The Tote – Blood Duster
Head along and celebrate New Year’s Eve on Monday December 31 with Blood Duster at The Tote in their second annual Destroy New Years! event. This night will also be used to celebrate the launch of the new unplayable album KVLT and joining them in this celebration will be the tri-state grinders Captain Cleanoff, the ruckus of Bat Piss, and the old school thrash attack of Sewercide. There will also be lots of quality food served up by the bands for the punters and if you were there last year you are probably still buzzing from it! Tickets available at the door only.
The Espy – Spiderbait And Something For Kate
It’s like its own mini festival, really. The Espy is putting on a bangin’ NYE party featuring a double headline bill of Spiderbait and Something For Kate. If that ain’t enough to get you south side, the lineup also include Gold Fields, Hunting Grounds, Dune Rats, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Kingwood, Regular John and heaps more. Effing rad. Tickets from Oztix. Get amongst it.
Retreat Hotel – Pony Face
On return from a long and successful album tour and support for Lee Ranaldo, Pony Face are back in Melbourne to play for you this New Year’s Eve at The Retreat Hotel. This is your chance to immerse yourself in the sonic kaleidescope of sounds from their latest album Hypnotised (nominated for best album in the EG awards) and let your hair down as you pass through to 2013. Chelsea Drugstore will be on first in the front bar from 7.30pm, Pony Face will hit the stage around 10pm, then DJ Adalita will take the party through ’til 3am. Free entry but get there early to get in.
The Toff In Town – Strictly Vinyl
After a very successful first year Strictly Vinyl are proud to join forces with The House de Frost to present Strictly Vinyl New Years party at The Toff In Town. The premise is simple: strictly vinyl, strictly rhythm, strictly business. The night was born out of frustrations at having nowhere to play disco, house and boogie tunes on vinyl to people who are obsessed with all three. But while it’s an attempt to revive the classic traditions of NYC disco, house and London boogie, this ain’t no retro night, classics and modern sounds will be getting a spin too. This time around they have disco royalty J’Nett, Jimmy James and Andee Frost on the decks. Get dancing and singing Monday December 31 at The Toff, tickets available from Moshtix.
Let Them Eat Cake
A host of Melbourne’s top promoters have banded together for Let Them Eat Cake, a boutique electronic music festival this New Year’s Day. Novel, City of Lost Children, The Operatives, Text Book, Stable Music and Mixed Messages will send you on a journey into musical decadence, garden party opulence and culinary excess as they roll out a cornucopia of the worlds finest DJs and live performers, art installations, food fit for a queen, and a royally decadent atmosphere. Artists include Kerri Chandler, The Gaslamp Killer,Mathew Jonson, DJ Marky & Stamina MC, Digital Mystikz, The Nextmen, Space Dimension Controller, Opiuo, Dub Phizix & MC Strategy and Slow Magic plus a whole lot more. Let Them Eat Cake takes place on Tuesday January 1 at Werribee Park. Tickets on sale on now via their website.
The Reverence – The Smith Street Band
After a mere six months since The Reverence Hotel started operating, the time has come to celebrate the first New Year’s Eve shindig at Melbourne’s best new pub. For this very special occasion they have put together a lineup full of both old and new favourites. Blueline Medic and The Smith Street Band are teaming up to ring in the New Year alongside The Bennies and Initials. The night will feature guest DJs in the front bar all night and stacks of Mexican cuisine to snack on. The night will also be fancy dress. So get your thinking caps on and get dressed up. Tickets are on sale now from the venue website.
The Standard Hotel – Charles Jenkins
2012 has been quite a year for Charles Jenkins & The Zhivagos and they’re going to finish of the year and bring in 2013 in style with a band show at The Standard Hotel playing two sets of classic Zhivagos material as well as some of your favourite party hits. Very special support from Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk (solo). Kitchen is open ’til 9pm (bookings essential), band starts at 10pm and plays the new year in. Free entry.
Cherry Bar – Chris Altmann
Head to Cherry Bar this New Year’s and dance away the not so good memories of 2012. Chris Altmann and his full band with special guests play with support from The Rechords and DJ Max Crawdaddy will keep you dancing into 2013. Tickets are $15 and available from the Cherry website or on the Cherry door. Doors are open from 5pm ’til 3am.
The Vic Hotel – Busy Kingdom
Busy Kingdom define their music as “folkternative rock” and have been described as “a band that has that rare spark: amazing live energy and feel-good songs that bury themselves in your head”. Busy Kingdom perform at The Vic Hotel on Saturday December 31. 9pm, free.
The Bendigo Hotel – Limp Wrist
After laying waste to Australia back in 2007, depraved homosexual hardcore band Limp Wrist returns to the island to see in 2013. Having played extensively on a few continents and recording a second LP since last in Oz, they’re back to call out every hardcore freak, punk ass queen, and genderbending crossdresser to come together for a night of in-your-face, queer hardcore punk that you will wish you could forget. Limp Wrist play a special New Years Eve show at The Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood, with an awesome support cast that features Shit Weather, Infinite Void, Red Red Krovvy (Syd), Ratsak and Hailgun. What better way to say goodbye to the year that was.
Bar Open – El Moth
It’s New Year’s Eve and you wanna have a good party but you don’t wanna pay a ridiculous cover charge to see a bunch of shit bands at turd-polished venue. Don’t sweat, Bar Open can sort you out. Pay nothing to get in and you’ll get to see one of the best bands on the circuit at the present, El Moth, hailed as one of the cities finest party bands, and have a boogie in Bar Open’s upstairs house party-vibe setting. You cannot argue with that. Doors 9pm, free entry.
The Curtin – Eagle And The Worm
2012 was cool, 2013 will be pretty neat, but it’s the transition between these that will be remembered in the history books on the subject of partying. The John Curtin Hotel’s New Year’s Eve bash will be the combination of a butt load of friendly house parties and a Sydney fireworks display – without the cock heads. Party bands, including Eagle And The Worm, Grizly Jim Lawrie and a super special guest, party DJs and a shit load of Aud Lang Syne (whatever that is). So bring your friends, bring your family, bring your party shoes.
Summadayze
The massive Summadayze lineup features the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Knife Party, M.I.A, Mark Ronson and Fedde Le Grand. Hot hot hot. If you’re keen to tear up the dance floor in the ultimate recovery to end all recoveries, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl is the place to be on Tuesday January 1. Full lineup and tickets from their website. Get on board.
The Falls Music And Arts Festival
The Falls Music And Arts Festival will usher you into 2013 with the likes of Django Django, Maximo Park, The Flaming Lips, The Hives, Hot Chip and a whole host of excellent local and international talent to fill your ears. The Lorne leg is well and truly sold out, but there’s still time to suss out a trip to Marion Bay in Tassie. Head to fallsfestival.com.au.
The Pyramid Rock Festival
Love Aussie music? The Pyramid Rock Festival have a bangin’ mainly-local lineup to ring in 2013 at Phillip Island including 360, Children Collide, Urthboy, Van She, The Smith Street Band and the much-praised Tame Impala, alongside internationals Blood Red Shoes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Spanish surf rockers Los Coronas. Details and tickets at thepyramidrockfestival.com.
New Years On The Pier Geelong
The Pier Geelong are busy preparing for Geelong’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration. Helping you end 2012 with a bang and begin the New Year in style will be the smoking hot Jane Daffy, Andy Murphy and Rob Pix, amongst other legendary local DJs. We all feel the penny-pinch by the time New Year’s Eve hits, so the Pier are giving each and every one of us our own special little Christmas present this year and keeping ticket prices down to $99+bf. Not bad considering this covers you for your first ten drinks (spirits, beer, wine), finger food and priority entry to all your favourite clubs, Home House, Eureka and Lambys where you can kick- on. Grab your tickets from The Pier Geelong during business hours or online from Oztix.
Bar Oussou – Saritah
Globe-trotting, Melbourne local conscious roots artist Saritah will be bringing her positive reggae and soul sounds to Melbourne’s new Bar Oussou at 653 Sydney Rd, Brunswick this New Year’s Eve. Having just released her latest album Dig Deep and completed a successful national Australian launch tour, Saritah will be welcoming in what promises to be a big year for her.
The B.East – Lamine Sonko
Join the team at The B.East for a NYE spectacular of Earthly proportions not to be missed. Join Senegalese Afro-beat wonders Lamine Sonko & The African Intelligence and Brazilian party-starters Tumbarumba for a night of world-class world music, dress up competitions and popping champagne corks to bring in 2013.
Noir 5 At Crown – Timomatic
This New Year’s Eve, Level 3 at Crown is opening its doors to the biggest New Year’s event in Melbourne – NOIR 5. Five places to party with over 20 DJs playing house, R&B, commercial dance, ’90s mash ups and old skool along with amazing vocalists and the hottest dancers. Plus, a view to die for from the Studio 3 deck overlooking the Yarra River fireworks.
