New Year’s Eve and New York City go hand-in-hand. While the celebration and ball drop in Times Square receive the most attention from people around the world, there are also a ton of musical happenings in the city, with Phish’s storied Big Apple New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden, December 28 to 31, 2016 being one of the big highlights. Here’s a rundown of the shows happening, some billed as Phish after-parties and some shows worth mentioning on their own accord. There’s something for Phish fans and non-fans alike in the city during the days leading up to 2017.
American Beauty, just a block from MSG, is hosting several Phish-related events. They kick off the run on Dec. 27 with a free show by Phish tribute band Jibooty and a late set from Escaper. The show starts at 7 p.m. The following four nights, they feature Phish pre-parties and after-parties. Dec. 28 sees PEAK and Gang of Thieves playing a pre-party at 4 p.m. for $5 and Particle and J. WAIL playing the after-party at 11:55 p.m. for $20. Dead Sessions plays tribute to the Grateful Dead for both the pre-party at 4 p.m. and after-party at 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 29. These shows are $20 each. Phanart presents a free pre-party on Dec. 30 with Formula 5 starting at 3 p.m. Spafford and the Magic Beans play two nights on Dec. 30 and 31 after Phish. They start at 11:55 p.m. and are $25 for each night. The pre-party on Dec. 31 features the Stella Blues Band paying tribute to the Grateful Dead at 4 p.m. with a $15 cover.
DROM in the East Village hosts two Phish after-parties on Dec. 28 and 29. Aqueous plays the 28th with Mungion. The show starts at midnight with tickets at $12.50 in advance or $17 at the door. The 29th sees lespecial with Chromatropic. The show starts at 11:30 p.m. with tickets going for $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
The Cutting Room, a handful of blocks from MSG, is also hosting several Phish parties, all presented by CEG. Elise Testone brings her “Thankful for Amy” tribute to Amy Winehouse with several special guests for an early show at 8 p.m. and a Phish after-party at midnight on Dec. 28. Tickets for both are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Kung Fu plays an after-party on Dec. 29 at midnight with tickets at $18 in advance or $20 at the door. Holly Bowling pays tribute to Phish and the Grateful Dead through her solo piano work at pre-parties on Dec. 30 and 31. The shows start at 4 p.m. with tickets running $15 in advance or $20 at the door. The Marcus King Band plays the after-party on Dec. 30 at midnight. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
The Brooklyn Bowl has a series of shows leading up to the new year. Zeppelin Bowl, featuring Gene Ween, Scott Ian and John Medeski, takes place on Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and still available. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead plays a sold out show on Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. Late night on the 29th is Talib Kweli performing a DJ set at midnight for $10. Kamasi Washington and the Budos Band are playing Dec. 30 and New Year’s Eve. Tickets are $40 for the 30th and $65 to $75 for New Year’s Eve. Both shows start at 8:30 p.m. Sleigh Bells is playing a DJ set late night at midnight on the 30th for $15 with Animal Collective doing the same on New Year’s Eve for $20 to $25.
Being New York City, there are plenty of other shows taking place that are worth checking out. See below for a rundown.
Wednesday, Dec. 28
PEAK with Gang of Thieves @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 4 p.m. – $5 *
Zeppelin Bowl feat. Gene Ween, Scott Ian, John Medeski @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 8 p.m. – $20
“Thankful for Amy” with Elise Testone @ The Cutting Room (Midtown) – 8 p.m. & 12 a.m. – $20 each #
Aqueous with Mungion @ DROM (East Village) – 12 a.m. – $17 #
Particle with J. WAIL @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 11:55 p.m. – $20 #
Madaila @ Arlene’s Grocery (Lower East Side) – 11:55 p.m. – $10 #
Hayley Jane and the Primates do Bowie @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s (Times Square) – 11:59 p.m. – $10 #
Thursday, Dec. 29
Harlem Gospel Choir @ B.B. King’s (Times Square) – 12:30 p.m. – $30
Dead Sessions @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 4 p.m. & 11:55 p.m. – $20 each * #
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 8 p.m. – $40
Dar Williams @ The Bell House (Brooklyn) – 8 p.m. – $25-$30
The Skints with The Far East and Rude Boy George @ Knitting Factory (Brooklyn) – 8:30 p.m. – $20
The Lone Bellow @ Bowery Ballroom (Lower East Side) – 9 p.m. – $30
Start Making Sense @ Irving Plaza (Gramercy/Flatiron) – Doors 11 p.m. – $20
lespecial with Chromatropic @ DROM (East Village) – 12 a.m. – $15 #
Kung Fu @ The Cutting Room (Midtown) – 12 a.m. – $20 #
Talib Kweli (DJ Set) @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 12 a.m. – $10
Friday, Dec. 30
Formula 5 @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 3 p.m. – free *
Holly Bowling @ The Cutting Room (Midtown) – 4 p.m. – $20 *
David Wax Museum with Auld Lang Syne @ Mercury Lounge (Lower East Side) – 6:30 p.m. – $20
Tower of Power @ B.B. King’s (Times Square) – 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. – $45 each
Snarky Puppy @ Irving Plaza (Gramercy/Flatiron) – Doors 8 p.m. – $45
Gov’t Mule @ Beacon Theatre (Upper West Side) – 8 p.m. – $50-$60
Kamasi Washington with The Budos Band @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 8:30 p.m. – $40
The Lone Bellow @ Bowery Ballroom (Lower East Side) – 9 p.m. – $30
Cymbals Eat Guitars with Haybaby @ Mercury Lounge (Lower East Side) – 10:30 p.m. – $20
Pink Talking Fish plays Animals @ Gramercy Theater (Gramercy/Flatiron) – 11 p.m. – $29.50 #
Spafford with The Magic Beans @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 11:55 p.m. – $25 #
Sprocket with Kabina @ The Bitter End (Greenwich Village) – 12 a.m. #
The Marcus King Band @ The Cutting Room (Midtown) – 12 a.m. – $20 #
Sleigh Bells (DJ Set) @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 12 a.m. – $15
Saturday, Dec. 31
Stella Blues Band @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 4 p.m. – $15 *
Holly Bowling @ The Cutting Room (Midtown) – 4 p.m. – $20 *
Snarky Puppy @ Irving Plaza (Gramercy/Flatiron) – Doors 8 p.m. – $60
Rainer Maria with Snail Mail @ Saint Vitus (Brooklyn) – 8 p.m. – $25
Kamasi Washington with The Budos Band @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 8:30 p.m. – $65-$75
Gov’t Mule @ Beacon Theatre (Upper West Side) – 9 p.m. – $65-$75
Guided by Voices @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn) – 9 p.m. – $70
The Lone Bellow @ Bowery Ballroom (Lower East Side) – 10 p.m. – $40
All-Star James Brown Dance Party @ Gramercy Theater (Gramercy/Flatiron) – 12 a.m. – $35 #
Spafford with The Magic Beans @ American Beauty (Midtown) – 11:55 p.m. – $25 #
Animal Collective (DJ Set) @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn) – 12 a.m. – $20-$25
Snarky Puppy @ Irving Plaza (Gramercy/Flatiron) – Doors 1 a.m. – $35 #
The New Deal @ B.B. King’s (Times Square) – 1:30 a.m. – $30 #
* Billed as Phish pre-party
# Billed as Phish after-party
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJyf5NqiMNE[/embedyt]
The band has been celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2015 and sound as cohesive as they ever have. A relationship this long, no matter what the scenario, is difficult to maintain at any level, yet it seems as if moe. has found new life in this trip around the sun. Onstage smiles were continuous during this run; it’s obvious that this is a band still having fun playing together.
Busting out with a rare “
Following a half-hour break, the band opened the second set with a tribute to the 
This led to the surprise of the night as Loughlin left the confines of his kit at the back of the stage to drop some mad rhymes to 
As the band members took a brief break, microphone stands were brought to the front of the stage for the encore. Schnier played his acoustic, while Garvey plucked on his electric. Amico played the tambourine and Loughlin the maraca, as Derhak, with the assistance of a lyric sheet, sang the Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” with help from the crowd on such lyrics as “Home is where I want to be.” As moe.’s adopted hometown, the collaboration was a fitting end to the show capping off the band’s silver anniversary year.