New Year’s Eve Parties West Michigan-style: The Local Spins List

Celebrating the arrival of another year requires musical revelry, so Local Spins has rounded up some of the best and biggest New Year’s Eve bashes unfolding across West Michigan on Friday.

 

New Year’s Eve: the culmination of one year, the start of another. It’s a time to evaluate life, make goals, start fresh and … stay up way past your bedtime.

This year, West Michigan boasts a plethora of options to ring in the new year. Three-course meals, buffets, champagne, DJs and of course, live music will take place at multiple locations for midnight partiers.

“New Year’s Eve is special because we get to put on a party. Everyone has New Year’s Eve parties, and this is our way of doing that,” said Ben Zito of The Crane Wives, who play the Wealthy Theatre on New Year’s Eve for the first time.

“We get to invite our friends and fans and ring in the new year in a historic Grand Rapids building. What could be more special than that? If you add that we get to carry on the New Year’s Eve tradition at Wealthy Theatre that was established by our friends, the members of The Starlight Six, well, that’s just the cherry on top.”

Zito said attendees should expect a “high energy Crane Wives show, per usual, with some additional sappiness, nostalgia, and glasses of bubbly.”

Check out the list below to find out more about that affair and plenty more that West Michigan has to offer for New Year’s Eve.

Founders Brewing Co.
Grand Rapids
The music: Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Thick Tint
Big Sherb
When: 9 p.m.
Tickets: $10
The Vibe: Known for throwing a wild party of a live show, Michigan’s Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers bring their vibrant, soulful set to Founders for New Year’s bash.
Info: foundersbrewing.com

HotFM New Year’s Eve Party at Grandville & Cherry Avenue
Grand Rapids
The Music: Carolina Liar, Five Knives, Kevin Rudolf, Tryon and Ja’Leeyna Dooley
When: 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
The Vibe: Grand Rapids’ premier New Year’s Eve celebration, featuring plenty of outdoor activities, hot chocolate, coffee, a beer tent, the midnight ball drop and plenty of live music, set to take place in a new location in downtown Grand Rapids. The stage will be set up facing toward Grand Woods Lounge, with the closed-off intersection at Grandville and Cherry serving as the main gathering spot for concertgoers.
Info: 1053hotfm.com

The Intersection
Grand Rapids
The Music: Beats & Bubbly DJ Night featuring Mike @ Night, Jason Veeder, Steve Swift and Mayhem
When: 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 advance until 12/27, $15 starting 12/28
The Vibe: Live DJs all night playing top 40, hip hop, mashups and EDM.
Info: sectionlive.com

 

Wealthy Theatre
Grand Rapids
The Music: The Crane Wives, The Way Down Wanderers
When: 9 p.m.
Tickets: $12.50
The Vibe: Indie folk-rock quintet, The Crane Wives headlines an evening of live music to countdown the New Year alongside Chicago’s The Way Down Wanderers.
Info: http://www.grcmc.org/theatre/node/9595/new-year-s-eve-with-the-crane-wives

New Year’s Fest
Kalamazoo
The Music: An Dro, Bluz Brothers, Denise Davis & the Motor City Sensations, Dow Family Band, Empty Canvas, Elizabeth Start, Katelin Spencer & Helen Lukan, Mall City Harmonizers, Merling Trio, SSIK Tribute Show, Western Jazz Quartet, Who Hit John?, Kalamazoo Big Band,
When: 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: $5 advance, $10 at the door
The Vibe: An exhaustive list of performers will be scattered throughout downtown Kalamazoo for an evening filled with an overwhelming amount of entertainment and celebration, including fireworks and its very own ball drop.
Info: newyearsfest.com

New Year’s Eve Mardi Gras at JW Marriott
Grand Rapids
The Music: Trilogy, DJs
When: 8 p.m.
Tickets: $45 advance, $60 at the door
The Vibe: A cajun celebration is sure to heat things up at JW Mariott. Entertainment includes eclectic street performers such as jugglers, a contortionist and a snake charmer and a plethora of New Orleans-inspired cuisine includes shrimp, chicken, and andouille sausage jambalaya, beignets and chocolate ganache.
Info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-years-eve-mardi-gras-celebration-at-the-jw-marriott-tickets-19314748934?aff=es2

Seven Steps Up
Spring Lake
The Music: Tony Lucca, Rollaways
When: 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $150
The Vibe: An extravagant evening of appetizers, dinner, dessert and champagne will accompany the captivating live performance of Tony Lucca at Seven Steps Up. And in case one night isn’t enough, Lucca will perform two follow-up concerts consecutively on January 1 and 2 – one a ‘pin drop’ seated show, and the other an electric, standing room only show.
Info: https://pindropconcerts.com/event-registration/?ee=100

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
Kalamazoo
The Music: Kansas Bible Company, The Go Rounds, Vox Vidorra
When: 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10
The Vibe: Kalamazoo’s The Go Rounds are embarking on a New Year’s Eve Tour around the Midwest with Nashville’s Kansas Bible Company and make a stop at Bell’s on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2016 with Vox Vidorra and DJ Hardbargain.
Info: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=6341635&pl=bellseccentriccafe

Fricano’s Pizza
Grand Rapids
The Music: Michigan Mafia String Band
When: 6-8:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free
The Vibe: Start your evening early by grabbing some of Grand Rapids’ best pizza while listening to some foot-stomping blue grass.

Rockford Brewing
Rockford
The Music: Megan Dooley, Hannah Rose & The GravesTones
When: 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free
The Vibe: A dynamic duo of artists team up to bring soulful, engaging entertainment to Rockford Brewing to usher in the new year.
Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/425519874314318/

 

The Pyramid Scheme Back to the ‘90s New Year’s Eve
Grand Rapids
The Music: Foster, AB, SuperDre, DJ Composition, DJ Snax
When: 9 p.m.
Tickets: $25
The Vibe: Dust off the overalls, wallet chains, bandanas, baggy jeans, and flip that baseball cap around and get ready to step into a time machine to the ‘90s at The Pyramid Scheme.
Info: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=6324365&pl=pyramid

Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill – All that Glitters NYE Party
Grand Rapids
The Music: BedRock, Dayz, Candy Laprie, Aramis
When: 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10
The Vibe: A hip-hop show of epic proportions is poised to take place all night long at Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill.
Info: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?eventId=6391915&pl=tiptop&dispatch=loadSelectionData

Mulligan’s Pub
Grand Rapids
The Music: Lectralux, Olivia Mainville & the Aquatic Troupe, Laces Out, Dan
When: 10 p.m.
Tickets: Free
The Vibe: The Eastown bar will host four lively acts, including the increasingly popular Olivia Mainville & the Aquatic Troupe. The evening will be capped off as usual with a champagne toast at midnight.

 

The B.O.B.
Grand Rapids
The Music: Jesse Ray & the Carolina Catfish, Skankadank, DJs, Dueling Pianos
When: 9 p.m.
Tickets: $20
The Vibe: Four stages of live entertainment, a delectable array of exclusive menu options, stand-up comedy, and two dance floors make New Year’s Eve at The B.O.B. a buffet of late-night fun. And it could be Skankadank’s last hurrah as a soulful rock band, if not for good, then at least for awhile, band member Brian Haik tells Local Spins. They play the third floor of The B.O.B. starting at 9 p.m.
Info: thebob.com

SpeakEZ Lounge Retro New Year’s Eve 1986
Grand Rapids
The Music: Wingmen & West End Girls
When: 5 p.m.
Tickets: $10-$55
The Vibe: SpeakEZ Lounge is keeping an eye on details with their retro evening, reminiscent of the year 1986. Everything from the live music to the menu will reflect the best of the decade, and you can only imagine what people will wear.
Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/803764913069222/

River City Saloon – New Year’s Eve Rocking the River City
Grand Rapids
The Music: Hey Marco!
When: 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: Free
The Vibe: The jazzy, R&B influenced pop-rock group will lead the way into the New Year at River City Saloon with plenty of dance-worthy tunes.
Info: http://www.rivercitysaloon.com/
 

OTHER PARTIES

• New Year’s Eve Bash with Billy Strings and Delilah DeWylde at Grand Armory Brewing in Grand Haven

• ’90s New Year’s Eve Party with Bobby Valentino at the DeltaPlex Arena in Walker

• West Mitten Media’s Glow in the Park at Holland’s Park Theatre with DJ Dean Martian, Low Decible, DJ Uno, Influential, DJ Rozay

• New Year’s Eve Diamonds & Pearls at New Holland Brewing in Holland with DJ music

• Union Guns at Back Forty Saloon in Grand Rapids

• A Pleasantly Freaky NYE with That Freak Quincy at Shakespeare’s Pub in Kalamazoo

• Throwback Thursday New Year’s Eve Party at Billy’s Lounge in Grand Rapids

• New Year’s Eve Party with Flexadecibel and Friends at Skeetown Tavern in Muskegon, with Biffy the Beat Slayer, Dr. K’s Medicine Show and The Elephant Celebees

• Buddy Twist New Year’s Eve Show at Red’s Sports Bar & Grill in Middleville

• New Year’s Eve with Reely Keely and Jake & Jimmy at Cheer’s Good Time Saloon in Grand Rapids

• New Year’s Eve Vinyl Night at Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids with Dan Climie, Benjamin Davey, Dan Fisher and Ben Weissenborn

• Soul Patch 10-Year Anniversary Party on New Year’s Eve at Union Street Station in Traverse City, with Brotha James and Turbo Pup

• Youngman & Oldmen playing the New Year’s Eve Party at Salt of the Earth in Fennville

• Trixy Tang playing the New Year’s Eve Party at Itty Bitty Lounge in Holland

Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC