New Year’s Eve 2006
East siders can head on over to Ernie King’s Mill (16555 19 Mile Rd., Clinton Township; 586-286-8435). The ticket price of $125 includes a chef-prepared dinner buffet and a premium open bar. It’s open to 21+ and will run 8 p.m.-3 a.m. Top 40 dance tunes will be provided by a DJ in the main ballroom, while the second ballroom has been slated for all-night karaoke. Complimentary rides home also provided.
Angela Hospice Charity Event
Laurel Manor (39000 Schoolcraft Rd., Livonia; 734-953-6018) will host a Roaring ’20s-themed New Year’s Eve party to raise money for Angela Hospice. Tickets are $125 per person ($55 of it is tax-deductible) and includes a sit-down dinner, hors d’oeuvres, a nine-piece orchestra, an authentic 1920s auto exhibit and a Champagne toast at midnight. Ladies will receive a feather boas, and gentlemen, a boutonniere. A shuttle service will be provided to the nearby Courtyard by Marriott in Livonia (734-462-2000 for hotel reservations).
New Year’s Eve with Second City
The new Second City (42705 Grand River Ave., Novi; 248-348-3838) is offering three separate packages for New Year’s Eve: For $89.95, there’s the “dinner and show” package, which includes a 5 p.m. dinner and a 7 p.m. performance of Second City’s long-running In iPod We Trust; for $149.95 you can get the “dinner show and dirty martini” package, which includes a 7 p.m. dinner, 9 p.m. show and admittance to the Dirty Martini Lounge; and for $99.95 there’s the “dinner and dancing” package, which includes a meal at Andiamo and dancing in the dining room. All packages include a Champagne toast and party favors.
Detroit Repertory’s New Year’s Eve Celebration
Last chance to see R.W. Burda’s comedy Heart Attack at the Detroit Repertory Theatre (13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit; 313-868-1347). The $75 ticket price includes an intimate pre-show cocktail party of Champagne and appetizers, followed by a 9 p.m. performance. Buffet dinner and dessert after the show.
Mötley Crüe
The Palace of Auburn Hills (4 Championship Dr., Auburn Hills; 248-377-0100) welcomes decadent metal rockers Mötley Crüe for an evening of crunchy guitar and crunchier hair. Tickets ($55-$125) were still available at press time.
Spencer Barefield Quartet
Jazzheads can settle in at the cozy Harlequin Café (8047 Agnes St., Detroit; 313-331-0922) with the Spencer Barefield Quartet. Barefield will be joined by Dave McMurray on saxophone, Toronto’s David Young on bass and Djallo Djakate Keita on drums. The $40 cover charge includes a dinner buffet and a Champagne toast at midnight.
New Year’s Eve at the Historic White Horse Inn
The White Horse Inn (1 E. High St., Metamora; 810-678-2150) offers a romantic alternative to the usual heady fare. For $40 guests can enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the quaint town of Metamora, a delicious dinner and live acoustic guitar music from Jason Waggoner. Visit historicwhitehorseinn.com for more info.
New Year’s Eve Bleu-Out 2006
For those who take their boogie very seriously, Detroit’s popular dance club, Bleu (1540 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-222-1900) is the place to be. This year, they welcome Los Angeles DJs Richard Humpty Vission (System Recordings/Thrive Music) and Static Revenger (Systen Recordings). Detroit’s Shawn Michaels will DJ as well. Cover charge is $30.
Slum Village at the Majestic
The Majestic Theatre (4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-9700) brings hometown rappers Slum Village for a bumpin’ evening of dance and rhyme. Tickets are $30. Bar will be open until 4 a.m.
Red Wings Hockey
It’s at Joe Louis Arena (600 Civic Center Dr., Detroit; 313-983-6606; detroitredwings.com), tickets are $27-$85. Wings face the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. What more do you need to know?
New Year’s Eve 2006 Spree
Mall rats will love this one: Tonic Nightclub (29 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac; 248-334-7411) will raffle off a $1,000 shopping spree at the Somerset Collection. For $20, partygoers can enjoy an all-night dance party as well as a complimentary buffet and a Champagne toast at midnight. Proper club attire required.
25th Anniversary Party at Clutch Cargo’s
My how times flies — Clutch Cargo’s (65 E. Huron St., Pontiac; 248-333-2362) commemorates anniversary No. 25 this year. In celebration, the legendary club is putting on quite a bash. Music will be provided by Tortured Soul and DJ Powdrblu. There will also be a prize-filled balloon drop that includes such fabulous prizes as two round-trip tickets to Acapulco, free teeth-whitening, Lover’s Lane coupon books, six hours of limo service and more. Cover is $15, 18+ only. This is a Metro Times-sponsored event.
The Bang!
This soul-stomp dance party at the Blind Pig (208 S. First St., Ann Arbor; 734-996-8555) is one of the few rock ’n’ roll events that actually gets the kids away from the bar and onto the dance floor. Past performers have included Esquire, the Hard Lessons, the Avatars and the Hentchmen, and this year’s dance extravaganza welcomes Saturday Looks Good to Me and sex-positive electro-clashers Johnny Headband. This is where the rock kids go to sweat. Cover is $15. 18+ welcome.
New Year’s Eve Odyssey
Radioheads might dig the 89X New Year’s bash at the Emerald Theatre (31 N. Walnut St., Mt. Clemens; 586-913-1920). DJ Mike Fresh and 89X’s own DJ Holly will spin. Tickets are $10 advance/$15 door. VIP tickets are available and include no waiting in line, reserved areas within the club and catering. 21+ only.
Clone Defects Reunion Show
The Painted Lady (2930 Jacob St., Hamtramck; 313-874-2991) brings back one of Detroit’s most popular punk bands, the Clone Defects. And though several of the Defects have moved on to form other outfits (Human Eye, the Valentino’s, Alex White), they will ring in 2006 retro-style. They’ll be joined by Izquieardo, an experimental Latin-rock outfit featuring Andi F.M. of His Name is Alive and former members of the Piranhas. Cover charge is $10.
A.K.A. Mabus
Small’s (10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; 313-873-1117) brings a bit of the bizarre to New Year’s. For $6, there’s music from A.K.A. Mabus (former Bump-N-Uglies), alien surf punk from the Amino Acids, cow punk courtesy of Country Bob & the Bloodfarmers, hardcore from the Bill Bondsmen and a performance from the hilarious one-man band Scotty Karate. 21+
The Ninth Show
For those who would like to avoid the wilder side of New Year’s, the 101up Gallery in Cass Corridor (4470 Second Ave., Detroit; 313-415-6364) presents The Ninth Show: Figure and Field, an opening reception for artists Brian Barr, Leman Lambert, Bryant Tillman and Jeremy Mann. This free event will feature figurative portraits from Barr and Lambert and abstract “field” paintings from Tillman and Mann. Live music will be provided and there will be a Champagne toast at midnight. Runs 6 p.m.-1 a.m.
B-Movie Marathon on TCM
Who says you even need to leave the house on New Year’s Eve? There’s plenty of entertainment right there on the boob tube. Take TCM’s all-night B-movie marathon for example, the kitsch-filled lineup is as follows:
8 p.m.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
9:30 p.m.
The Quatermass Experiment (1956)
11 p.m
The Thing That Came From Another World (1951)
12:30 a.m.
It Came From Outer Space (1953)
2 a.m.
The Blob (1958)
3:30 a.m.
Village of the Damned (1960)