Music

Live Local Music on Dec. 31: When & Where

V1 Staff |

IT WAS ALL A BLUR. The Milennium will be throwing a huge ’90s party at The Plus called The Golden Hour on NYE with Two Castles, Sniffle Party, and Sean Jordan.
IT WAS ALL A BLUR. The Milennium will be throwing a huge ’90s party at The Plus called The Golden Hour on NYE with Two Castles, Sniffle Party, and Sean Jordan.

This New Year’s Eve, perhaps more than any other, the Chippewa Valley is going to light up with live music at tons of local venues. Instead of staying in your house, overeating, and passing out at 11pm, perhaps you can find your way out into the community to enjoy some music, pop some champagne, and ring in 2017 with some local music and friends. So here’s what’s on the docket for Dec. 31.

THE NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA
The Lismore • Eau Claire • 6pm
One of the biggest events to happen on New Year’s ever is launching this year at the new Lismore Hotel in downtown Eau Claire. It’s the centerpiece of a wave of cool music happening all over downtown Eau Claire. There’s a few different ticket options. The $125 and $55 ticket options grant you access to the gala featuring the music of Twin Cities cover band Belladiva, dinner, drinks, and a champagne toast at the end of the night

NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA: BLUGOLD RADIO STAGE
The Lismore • Eau Claire • 9pm
Local indie rock radio greats Blugold Radio put together a stellar lineup of amazing local musicians on a separate stage to coincide with the $10 Light Up Eau Claire wristband price among downtown venues with live music. The Blugold Radio stage brings together a potent sampler of hot local talent for their stage including veteran rockers The Jaggernauts, hip hop/folk mashup act We’re Wolves, folk pop newcomers LASKA, the powerful and down-to-earth folk songs of Jerrika Mighelle, and electronic beat master sloslylove.

THE GOLDEN HOUR
The Plus • Eau Claire • 7pm
In what is the probably the ’90s-est ’90s party since the actual ’90s, The Golden Hour returns to The Plus this year with the epic pop stylings of The Millenium along with the mystical lo-fi electronic pop of Two Castles and Sniffle Party, and the guitar prowess of Sean Jordan. Music starts at 8pm. Comedy performers include local comedians Cullen Ryan, Mackenzie Bublitz, and Wayne Dallman. Get in with your $10 Light Up Eau Claire wristband, and enjoy a goofy throwback-inspired photobooth, tons of ’90s commercials and music videos, drink champagne, and be there for the balloon drop at midnight.

Minneapolis’ Dosh heads up The Lakely with The Nunnery.
Minneapolis’ Dosh heads up The Lakely with The Nunnery.

DOSH + THE NUNNERY
The Lakely • Eau Claire • 9pm
Live music start cranking at The Lakely at 5:30pm with a dinner jazz combo (and a special dinner menu). But later that night, experimental electronic act Dosh brings his looping machines from Minneapolis to The Lakely stage, with opening act The Nunnery, whose haunting vocal loops create reverby swirls of magic, perfect to close the year with. Then Billy Siegel from Revival Records is spinning records from 11pm until 2am.

PRELUDE TO AN EVE
Heyde Center for the Arts • Chippewa Falls • 6:30pm
The Troppo Big Band, one of the best jazz orchestras in the region, starts the night off right with a bombastic and dynamite set from 6:30 to 10:30pm.

BLUEGRASS NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH
House of Rock • Eau Claire • 10pm
For some pluckin’ and pickin’ you’ll want to stop into the House of Rock for a night full of excellent bluegrass tunes from Evergreen Grass Band, Blackwater Revue, and Brothers Burn Mountain. And hey, it’s only $5! Doors open at 8pm.

NYE AT THE FIREHOUSE
The Firehouse • Eau Claire • 8pm
With your Light Up Eau Claire wristband, you can get into The Firehouse to see Nick Anderson and the Skinny Lovers, a roots rock/blues band with lots of kick, so get there early.

A BLACK TIE AFFAIR
The Local Lounge • Eau Claire • 5pm
Dress to impress and make your way to The Local Lounge, where you can enjoy the jazzy stylings of Christine Hitt in the Trendstone Room followed by beats and requests by DJ Subject until 3am in the tap room, with New Year's Eve drink specials throughout the night and free champagne at midnight. The restaurant will have a special menu and a mouth-watering six-course meal that night too, so stop by!

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY IN CHIPPEWA WITH QWIKFIRE
Snout Saloon • Chippewa Falls • 9pm
Come party with Qwikfire, bringing you rock, country, and blues all night – and hey, it’s free!

PIZZA AND TUNES
Sammy’s Pizza • Eau Claire • 9pm
Catch the music of Transistor Radio, which bring ’70s grooves with AM-radio warmth and good vibes.

SCHUH FLY NEW YEAR’S EVE
The Frog Hop • Eau Claire • 9pm
Schuh Fly brings a mix of delightful tunes from classics from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, mixed with current hits for a fun night ringing in the new year.

BUMBLEFIST
O’Leary’s Pub • Eau Claire • 9:30pm
Catch some brilliant covers by local band Bumblefist, whose motto is to “rock at random,” going from Bon Jovi to Seether to Pink to Jackyl then round it out with selections from Heart, Buckcherry, and more.

JAZZY NYE IN DOWNTOWN
The Stones Throw • Eau Claire • 9pm
The Stones Throw in downtown Eau Claire has got live jazz, soul, and funk tunes from the Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra's Little Big Band from 9 to 11pm. Come for the good vibes, then go see the fireworks.