For the Eve of New Year's Eve

As we roll into 2017, there's some fine music choices for the New Year's weekend (good rundown of concerts here).

For the eve of NYE (today for those of you keeping score), here's a few that might sate for saying a slightly early goodbye to 2016. Then you can just hunker down at home on Saturday night with a movie and a bottle of bourbon  ... but I digress. 

Tony Furtado continues his very satisfying week of residency at Al's Den with Casey Neill as his guest (and Stephanie Schneiderman on New Year's Eve)... 7 pm, no cover

Then there's the most excellent swampy roadhouse roots rock of Rich Layton and the Troublemakers at the Kennedy School. This will get your motor running and feets moving ... 7 pm, no cover ... and where I'll be tonight!

Lisa Mann and Her Really Good Band with special guest Ben Rice will rock the next to last night at the sadly closing Jimmy Mak's ... 8 pm, $12

At the Laurelthirst, it's Gerle Haggard for the early show (6 pm, no cover) and Dead Men Talking are at the late show (9:30 pm, $5).

Rae Gordon is at Duff's ... 9 pm, $10

Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons are at the Doug Fir (and on NYE, too) ... 9 pm, $25

If you're headed out on NYE, a few of your choices include:

At Duff's it's the Ben Rice Colossal Group and Sister Mercy.
Caleb Klauder has a NYE Rhinestone Bash at the Spare Room. 

Kevin Selfe and the Tornadoes are at the Blue Diamond.

And, Lewi Longmire has invited a bunch of Laurelhirst regulars (and other musician not working this NYE) for a Straggler's Jam that promises to be a lot of fun - and it's no cover ... you might want to arrive early for this one!

For a more complete listing of NYE events, check out the Willamette Week music schedule.

For a lot of reasons 2016 kinda sucked, and looking ahead to 2017 I'm not encouraged things are going to get any better. It will be interesting, but not necessarily good interesting (maybe more like the interesting of watching a slow moving train wreck ... from the train). So as we face turbulent times, let the music help keep you grounded and sane.

See ya out and about, and a Happy New Year to all! 

    - Jim