Pampelmoose by Dave Allen of Gang of Four — music . media . web. culture

Before we get into the festivities worth your while this coming Thursday night, I wanted to include a quick pick for the night before:

Holidang! – Wednesday @ Mississippi Studios
This fun, festive, and most importantly, free event is being sponsored by the good folks at Riot Act Media. It will feature four of their roster of musicians, including BOAT, Black Whales, Richie Young of Loch Lomond, and Typhoon, DJs and a call for donations to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. If you plan on blowing a stack of cash on your New Year’s celebrating, spare a few bucks for the cause and stop by.

Now on to the New Year’s fun:

Quasi As The Who @ Doug Fir Lounge
Although I tend to eye these “bands playing as other bands” events with a great deal of suspicion, there’s something about the idea of melding Quasi’s whirligig rock sound with the raw rock of The Who that somehow makes sense to me. Lord knows, the trio have the chops to pull off such a feat, but even if it turns out to be a train wreck, the free-flowing alcohol will likely help blur the edges and fuzz out any mistakes they might make onstage.

DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid @ The Woods
There are few better ways to say hello to a new year than losing yourself in a dance party. And there are few better DJs to send you into a frenzy of motion than DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid. This pair have been putting on monthly parties, events and DJ nights that highlight the sounds of Bollywood and Indian dance music, as well as working in African and South American grooves and some modern electronica for good measure.

The Masters Of Funk New Year’s Eve Party @ Crystal Ballroom
To be honest, this show has several strikes going against it, primarily the ticket price ($45!) and the venue (the Crystal’s acoustics are notoriously unforgiving). But if you have the money to burn and tolerant eardrums, this could be quite a night out. You are promised five vintage funk/soul acts from the ’70s/’80s, including Slave, The Dazz Band and The Bar-Kays, as well as pair of opening sets by some great local talent (Liv Warfield and Linda Hornbuckle).