Weekend Picks: New Year's Eve, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Jackass Flats, Rattlemouth, Southern Belles, White Laces, Former Champions

New Year's Eve is here and if you want to head out, here's where you can go. There's a big celebration on Brown's Island called RVA NYE. It's FREE if you don't mind the cold, but if you want to get into a heated tent you'll need to be a VIP for $75 or $100 or get a Cabana for you and 19 of your friends for $1500. Don't bring the kids though, this is an 18 and older event. There will be beer trucks and food trucks for all. There will be a 50 foot ball drop at midnight and probably some fireworks too. Music is provided on two stages by Doddie, Mass FX, Hoody, Soulpower, Trill Bill, Fillmore Duo, Mr. Jennings, Reinhold, Micheal Nighttime and Dope Solo. Everything starts at 7 PM. Here's a promo clip.

Jamtronica band Lotus has sold out their show at The National on NYE. But if some pop up, they are $49.50. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers Groove Status and Zoogma. Here's their full set at Camp Bisco in 2013:

But don't fret if you can't get into The National on NYE jam band fans. Over at The Broadberry, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will ring in the new year with The Shack Band. Doors open at 7. Tix are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. The band calling this Alice in One Hit Wonderland so expect some covers of one hit wonders, and there's a lot to choose from. Here' PPPP in Hamden CT on Dec. 13:

Bluegrass band Jackass Flats is at The Camel NYE. Tix are $25 at the door. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with Russell Lacy and then Matt Jones and the Bobs. As you may have gathered from the poster, Jackass Flats will be doing a set of Beatles tunes. Can't go wrong with that especially with Tim Beavers and Matt Volkes from People's Blues of Richmond and Andrew Trongone from Trongone Band sitting in on that Beatles set. Here's Jackass Flats at Camp Barefoot this year:



At the Dogtown Dance Theatre NYE, it's a triple bill with Rattlemouth, Fool's Errand and The Richmanian Ramblers. Doors open at 9 and the Ramblers start things at 9:30. Fool's Errand comes on at 10:30 and Rattlemouth at 11:30. It's $20 to get in and that includes a champagne toast and snacks. Rattlemouth play world groove music so this should be a fun and eminently danceable NYE show. Here's their set at the 2013 43rd St. Music Festival:

If you want to sweat out that NYE hangover, on New Year's Day, The Big Payback (James Brown Tribute) is playing at The Camel. Doors open at 8 and the show starts at 9 with The Flavor Project. It's $7 to get in and there will be free champagne if you didn't have enough the night before. Here's the James Brown Band in 1986 with Maceo Parker taking the lead on sax:



The Southern Belles are back for another First Friday at The Camel. It's $7 to get in. Captain Grandpa will open the show at 9. Here's the Belles first set at the last First Friday at The Camel:



Saturday, Hardywood reveals their new Raspberry Stout with a party that starts at 2 PM. At 5, Christi (four ladies surfing rock n' roll) will play. At 5:30, a band that's generating good buzz all over town, Lady God, hits the stage. 6:30 brings The Awesome Few. The show will close with White Laces coming on at 8:00. It's FREE to get in and food trucks will be there if you get hungry. Here's White Laces performing "Invocation":


Local jamtronica band Former Champions are at The Camel on Saturday. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 and it's $7 to get in. Here's their new video for "Timeless":



Get a hot dog and enjoy some fine blues from The Bush League at City Dogs in the Fan on Saturday night. It's FREE to get in. This is Bush League's last show in RVA before they had to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis to try and bring the gold (or whatever the first place award is) back to Richmond. Here's Bush League in Newport News a couple weeks ago:



That'll do it. Have a Happy New Year! Perhaps I'll see you at Dogtown Dance Theater on NYE.

Here's how New Year's Eve looked in 1975 with Chicago and Olivia Newton-John:


Tony Jordan