By Dan Nailen
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kuer/local-kuer-998531.mp3
Salt Lake City, UT – The best of the best for my mind is Heartless Bastards, the Austin-based blues-rock group led by Erika Wennerstrom, headlining at The State Room. The band is about to release its fourth album, so this show will offer a preview of some new songs, some great old ones, a fine opener in Holy Water Buffalo and some pizza from ESTE and a midnight toast. $40
The Urban Lounge hosts a show by local electro-rockers Laserfang, playing with Night Sweats for just $6. Dance dance dance at this show.
The Eccles Center for Performing Arts in Park City is hosting Little Big Town, a winning country-pop act whose album hit No. 1 on the country album chart. That show starts at 8 p.m., so you can actually hit the town after its over. Multiple ticket prices, starting at $25, up to $150.
Bar Deluxe is having what they're calling the Countdown Getdown, which they're pitching as an "adult-style rave." It's $25 at the door, and will feature DJ Jesse Walker, trapeze performers, body-painted models and all kinds of silliness.
For a different kind of NYE, consider a trip to the Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City, where it's opening night for a new mystery called "The Game's Afoot." The play begins at 9:15, and will pause at midnight for a round of Auld Lang Syne and a toast before the mystery is solved.
The Roaring Twenties Celebration is a joint party by Bar-X and The Red Door, two of our swankier nightspots. People are encouraged to dress the part of the Roaring Twenties, and get ready to dance to period tunes from DJs and live bands, plus drink some tasty cocktails from two bars that specialize in just that.
And of course EVE downtown is an entity unto itself. There's great music leading up to midnight, particularly starting at 11 p.m., when local pop-rockers King Niko headline the Salt Palace Stage, and local electro-rockers Muscle Hawk play on the West Temple Stage known as the Temple of Boom at the same time. Tough choice!
There are also EVE events at Temple Square, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Arts and Broadway Centre Cinemas check EVESLC.com for complete details