
- NYE 2011 Victory Nightlife Block Party @ House of Blues
- NYE Celebration @ The South Park Abbey
- The Devastators @ Winston's (no cover)
- Boom Snap, the Chimney Fish @ 710 Beach Club (no cover)
- NYE Bass Odyssey, featuring Whizard, Skandar, Bren-ton, Mateo, Delano, Austin Speed, Wallkrawler, Vagitron, Arkon, Pure Boom Hi-Fi, Argyle @ Kava Lounge
- Dance Party with Saul Q @ Livewire (No Cover)
- South American NYE Party, featuring the Bossa @ Prohibition (No presale, $20 at the door)
- Moonshake NYE, featuring Mark E Quark, Dr Indulgent, Bob Dazzla, Billa @ Kadan (no cover)
- Clay Davis @ Donovan's Circle of Fifths
- Candye Kane @ Belly Up (happy hour, 5:30 p.m.)
- Giant, L.E.D. and Lifted Entertainment present NYE 2011 featuring Dirty South, LA Riots, Yusef, Jason "Idol" Videna, Paul Najera, Cris Herrera, Sean Wilson, Tony Lee, Alan B and more @ 4th & B (additional after-hours hosted by Fortune; party till 4 a.m.)
- Sky Ladd Quartet Jazz Dinner Show @ Anthology (early show, 5:30 p.m.)
- Feelin Alright NYE with Dave Mason @ Anthology (late show 9:30 p.m.)
- Cherries Jubilee (jazz band, cabaret, vaudeville) @ The Marble Room (early show 7p.m.; late show sold out)
- Designer Drugs, Brazzabelle @ Voyeur
- DJs Smooth, Ramsey and Adam @ PB Bar & Grill
- Omo Ache, featuring Saoco Son, Omo Ache Cuban Dance Co., DJ Vidal Cordova @ Tango Del Rey
- NYE, featuring Super Karaoke and DJ Cheyenne Giles @ Analog
- Zenbu Fridays with DJ Leif @ Zenbu Cardiff
- NYE Prom, featuring Groundfloor, Adam Salter, Hosted by May*Star @ El Dorado
- Hot Rod Lincoln, the Heroes @ Valley View Casino
- DJ Jim Blair @ Urban Mo's
- NYE 2011 with Twisted Dee and Phil B, Casey Alva and Luis Perez @ Spin
- Sid Vicious and Rico DeLargo @ Fluxx
- No Cover NYE Party, featuring Fingers, Billy O, Chris Joslin, Mateo @ Ripassi Rooftop (Porto Vista Hotel, Little Italy)
- NYE MMXI, featuring Travis Howe @ Bar West (Pacific Beach)
- West Coast Club Life presents Eyes Wide Shut @ Pacific View South Mesa Club, Camp Pendleton
- Resolve, featuring DJ Sach-a-mo @ Arterra ($75 with dinner/$35 for the party only)
- NYE Beach Party 2011, featuring Chris Cutz, Fresh One, Mikey Beats, DJ Who, Paolo da Rosa, DJ Demon, DJ Niques @ The Catamaran Resort
- NYE @ Quality Social (All inclusive food and drink available)
- NYE Live, featuring DJs Nick G, Josser and Eddy Santana from Ghetto House Radio, Alex Dreamz, Este, Andy D'arrigo, Chris Loisi, J-Sin @ Ivy at Andaz Hotel
- Epic NYE 2011, feat. Moby, Afrojack, Ferry Corsten, Jason Ross, DJ Homicide, Hyper Crush, Don Santino, Johnny James, Cowboy Mike, Stir Crazy @ Del Mar Fairgrounds
- Big Night San Diego, featuring Scooter & Lavelle, Happee, Edgartronic, Mike Czech, Mike G, Lady Dottie and the Diamonds, the Metro Band, Jet West and more @ Hilton Bayfront
- NYE 2011 Anthony Ross, Yan Lehert, Hyena (live), Pleasure Victim & Av One, Gabe Vega, Erick Diaz, Colour Vision, Qenoe and more@ W Hotel
- NYE 2011, featuring Robbie Rivera and Danny Love, Eric D-Lux and Craig Smoove, Chris Garcia and Tony Arzadon, Jon Dadon, Kurch, Al Squared, Erik Till & RI @ Hard Rock Hotel
- Downtown Countdown NYE 2011, featuring N.R.G., DJ Apaulo8, DJ Carlo, DJ Osal8 @ Horton Plaza Event Space
- NYE Yacht Party 2011, featuring the 80'z All Stars Band, dance club deck, smooth tunes open air deck @ Hornblower
- NYE 2011, feat. DJ Angle, DeeJay O, Tara Brooks, Matt Natoli, Conner Shean, DJ BDP and UCSD DVC DJ@ Se San Diego Hotel
- Bottoms Up NYE 2011, featuring DJ Rooster, DJ Ramsey @ San Diego Marriott Gaslamp
- Party Your Pants Off, featuring DJ JCee, Dave Booda and Generic @ The Local
- NYE, featuring DJ Dik, DJ Rags @ Boudoir
For other dance-party recommendations, check out Robin Roth's post this week
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events, and sometimes whatever creeps into her head on her music blog San Diego: Dialed In. Check it for even more listings. She also provides social media content for the Casbah. Follow her updates at twitter.com/sddialedin or submit your music listings.
