Hard Rock New Year's Eve Guitar Drop featuring Everclear and Eve 6

Monday, December 31

If you’d like to ring in 2013 by partying like it’s 1999, seeing two of that year’s most popular acts would probably be your best bet. In the late 1990s, Everclear and Eve 6 were two of the most popular bands around. As part of the alt-pop movement, their songs were on the radio left and right. After breaking into the mainstream with the classic single “Santa Monica,” Everclear had a steady stream of hits from the late 1990s into the early 2000s. Their most popular album was 1997’s So Much For The Afterglow, which had three monster hits: “Everything To Everyone,” “I Will Buy You A New Life,” and the memorable tearjerker “Father Of Mine,” one of many haunting songs frontman Art Alexakis wrote about his traumatic childhood. Eve 6 found similar popularity around the same time when they released their enormous single “Inside Out.” In late 1998, you basically heard this song every five seconds. Two years later they would see even greater success with the single “Here’s To The Night,” which has become a prom night staple. This year, on New Year’s Eve (Dec 31), the two bands will be appearing together as part of the Hard Rock Cafe’s 4th Annual Guitar Drop. The event is one of the more festive, creative ways to ring in the new years with fireworks, a beer tent, and more. Local favorites The Albrights will open the show, and if you’d rather stay inside, out of the cold, they’ll be blasting tunes indoors from 10pm to 2am as well.

- john hugar

8pm Old Falls St., adjacent to the Hard Rock Cafe, 333 Prospect St., Niagara Falls. (282-0007 / hardrock.com) Free

Friday, December 21

Lift Off: XXXMAS

Consisting of members G5-Gi, Chase Dinero, Jae Skeese, Kenny B, and Brasco, Buffalo hip hop group F1rst Class is set to perform as a whole at Soundlab on Friday (Dec 21). The event is called Lift Off, and this will be the fourth one at Soundlab. Lift Off has been running since September of 2011 and is basically a way to provide a proper place and professional platform for local-area hip hop artists to showcase their talent. You might recognize F1rst Class frontman G5-Gi from his mixtape entitled Why So Serious, with none other than SJ13, aka Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson. The tape, hosted by DJ Rockstar, covers a wide range of sound, from club jumping electronica to more mellowed out, spacey productions. F1rst Class was founded by Chase Dinero and his younger cousin Kanye “Grape” Thompson back in 2008. Since dropping tapes like “F1rst in Line” and “Ballin’ 4 A Cause: The Mixtape”—the latter being for a charity basketball tournament here in Buffalo—the group’s members have taken some time to develop their solo careers with individual tape releases from each. The only way to better get a feel for this team than listening to their mixtapes would be to see them perform live. Check out this special XXXMas installment of Lift Off also featuring Lucky Seven, Boo Barnes, and Crossout Rell this weekend.

- brett deneve

10pm Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab)

Saturday, December 22

Last Ever Chris Mas Party featuring Naughty by Nature

Treach, Vin Rock, and DJ Kay Gee, better known as Naughty By Nature, are still at it after over two decades. Formed in 1989 the trio released a string of extremely successful albums throughout the 1990s including their platinum selling 1991 debut, Naughty by Nature featuring their breakout track “O.P.P.” and the Tupac Shakur sampled song “Uptown Anthem.” The group went on to release 19 Naughty II, Poverty’s Paradise, Nineteen Naughty Nine and 2002’s Illcons before disbanding in 2003. The break-up only lasted a few years though and by 2006 the trio began working together again on an album titled Anthem Inc., which was finally released in 2011. The Grammy Award-winning hip hop trio will make a rare live appearance at the Town Ballroom only a few days before Christmas for the last ever Chris Mas party. Party rockers Spooky Business and every Buffalonian’s favorite 1990s cover band, Soul Patch, featuing members of Every Time I Die, will perform in support on Saturday (Dec 22).

- cory perla

9:30pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $30 advance, $35 day of show

Saturday, December 22 & Monday, December 31

How C.O. Jones Stole Christmas and Duke's NYE Party

It’s another busy weekend at Duke’s with funk and soul band C.O Jones. Dave Shulz presents “How C.O. Jones Stole Christmas” featuring Steve DeMarchi on guitar, Dave Schulz on keys and vocals, Gretchen Schulz (guitar, vocals) Jerry Livingston (bass) Rob Lynch (drums, vocals) Jock Ellis (trombone, vocals) and Vince Fossitt on the sax. Known for funk and blues these seven musicians are reuniting for the first time in over 10 years this Saturday (Dec 22) at 10pm. “Sometimes you just know when you step in it. It’s gonna be nasty. It’s gonna be greasy. That’s the way the Jones’ play the blues.” Just over a week later on New Year’s Eve (Dec 31) Duke’s welcomes Buffalo’s favorite local DJs for a lineup thats sure to make anyone get sweaty on the dance floor. With an all night liquor license, drinks will be flowing until the wee hours of 8am. Start your New Years off right with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and be a part of the champagne toast to ring in the new year at midnight. Enjoy high energy beats from LoPro, Camaican, Charlie The Butcher, BearSkinRug, the Verdict, Swagglerock, Looney Tunes, Basha, Loki, and Drop D and celebrate until the sun comes up.

- jessica reinhardt

10pm Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar, 253 Allen St. (240-9359 / dukesbohemiangrovebar.com) 21+

Saturday, December 22

New Toys Reunion Show with The Moves

Kevin Kalicki, aka Kevin K, has toured extensively in the US and Europe over the course of his five-decade recording career, but it’s right here in the Queen’s City where the Pendleton native first made a name for himself. Kevin K spent the late 1970’s/early 1980’s gigging Western New York hotspots like Stage 1, After Dark, McVans, and the legendary Continental before relocating to New York City as one of the founding members of punk/new wave outfit the Toys. The Toys eventually gave way to the New Toys, who opened for the likes of the Ramones, Dead Boys, and Pat Benetar before disbanding in 1982. Kevin K went on to release over 25 CD’s, a DVD, and autobiography, but never lost sight of those raucous, formative years with the Toys and New Toys, who reunited this past year to record Made in Buffalo, a 15-song power-pop homage to the WNY punk scene that started their careers. Made in Buffalo contains eight revamped versions of original New Toys songs, along with two brand new tunes, five live recordings from their 2011 reunion show, and two 1980 demo songs that bring back the early, booze-filled days of punk. Kevin K and the New Toys are back in Buffalo to deliver their high-energy brand of throwback 1980’s punk this Saturday (Dec 22) at the Forvm. Opening the show are Buffalo punk rock trio the Moves, followed by the Kevin K Band, who just released their new CD, Tramp Stamp. Whether you were lucky enough to catch the Toys or New Toys in action back in the day, or missed out altogether, now is the time to reacquaint yourself with what punk, and Buffalo, is all about.

- jon wheelock

8pm The Forvm, 4224 Maple Road (831-3271/theforvmbuffalo.com) $6

Sunday, December 23

Mowhawk Place Xmas Celebration featuring The Mordaunt Sisters, On Beta, The Merchants, and Bill Nehill

Couldn’t score tickets to the string of sold-out Every Time I Die shows at Mohawk Place (or the secret one they’re playing on Friday at a certain Funeral Home)? Can’t make it to the Joe Strummer Tribute show at Mohawk on Saturday? Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of opportunities to stop into the beer soaked venue before it closes its doors for good in January. My suggestion: check out this rockin’ Christmas bash featuring the Mordaunt Sisters, On Beta, the Merchants and Bill Nehill this Sunday (Dec 23). This is one for the cash strapped. If you’ve already blown your entire Christmas bonus on the latest Tickle Me Elmo, Furby, or Turboman then you’ll be relieved to know that this Christmas rock show is free to all. In addition to the slow-motion psychedelic rock of the Mordaunt Sisters, the power-pop of On Beta, the indie-rock stylings of the Merchants and a special acoustic set by Bill Nehill, expect a load of xmas cookies and some drink specials too. Put on your filthiest Santa cap and rock out with this group of awesome local bands at Mohawk Place this weekend.

- cory perla

7pm Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (465-2368 / themohawkplace.com) Free

Tuesday, December 25

The 8th Annual Christmas Party

Of all of the Christmas parties that happen in Buffalo each year, this is the only one I start hearing about before Halloween. This is an event that the DJs on this bill wait for all year long, so it’s no wonder the hype starts early. Sprawled across four massive rooms at the Pearl Street Grill, each with it’s own unique vibe and brand of music pumping, this 8th annual party hosted by MNM presents isn’t just A Christmas Party, it’s THE Christmas Party. Expect a room dedicated strictly to house music, a patio for all of the bass-heads and a Main Room where the party will run late into Christmas evening. Veteran Buffalo DJs Swagglerock, Hoogs and MC Braka D, 3PO and Ryan Liddell, Medison, Jesse Aaron, Mario Bee, Tweeknasty, Stuntman, Mark Kloud with Perceptor, Paul Kuenzi, Twist & Bacon, Cutler & Lopro, Rufus Gibson, and Brother Bear will spin non-stop from 10pm to 4am. There will be an open bar between 10pm and 11pm so get there early. This is one of the biggest electronic music nights in Buffalo each year so after the egg nog has run dry and you’ve unwrapped all of the goodies from underneath the tree, head downtown this Tuesday (Dec 25) to let go of some of that holiday stress.

- cory perla

10pm Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, 76 Pearl St. (856-2337 / pearlstreetgrill.com, mnmpresents.com) $10 advance, 21+

Sunday, December 30

Queen City Screening and Afterparty

There have been a fair share of movies shot in whole or part in Buffalo, like The Natural. Some of them, like Hide in Plain Sight and Henry’s Crime, have even been set here. But not many are about here, which is the point of Queen City. For his third feature film, Buffalo native Peter McGennis crafted a story set in 1980 which, when not paying homage to crime thrillers of the 1970s, is about life in the City of No Illusions. If you missed its premiere last month, it’s back for a holiday event on Sunday (Dec 30) at the Market Arcade Theatre. This one-time screening will feature an appearance by the film’s star Vivica A. Fox, known to audiences for films like Kill Bill and television series like Curb Your Enthusiasm. The screening will be followed by an after party at the nearby Hotel Lafayette, prominently featured in Queen City but now in much better condition, with music by another of the film’s stars, guitarist Magic Slim & the Teardrops. Tickets for the evening are $30 and available at the Market Arcade Film and Arts Center box office.

- m. faust

7pm Market Arcade Film and Arts Centre, 639 Main St. (dipsontheatres.com) $30
9pm Hotel at the Lafayette, 391 Washington St.

Monday, December 31

Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker

Buffalo receives no shortage of great acts from just over the border. The Canadian duo that is Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker, better known as USS, has been playing around Western New York for a few years now, most recently over the summer in Niagara Falls with Whiskey Reverb, who will join them again this New Years Eve (Dec 31) along with the Balconies. Turntablist Human Kebab and singer/guitarist Ash Boo Schultz like to call what they do “a campire after party—It’s like you’re at Nirvana Unplugged but there’s a drum and bass party and glow sticks all around you,” the band says. The duo has completed three epic western Canadian tours, received three CASBY Awards for Best New Artist, a Canadian Independent Music Award for favorite group of the year—and the list of acomplishments goes on and on. After enjoying the major success of their full length album Questamation, in 2011 the pair released their second EP Approved, with singles “N/A OK” and “Damini,” proving that once you break through the playful surface, the guys indeed have a soft side. No one can resist dancing to the heavily drum and bass influenced “Anti Venom” or singing along to the love anthem “2 15/16.” Human Kabob’s constant cartwheels and handstands on stage along with live juicing make it hard to take your eyes off the stage. There is no better New Years Eve party to attend than this one.

- ariel peters

9pm Rapids Theatre, 1711 Main St., Niagara Falls. (205-8925 / rapidstheatre.com) $10 advance, $20 day of show