The most common New Year’s resolution is to live healthier, followed by losing weight and exercising more. What a downer, eh?
Once you factor in the surge of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial infection (RSV), not to mention strep throat on the rise, living healthier seem like a bit of a stretch, and the best way to stay healthy is to stay home … but it’s New Year’s Eve!
Let’s face it. We’ve collectively lost the will to hunker down and close ourselves off from disease, and between the effectiveness of vaccines and current treatments, catching a respiratory virus feels inevitable but not especially life-threatening (Side note: I’m no doctor, so absolutely do not come to me for medical advice). That said, proceed at your own peril!
The Molly Ringwald Project plays an ’80s New Year’s Eve Bash on Saturday, Dec. 31, at The Siren (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $50 presale at eventbrite.com or $65 day of show … if any remain). If you dig the pop and new wave sounds of the decade, you’ll know these tunes—everything from “In A Big Country” to “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record).”
The event includes party favors, food, desserts, and the midnight champagne toast.
SLO Brew Rock presents the 3rd annual New Year’s Eve at The Rock on Saturday, Dec. 31 (8 p.m.; 21-and-older; $125 presale at ticketweb.com or $150 day of show … if any remain), with L’Eclair, Tropo, Dante Marsh, Moonshiner Collective, the Mother Corn Shuckers, and Brothers? (Nick Motil and Ethan Burns). L’Eclair is a Swiss cosmic instrumental jam band, Tropo is violinist Tyson Leonard’s EDM act, Dante Marsh is a R&B/soul/reggae singer-songwriter, Moonshiner Collective is Dan Curcio’s rotating group of folk artists, the Mother Corn Shuckers are a bluegrass party band, and Brothers? features Ethan Burns of Ragged Jubilee.
Expect two stages, light bite snacks, a photo booth, and fun activities.
Over at the Performing Arts Center on Cal Poly’s campus, the SLO Symphony will be joined by Canadian-based symphonic rock group Jeans ‘n Classics in a symphonic rock concert performing the likes of The Beatles, Earth Wind and Fire, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, The Who, U2, A-ha, and more on Saturday, Dec. 31 (7:30 p.m.; ages 5 and older; $100 at pacslo.org).
Jeans ‘n Classics faithfully interprets the music of legendary rock and pop albums and artists and has been heralded for the quality of their orchestral scores—lush, fully realized arrangements of rock and pop classics.
Down in Arroyo Grande at the Camp Arroyo Grande Tabernacle Building (250 Wesley Ave.), ’60s soul and rock act Unfinished Business will play a New Year’s Eve bash and fundraiser for the 17 Strong Foundation on Saturday, Dec. 31 (doors at 7 p.m. with music from 8 p.m. to 12:15 a.m.; all ages; $50 at my805tix.com).
Dance to high energy hits by The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones, Motown artists, some ’70s and ’80s artists like Tom Petty, and many more. The nonprofit 17 Strong Foundation provides Victory Trips to young adults, ages 18 to 40, after they have battled a life-threatening illness.
More music …
In addition to NYE, there are a handful of other live music shows this week, including La Marcha Sound, a Latin dance band, coming to The Siren on Friday, Dec. 30 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $15 at eventbrite.com). To get a taste, I recommend watching their YouTube video for “La Carcacha (Salsa Version).” This band is a party!
Soul and blues singer-songwriter Burning James plays Paso’s The Piccolo on Friday, Dec. 30, with Talie Copen opening at 5 p.m. “I want you all to know how grateful I am to know you and how I very much appreciate your support,” James wrote to fans. “I feel quite fortunate to be able to play and sing the music I love and that you all come around to listen and dance when I do it. I am definitely looking forward to 2023!”
Celtic folk and world music duo Four Shillings Short plays Cambria’s Unitarian Universalist Community as part of the worship service this Sunday, Jan. 1 (10 a.m.), and again in concert on Tuesday, Jan. 3 (7 to 9 p.m.; all ages; freewill donations welcome). Featuring Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland, and Christy Martin from California, they perform “a mix of traditional and original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval and Renaissance Europe, India, and the Americas on a fantastic array of instruments (more than 30) including hammered and mountain dulcimer, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, recorders, tin whistles, Medieval and Renaissance woodwinds, north Indian sitar, charango, bowed psaltery, banjo, Native American flutes, bodhran, guitar, ukulele, doumbek and darbuka, spoons, vocals, and even the krumhorn.” Δ
Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Dec 29, 2022 – Jan 8, 2023.
