MORE NEW YEAR’S EVE MUSIC
Gregg Allman
With the Allman Brothers Band now a treasured memory, it’s advised to catch Allman solo whenever possible.
9 p.m. $35.50-$149.50. Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Affordable Old School Music Fest
The Isley Brothers, Morris Day, Mint Condition, Jeffrey Osborne and Dru Hill will inspire enough booty-shaking to rattle the rafters. Comedian Griff will participate in the show, which aims to “promote social consciousness, positive entertainment and personal fulfillment.”
8 p.m. $29-$129. Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive, Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
Billy Dean
The country journeyman will perform during an evening of family-friendly events. Stick around after the show for the dessert and coffee bar, a dance party with classic songs from the ’60s to the ’80s and a viewing of Atlanta’s Peach Drop on a big screen.
8 p.m. $35-$40. Mill Town Music Hall, 1031 Alabama Ave., Bremen. 1-877-725-8849, ticketalternative.com.
Umphrey’s McGee
The beloved jam band is rounding out 2014 with a five-night residency at the Tabernacle. They’ll be there Dec. 30-Jan. 3, so plan accordingly if you can’t make the New Year’s Eve gig.
8 p.m. $70. The Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, livenation.com.
Michelle Malone
One of Atlanta’s musical treasures brings her soulful Americana-blues to Eddie’s Attic for a pair of shows. She’s also back in the studio working on an album that she wants to sound “like we do live.”
7 and 9:45 p.m. (second show with Hannah Thomas). $30 (advance general admission), $35 (at the door general admission) and $150 (reserved table for four). General admission to both shows is $50. Eddie’s Attic, 515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur. 1-877-725-8849, ticketalternative.com.
Railroad Earth
The New Jersey roots-newgrass band will wrap its three-night residency at the Variety with a jam-rocking set.
9 p.m. $50. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
— Melissa Ruggieri
What do country singers, corndogs and Cleopatra have in common? Each can be found at respective ATL New Year’s Eve bashes. And there are lots of other ways locals will be popping the proverbial cork this year. So, belly up to a buffet of options and survey this sample of New Year’s Eve activities before the clock strikes 12.
EARLY START FOR FAMILIES
The kids want to celebrate, but bedtime beckons? With families in mind, Fernbank Museum of Natural History moves the party up a few hours by presenting Noon Year’s Eve. The bash will begin at 10 a.m. with games, crafts and more. Young ones can tip back mocktails made from GoGo Squeeze applesauce while creating their own New Year’s party hats made of cups, twine and tinsel. Fernbank will sneak in some education along the way, as guests participate in a matching game, which explains New Year’s traditions from all over the globe. A resolution station will give kids the opportunity to share their New Year’s resolutions via selfies and social media. The pinnacle of the party will reach its fevered pitch at noon, when DJ Willy Wow will take a break from spinning danceable tracks and lead the countdown. More than 2,000 balloons will float down from the ceiling of Fernbank’s Great Hall. Tickets include access to the special exhibitions Winter Wonderland and Goose Bumps: The Science of Fear. The festivities will wrap at 2 p.m.
10 a.m. $18; $17 students and seniors; $16 children ages 3-12; free ages 2 and younger. Fernbank Museum of Natural History, 767 Clifton Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-929-6400, fernbankmuseum.org.
ATLANTA’S VERSION OF TIMES SQUARE
New York City’s Times Square may drop that giant shimmering ball on New Year’s Eve, but the Big Peach refuses to be outdone. For the 26th year at Underground Atlanta, a gargantuan peach will descend from a 138-foot tower amid an expected crowd of 175,000. Once the clock strikes midnight, fireworks will explode into the sky and guests will get a fresh coating of confetti. Yet the celebration starts earlier in the day. Beginning at 11 a.m., carnival rides will come to life on Upper Alabama Street, and guests can hop aboard for a fee. The Pac-Man Play Arcade on Lower Pryor Street will offer pay-to-play games. Tots can indulge in face painting and balloon animals, and DJ Bill Goode will spin party music for all ages. Bands, from the Instructors to KontraBand Muzik, will rock the Kenny’s Alley Stage all day and into the night. Those wanting to keep up with the Chick-fil-A Bowl game score can watch the action live on the Kenny’s Alley big screen. Garrett Webster will play host on the main stage.
11 a.m. Free. Underground Atlanta, 50 Upper Alabama St., Atlanta. 404-523-2311, peachdrop.com.
GOT ‘COLE’ IN YOUR STOCKING?
Maybe you scored Cole Swindell tickets for the holidays, or perhaps you’ve been waiting for a chance to see the country star in concert. That chance comes when the Georgia Southern University grad will headline Wild Bill’s annual New Year’s Eve shindig. The prolific singer-songwriter, who’s written for Luke Bryan, Craig Campbell, Florida Georgia Line and a host of others, is best known for his breakout hit “Chillin’ It.” Patrons 18 and older are welcome. Party horns, hats and noisemakers will be provided on the house, and those 21 and older can partake in a free champagne toast. There’ll also be the usual massive balloon drop. Tickets without service charge fees are available by calling Wild Bill’s.
7:30 p.m. $30-$100. Wild Bill’s Atlanta, 2075 Market St., Duluth. 678-473-1000, wildbillsatlanta.com. 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.
FOR CORNDOG LOVERS
Last year Pallookaville, TV personality Jim Stacy’s ode to deep-fried delights, began a new Avondale Estates tradition. The award-winning restaurant lowered a giant corndog on New Year’s Eve. A corndog? It only makes since, because Pallookaville’s big battered dogs remain the stuff of legend. This time around the crew will orchestrate a special corndog drop specifically for younger ones at 8 p.m. A free concert courtesy of the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra will crank up at 8:30 p.m. The Pallookaville staff then will raise the corndog back in the air for the official drop at midnight. The joint’s kitchen and bar will sling food and drinks until 2 a.m. On New Year’s Day, Pallookaville will open at 2 p.m. with green peas, collard greens and hair-of-the-dog specials.
8 p.m. Free. Pallookaville Fine Foods, 17 N. Avondale Plaza, Avondale Estates. 404-500-1785, pallookaville.com.
CELEBRATE LIKE AN EGYPTIAN
The Egyptian Ballroom at the Fox Theatre will transform into an end-of-year party palace when Cleopatra’s New Year’s Eve Ball returns for a second year. A pair of sprawling dance floors will invite revelers age 21 and older to cut a serious rug. DJs will spin Top 40, hip-hop and house tunes, and dancers will move beneath lasers and pulsing lights. Cocktails will flow from the open bars for the duration, with bartenders dressed as Egyptian queens and pharaohs. You also can escape to the heated outdoor terrace, where DJs will cue cuts. Others who spring for VIP tickets will find refuge in the exclusive Cleopatra Lounge. Just before midnight, partiers will be prompted to join in on the countdown while a massive wall projection helps usher in 2015. Organizers suggest guests wear upscale duds. The bash will last until 1:30 a.m.
9:30 p.m. $125; $150 VIP; $650 for VIP group of five; $1,200 table package for six. Egyptian Ballroom at the Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-491-9115, atlantanightlife.com.
OLD WAVE, ’80S-STYLE
The band known as the Swinging Richards helped rule Atlanta’s rock ’n’ roll roost in the early 1980s. Its residency at Baker Street found everyone from Bryan Adams to members of Cheap Trick and the Byrds sitting in. College radio blasted tunes like “Out of My Head” and “Dirty Words.” And while the band’s sound was big, their hair was often bigger. The group — Chris Edmonds, Bruce Smith, Victor Varnedoe, Billy Pitts and Hoddy Ridarick — will reunite for a special New Year’s Eve show at Smith’s Olde Bar for ages 21 and older. Don’t be surprised if special guests show up. Past reunions saw local guitar heroes Rick Richards and Peter Stroud join in. Philip Buchanan and Buck O Five will open the evening with countrified rock.
8 p.m. $10 advance; $15 at the door. Smith’s Olde Bar, 1578 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-875-1522, smithsoldebar.com.
IF YOU’RE STUCK IN THE ’90S
If you have a ’90s playlist rocking your MP3 player and you’re still bouncing to “Tootsee Roll,” Eastside Station may be your New Year’s Eve destination. The 69 Boyz, the culprits behind the aforementioned tune and others (“Ride That Train,” “Kitty Kitty”) will turn back the clock for the I Love the ’90s New Year’s Eve Party. The Miami-bred hip-hoppers will share the stage with John Boy on the Track, a rapper known for appearing on V.I.C.’s 2008 hit “Wobble.” Expect plenty of wobbling on the dance floor as DJ Kidd spins throughout the evening. There will be a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Ages 18 and older are allowed.
8 p.m. $10. Eastside Station, 2166 Highpoint Road, Snellville. 770-985-3332, eastsidestation.com.
NEVER GOT OVER THE BRITISH INVASION?
The Earl Smith Strand Theatre continues its New Year’s Eve tradition of presenting Mick Jagger doppelgänger and Marietta native Stephen Skipper and his Rolling Stones tribute. Skipper and company will pucker up for a barrage of Stones hits, from “Jumping Jack Flash” to “Start Me Up.” Both sides of the old Stones vs. Beatles debate will be able to score satisfaction, as the Big Chicken Beatles Band will kick off the evening with choice cuts made famous by John, Paul, George and Ringo. Rather stay off the road? The nearby Marietta Hilton offers a special $199 package, which includes a room, a pair of tickets, transportation to and from the venue, and breakfast for two on New Year’s Day. It’s an all-ages event.
9 p.m. $40. Earl Smith Strand Theatre, 117 N. Park Square, Marietta. 770-293-0080, earlsmithstrand.org.
