Audio By Carbonatix
All dressed up and nowhere to go on New Year’s Eve? Consider any of the following options happening across the Valley on Wednesday, December 31, each of which will allow you to commemorate the final moments of 2014 in grand fashion. And there are plenty of events and affairs to choose from. If you’re int
o the block party thing, there will be blockbuster bashes happening in both Tempe and Scottsdale. Want to pop some bottles in a posh setting? Many hotels will be holding swank soirees and galas while nightclubs everywhere will be throwing high-energy fiestas filled with drinking and dancing. If you’d like to have a rockin’ New Year’s Eve, however, local concert halls and venues are guaranteed will have all manner of live music. But no matter what route you take for your Auld Lang Syne adventures, make sure to get home safely. See y’all in 2015.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Circle K New Year’s Eve Block Party
Downtown Tempe
It wouldn’t be a New Year’s Eve in the Valley without this spectacular staple, which will take place along Mill Avenue and feature a massive mix of live entertainm
ent, food trucks, interactive activities and games, outdoor dance clubs, family fun zones, beer and champagne gardens, access to multiple bars and restaurants, the midnight countdown and confetti blast, and other distractions and festivities. Local bands and DJs will perform on multiple stages and the lineup includes Gin Blossoms, The Pistoleros, Walt Richardson, Murrieta, The Senators, Keltic Cowboys, Pandy Raye and Company, Aaron Burroughs, Craig Davis, Chicks With Picks, and others. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Online admission is $20.
The Clarendon Hotel
401 W. Clarendon Ave.
The Clarendon will most definitely be the bee’s knees on New Year’s Eve during A Modern Gatsby Gala, which will take the hotel and its patrons on a trip back in time to pre-Prohibition days for an evening of flappers, dandies, and revelry that’s the cat’s pajamas. The celebration will be held around the Oasis Pool and up on the Sky Deck and will include chef’s select hors d’oeuvres, a midnight champagne toast, and live entertainment by Flamenco Por La Vida, CONDER/dance, SambAZ, DJ 7evel7, and The Pyromantics. 8 p.m. Advanced tickets are $50 online. Call 602-252-7363 or see www.eventbrite.com.
LUSTRE Rooftop Garden
2 E. Jefferson St.
The third floor outdoor lounge at the Hotel Palomar will host an “Up on the Roof” party with complimentary small plates until 10 p.m., signature specialty cocktails, a snow fall at midnight, and spins from DJ Swirl. 8 p.m., $50. VIP cabanas with two bottles of Pierre Jouet and admission for eight people are $1,000. Call 480-478-1765.
Marquee Theatre
730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe
The Valley’s own Authority Zero will share their New Year’s Eve with a few thousand of their fans and fellow locals Howard Til Midnight, The Venomous Pinks, For The Love, Neato, and My Life Sentence. The music starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $29. Call 480-829-0607.
The Pressroom
441 W. Madison St.
Local radio station 101.1 FM The Beat’s Epic NYE party will take place at the venue and feature a gig by legendary rapper (and Geto Boys member) Scarface, as well as beats from DJ Jaba One, food trucks, drink specials, best dressed contests, a photo booth, and more. 9 p.m. Tickets are $40 online, $50 on the day of the event. VIP options range from a $200/$250 package that includes two tickets, a private reception, and a private table to the $400 package with a two-person couch, private bar and personal cocktail service, and more. A pre-party reception and meet-and-greet with Scarface is also available for $400 in advance, $500 at the door. Call 602-396-7136 or see www.ticketfly.com.
Rawhide
5700 W. North Loop Rd., Chandler
The beats will be raining down like confetti inside Rawhide’s Frontier Hall during the Decadence Arizona New Year’s Eve 2014 party as EDM fans dance up a storm to a soundtrack laid down by such superstars as Kaskade, DVBBS, Fedde Le Grand, Flosstradamus, Seven Lions, and Savoy. Doors open at 6 p.m. General admission is $80, VIP access is $125. See www.relentlessbeats.com.
Roosevelt Growhouse
902 N. 6th St.
www.facebook.com/rooseveltgrowhouse page
Local painters, poets, sculptors, photographers, musicians, and other creatives will gather at the Growhouse for the annual Flannel Ball New Year’s Party and Art Show. A group show will feature the work of more than 50 artists – such as Aaron Hopkins-Johnson, Brandon Huigens, Niki Noriega, JJ Horner, Tara Logsdon, Tato Caraveo, Casebeer, James B. Hunt, and Morgan McNally – while various food trucks serve up eats, lawn games are staged, a photo booth will be setup, an “original New Year’s countdown” will be hosted by Dan Hull and members of the Phoenix Storytellers, and a Lawn Gnome piñata will be lowered at midnight. Local bands scheduled to perform include Uno Sideburn, Ozark Pappy, Injury Reserve, and others. 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 on the day of the event. Call 602-714-5256 or see www.eventbrite.com.
The Saguaro
4000 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale
Auld Lang Syne will be feted with an abundance of style and elegance during the NYE 2015: New Year’s Eve Celebration at this Scottsdale boutique hotel. A three-hour premium reception will boast a chef’s selection of hors d’oeuvres and buffet featuring selection made with gourmet and locally sourced ingredients. It’s followed by a video countdown, confetti explosion, midnight champagne toast that will bring 2014 to a close in spectacular fashion. The trio of DJ Decipha, DJ Slippe, and Ken Mooso will provide the sounds all evening. 9 p.m. Tickets are $125 and VIP admission (which includes access to an exclusive and private lounge, an ultra-premium reception, and other perks) is $165. Accommodations packages are also available. Call 480-308-1100 or visit www.newyearsevearizona.com.
Scottsdale Comedy Spot
7117 E. 3rd Ave., Scottsdale
Comedian The Greg Willson will present a pair of New Year’s Eve gigs at the club. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $15-$20. Call 480-945-4422.
Scottsdale Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party
Craftsman Court, Scottsdale
www.scottsdalesultimateblockparty.com
Country superstar Frankie Ballard will headline this Scottsdale New Year’s Eve tradition, which will also feature live music from Tommy Ash, Chad Freeman and Redline, and Laura Walsh. The street party itself will include access to Dos Gringos and Rockbar Inc., various DJs, a midnight fireworks show, and more. Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $22.50.
Symphony Hall
75 N. 2nd St.
Guest conductor Stuart Chafetz will lead the musicians of the Phoenix Symphony as they perform the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Simon and Garfunkel, various Strauss waltzes, and seasonal classics during the orchestra’s New Year’s Eve Celebration. Performances are at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18-$83. Call 602-495-1999.
Talking Stick Resort
9800 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale
Welcome in 2015 in the company of R&B/soul legend Sam Moore during the resort’s Fire and Ice Party. Las Vegas tribute act Boogie Knight will open the evening at 8 p.m. An all-you-can eat buffet will be offered beforehand at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the party are $99 for the show only, $150 with dinner included. See www.dannyzeliskopresents.com. And over in the Talking Stick’s ballroom, Raven’s Annual New Year’s Eve Gala will be taking place and will include two bars, cocktail specials, a complimentary appetizer buffet, live music from The Hipnotix and DJ Kilo, and plenty of style to spare. Semi-formal to black tie attire required. 8 p.m.; $65 per person in advance, $75 on the day of the event, and $125 per couple. Call 480-850-7734.
W Scottsdale
7277 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale
The posh Scottsdale hotel will host a luxurious Chateau de Versailles New Year’s Eve affair with spirits, dancing, and plenty of upscale revelry. 8 p.m.; $75 for ladies, $100 for men. Room packages for two are $479 and include tickets to the party, amenities and gifts, two complimentary cocktails, and more. Various high-end packages will be offered for those wishing to celebrate in style and range in price from $1,500 to $5,000. Call 877-782-0104 or see www.wscottsdalehotel.com/ newyears.
BARS & CLUBS
Baja Joe’s
1927 N. Gilbert Rd., Mesa
New Years party with drink specials, dancing, and DJ Chop and DJ DBX working the mixers. 9 p.m. Call 480-655-1828.
BLUR Nightclub
7419 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
DJ Savoy will light up this new Scottsdale club with house music during “GLOW: A Luminous Affair” as the BLUR Bombshells will make an appearance. 8 p.m., $25. VIP and table service packages can also be purchased by calling 480-828-2774. And if you’re still awake well after everyone else has gone home, the party will be going until the wee hours and beyond at the annual Afterglow affair. A lineup of DJs that include Turner and Heit, Juheun, Michelle Sparks, Dan Lunsford, Kuntrol, and Jon Amaral will keep things lively as the sun rises. Doors open at 3 a.m. Admission is $20. See www.relentlessbeats.com.
Boondocks Patio & Grill
4341 N. 75th St., Scottsdale
Celtic rockers The Young Dubliners are scheduled to perform during Boondocks’ NYE extravaganza. VIP options include the a three-hour exclusive reception for $100 per person, a $500 table service deal with two premium bottles for a party of six, and a primo $1,000 table service package featuring four bottles and admission for 12 people. 8 p.m., $20 general admission. Call 480-949-8454 or see www.eventbrite.com.
Bottled Blonde
7340 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale,
Bubbles and Bombshells party with DJs, dancing, a midnight champagne toast, and more. VIP and bottle service packages, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, are also available. 8 p.m.; $25 admission for the party only or $80 for a four-club pass that includes express entry, a VIP party at Livewire from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as access to The Mint, Hi Fi, and Livewire. Call 480-970-1112 or see www.eegtickets.com.
Cactus Jack’s
4747 E. Elliot Rd.
New Year’s Eve Bash with performances by Spafford and special guests The Higgs. 7 p.m.; $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Call 480-753-4733.
Chopper John’s
2547 E. Indian School Road
New Year’s Eve party with music rockabilly and roots music from Pat Roberts and the Heymakers and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. 9 p.m. Call 602-955-0881.
Copper Blues
50 W. Jefferson St.
930 E. University Dr., Tempe
Both Valley locations of this rock pub and kitchen will be sending 2014 out in style with an evening of live music, lagers, and libations. Local singer/songwriter Ryan Simms will serenade the patrons at Copper Blues in Tempe while high-energy band The Instant Classics will be rocking the downtown Phoenix location. The parties start at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 8:30 p.m. Call 480-719-5005 or 480-376-1243.
Crescent Ballroom
308 N. 2nd Ave.
Sean Watson’s annual New Year’s Eve affair at the Crescent is arguably one of the biggest parties on Auld Lang Syne in downtown Phoenix – and this year its getting even bigger. An enormous tent will be set up on the street in front of the venue and will host DJ Roya and DJ Funkfinger from Tongue Tied spinning retro and indie dance favorites. Meanwhile, Watson and The Blunt Club’s Pickster One will be in the main room dropping high-energy mixes of electro-pop and dance music, Dumperfoo will be doing live painting, and artist Matt Castleberry will serve up visual feasts and video projections. 8 p.m., $5. Call 602-716-2222.
Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row
4420 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale
Tip it on back at the local country star’s Scottsdale joint, which will be throwing a massive New Year’s Eve hootenanny. Best of all, there’s no cover. 9 p.m. Call 480-945-4200.
El Dorado Bar
8708 E. McDowell Rd., Scottsdale
www.eldorado-bar-grill.com
Live music from Front Page will start at 8:30 p.m. while food and drink specials will be offered all day. 10:30 a.m. Call 480-276-6074.
El Hefe
4425 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale
This Scottsdale party spot will be throwing a major celebration with DJs, drinks, dancing, in honor of both New Year’s Eve and its grand reopening after a major remodel. 8 p.m. The place will also get an early start on New Year’s Day partying when it reopens at 6 a.m. Call 480-945-6200.
El Hefe Tempe
640 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
If you don’t get your fill of partying during the New Years Eve Champagne Ball Block Party, which kicks off at 8 p.m. and will also include Fat Tuesday and The Handlebar, the Tempe location of El Hefe will reopen at 6 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, to greet the new year with some major raging. Admission to the block party on December 31 is $30 in advance, $40 at the door. Call 480-257-2797 for cover info regarding the New Year’s Day festivities.
Fat Tuesday
680 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
Pop some bottles and go HAM at New Years Eve Champagne Ball Block Party, which will encompass three Mill Avenue spots (Fat Tuesday, The Handlebar, and El Hefe) and include five different bars and a slew of DJs performing on four different stages. A variety of VIP packages can be purchased, ranging from the “Bubbles and Beads” option (featuring a reserved table for two and a bottle of both XXIV Karat grand cuvee and XXIV Karat rose) for $200 to the pimp “King Rex” experience (with express entry, premium seating, two appetizer platters, three bottles of top-shelf spirits, Monster energy mixers, and three bottles of Veuve Clicquot yellow label champagne) for $1,000. General admission is $30 in advance, $40 at the door. Call 504-571-9640 to RSVP or visit fattuesday.ticketleap.com/nye.
Gypsy Bar
50 W. Jefferson St.
Celebrate the New Year with DJs, dancing, a complimentary champagne toast, party favors, a midnight ball drop, and more. A hosted bar and buffet will be available for $20 each. 8 p.m. Call 602-732-5490.
Hi Fi Kitchen & Cocktails
4420 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale
Bust out with your finest neon-colored clothing and get ready to glow during the New Year’s Eve Black Light Ball, which will offer dancing in the dark and a midnight champagne toast. VIP and bottle service packages, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, are also available. 8 p.m.; $25 admission for the party only or $80 for a four-club pass that includes express entry, a VIP party at Livewire from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as access to Bottled Blonde, The Mint, and Livewire. And if you’ve got some mojo left, Hi Fi will reopen at 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day for the Neon Sunrise party. Admission is $10. Call 480-970-5000 or see www.eegtickets.com.
INTL
4405 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale
DJ Lucky Lou of LMFAO fame and local mixmaster Death to the Throne will serve up sounds at this ultra lounge’s NYE Masquerade Ball. Call 480-213-9500 for more info.
Last Exit Live
717 S. Central Ave.
Few people will be standing still inside Last Exit when the members of Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra are filling the place with their dance inducing sounds during a special New Year’s Eve performance. 8 p.m., $10. Call 602-271-7000.
Livewire
7320 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
Get a gander at the newly opened Scottsdale live entertainment spot during its first-ever New Year’s Eve celebration while partaking in swank libations and plenty of revelry. 8:30 p.m.; $25 admission for the party only or $80 for a four-club pass that includes express entry, a VIP party at the venue from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as access to The Mint, Hi Fi, and Bottled Blonde. Call 480-970-6980 or see www.eegtickets.com.
The Lost Leaf
914 N. 5th St.
The funk-meisters of Dr. Delicious will perform. 9 p.m. Call 602-258-0014.
Marc’s Sports Grill & Nightlife
4494 W. Peoria Ave, Glendale
www.marcssportsgrillandnightlife.com
New Year’s Eve Bash with a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, party favors, noisemakers, balloon drops, karaoke in the lounge, dancing in the main bar with DJ Spanky, and more. 7 p.m.; free before 9 p.m., $5 afterwards. Call 623-842-1053.
Maya Day & Nightclub
7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale
Go on an exotic excursion on New Year’s Eve without ever leaving Scottsdale via Maya’s Escape to the Orient soiree, which will star house music superstar Adrian Lux. 9 p.m.; $15 for ladies, $20 for men. A $45 VIP ticket also gets you into a special pre-party starting at 7 p.m with a one-cent hosted bar and passed hors d’oeuvres. Call 480-625-0528 or visit www.sletickets.com.
The Mint
7373 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale
Big spenders and the well-heeled crowd will commemorate 2014 and celebrate 2015 in opulence and high style during the lavish Lifestyles of The Mint and Famous New Year’s Eve party. And one lucky patron could win a cool grand during a $1,000 prize giveaway at the event. A number of posh VIP and bottle service packages will be available on a limited basis. Call 480-516-9149 or 480-203-9546 for more info or to make reservations. 9 p.m.; $25 admission for the party only or $80 for a four-club pass that includes express entry, a VIP party at Livewire from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as access to Bottled Blonde, Hi Fi, and Livewire. Call 480-947-6468 or see www.eegtickets.com.
Nabers
825 N. 54th St., Chandler
The proprietors of this Chandler spot will raise a toast to “another year of unbridled debauchery” at their New Year’s festivities, in addition to hosting live music from The Crown Kings. 9 p.m.; $10 general admission, $40 per person for the dining room (includes dinner), $45 per person for bar seating, and $60 per person for the VIP treatment (which includes dance floor seating and dinner). Nabers will also offer a “Hair of the Dog” experience on New Year’s Day with half-off breakfast until 2 p.m. and $3 Bloody Marys, mimosas, and domestic drafts. Call 480-705-0288.
RA Sushi Bar
Five Valley locations
Every RA in Metro Phoenix will offer happy hour prices on more than 25 different appetizer and sushi selections ranging from $3.49 to $8.99, as well as a wide variety of libations and adult beverages ranging from $3.75 to $8 each, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. until midnight. Call 480-303-9800.
The Reef
393 W. Warner Rd., Chandler
New Years Bash with free hats, horns, and champagne at midnight, as well as $5 drink specials until 11 p.m. and DJ Signal in the mix all night. 7 p.m., $10. Call 480-963-5520.
Rhythm Room
1019 E. Indian School Rd.
Ring in the New Year with the rootsy blues of The 44s all evening long. 8 p.m., $30. Call 602-265-4842.
The Rogue Bar
423 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale
The DJs of CUPCAKE! will mix fetish fun with glitz and glamour during their Hollywood Legends dance party, which will feature burlesque, a lip-synch contest, a photo booth, games of spin the bottle and a kiss off at midnight, a chance to share your “New Year’s revolutions” to help change the world in 2015, and more. Those who come as their favorite Hollywood saints can win cash prizes in a “best dressed” contest and Self.Destrukt and Defense Mekanizm will spin electro, industrial, and ’80s music. 9 p.m., $6. Call 480-947-3580.
The Shout! House
6770 N. Sunrise Blvd., Glendale
Wrapped in Gold Party with live entertainment from the dueling pianos starting at 7:30 p.m., party favors, a prime rib dinner buffet, guaranteed seating, and more. Gold dress is encouraged. 6:30 p.m., $45-$75 per person. Call 623-772-1500.
Skeptical Chymist
15689 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale
New Year’s Eve party with live music from the Aussie Jim Band, party favors, and more. 8 p.m. A special New Year’s Eve gourmet dinner and drinks package is also available for $80. Call 480-609-8677.
Stacy’s at Melrose
4343 N. 7th Ave.
Dress to impress will be the rule at the New Year’s Eve Masquerade as those in the hottest masks or costumes have a chance of winning trips to such locations as Las Vegas, Hawaii, or Mexico. DJ Tristan/Iseult will also be keeping the dance floor hot all evening at the no cover affair. Call 602-264-1700.
Time Out Lounge
3129 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
www.facebook.com/timeoutlounge
New Year’s Eve blowout with music from The Industry, Rotten Youth, Nobody Special, We Might Be Wasted, Buried in Red, Unstable Youth, No Paradigm, The Atomic Zombies, and DJ Mama Melody. The first 30 patrons will receive free tickets to a prize raffle. 8 p.m. Call 480-968-6491.
The Watershed
5350 S. Lakeshore Dr., Tempe,
Live music starting at 8 p.m., a free champagne toast and passed hors d’oeuvres at midnight, and more. Call 480-756-0508.
Wasted Grain
7295 E. Stetson Dr., Scottsdale
Both the main room and the 100 Proof Lounge will be lively as Wasted Grain sets the clock back to yesteryear for “A Vintage Affair.” Music will be provided by The Chadwicks and DJ Mos Jef while the traditional champagne toast goes down at midnight. 9 p.m. Call 480-970-0500.
Yucca Tap Room
29 W. Southern Ave., Tempe
The Love Me Nots will present their annual New Year’s Eve show at the Yucca with support from Fairy Bones, The Dead Eyes of London, and Le Zets. 9 p.m. Call 480-967-4777.
