Cities & Towns

New Year's Eve in New York: Top Clubs, Shows, Live Music & Dancing in Brooklyn

New Years Eve 2012: "Most Rockin'," "Most Vegas," "Most Soul" Clubs & Events

See More About:

Go out on the town for a New York New Year's Eve — in Brooklyn! You can get tickets to concerts, shows, live music, and dance parties from one end of the borough to another. At a couple of venues, you can even watch aerialists doing trapeze stunts as you sip champagne.

So, where to go? We've put together a list for you of the "Most" places: the Most Vegas New Year's Party in Brooklyn, The Bawdiest New Year's Show in Brooklyn, The Most Soulful New Year's Eve in Brooklyn, and more.

Compared to Manhattan, Brooklyn's New Year's events are affordable, too. Prices range from the sublime to the ridiculous: $5 to $250 per person.

"THE MOST" LIST: BROOKLYN'S TEN TOP NEW YEARS EVE VENUES 2011

1. MOST VEGAS NEW YEAR'S EVE SHOW: Galapagos (in DUMBO, Brooklyn)

Galapagos

Cabaret! New Years Eve 2011 at Galapagos will be a fabulous "Paris in the 1920's" theme party, complete with two hours of burlesque and trapeze performances, followed by a hot DJ dance party. Look for awesome stunts and lots of bells and whistles including a surprise midnight "ball" drop at this usually sold-out event.

Guests are invited to dress up in the styles of the 1920's.

Why Paris in the roaring '20s? A spokesperson for Galapagos said, "Every year we make New Years Eve into the event we would want to go to if we weren't working that night. To that end, we have created a beautiful, over-the-top version of our weekly hit and flagship Saturday night show, Floating Kabarette."

Where: 16 Main Street, DUMBO.
When: Doors open 8 P.M., live show 10 P.M. Dancing from midnight until...
Admission: $150. The admission price includes entertainment and an open bar until 1 A.M.
Contact/website: http://galapagosartspace.com

Need costume ideas? It's not very 1929ish. But then again, maybe it is: Occupy Wall Street costumes (DIY of course).

2. BAWDIEST PARTY: Knitting Factory—"Murray Hill's Extravaganza" (Williamsburg)

This New Year's Eve, the Knitting Factory's Brooklyn outpost is featuring "Murray Hill's Annual NYE Extravaganza."

This well-known East Village drag king comedian hosts a bawdy, boozy variety show. Mr. Murray Hill is the self-described ringleader of a "circus of burlesque bombshells, ballsy and bawdy singers, legendary performance artists, a monkey" and other surprise acts.

Where: 361 Metropolitan Avenue.
When: Doors open at 9:30 P.M., show begins at 10:30 P.M.
Admission: $25 - $100.
Contact/website: Tel: (347) 529-6696. http://bk.knittingfactory.com

3. MOST ROCKIN' NEW YEAR'S EVE CONCERT: Music Hall of Williamsburg

For New Year's Eve, the excellent Music Hall of Williamsburg (read more about it) presents The Budos Band and Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires, with pre-show happy hour drink specials.

Where: 66 N. 6th St. near Wythe Avenue.
When: Doors open at 8 P.M.; show starts at 10 P.M.
Admission: 18 and over. $40 advance purchase.
Contact: (718) 486-5400.

4. MOST RUBBIN' NEW YEAR'S EVE DANCE-A-THON: Southpaw (in Park Slope)

Why fix what ain’t broke? Southpaw’s got a winning recipe for its monthly club night — and that’s what they’re rolling out for New Year’s Eve 2011. It's called "The Rub New Year's." The name may be inside-baseball, but don't let that rub you the wrong way; their "classics & hip-hop party" has won kudos for years. "We do it Brooklyn style," say the organizers. Their recipe for a successful night out includes great dance music, affordable drinks, and "no dress code, no bottle service, no VIPs and no celebrity DJs." That's what you'll find here on December 31 and the wee hours of January 1, too.

Where: 125 Fifth Avenue between St. Johns and Sterling Place.
When: Door opens at 9 P.M., party ends at 4 A.M.
Admission $40. Age 21, with ID.
Contact/website: (718) 230 - 0236. http://spsounds.com/

5. MOST SOUL NEW YEAR'S EVE EVENT: The Bell House (in Gowanus)

Bell House

This New Year's Eve, check out the Bell House, a popular venue tucked away in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. For December 31, the billing here features a soul double-header: Lee Field, a female counterpart to James Brown, and former Brooklynite Sugar Pie DeSanto (who claims she hasn’t been back since she left Brooklyn to sing at the Apollo Theatre some 40 years ago). The evening ends with DJs spinning soul and funk 45s for the dance floor.

Where: 149 7th Street, in the Gowanus neighborhood.
When: Doors open at 8:30 P.M.; show starts at9:30 P.M.
Tickets $45 advance purchase; $50 day of the show.
Contact/website: (718) 643-6510. www.thebellhouseny.com.

6. MOST INTIMATE NEW YEAR'S EVE VENUE: Pete's Candy Store (in Williamsburg)

Pete's Candy Store, formerly an actual candy store, may prove a little inconvenient to get to, but that's part of its charm. The moody, shabby-chic interior and tiny backroom performance space lend new meaning to the term "intimate." Come to this classic Williamburg music-poetry-community venue on December 31st for a 9:30 performance of A Locamotive and, to get you into the new year, Lizzie and The Makers. There will be action and live music until 4 A.M.

Where: 709 Lorimer between Frost and Richardson Streets.
When: 8:30 P.M. — 4 A.M.
Contact/website: (718) 302-3770. http://petescandystore.com.

7. MOST DELICIOUS ROCK CONCERT FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE: Brooklyn Bowl (in Williamsburg)

Brooklyn Bowl

Brooklyn Bowl promises to rock from the minute the doors open at 6 P.M.on New Year's Eve. Featured bands are Lucero and Deer Tick and Friends, along with J. Roddy Walston and the Business, Dead Confederate, Virgin Forest. Read a review of Brooklyn Bowl.

Where: 61 Wythe Ave.
When: Show starts at 8 P.M.
Tickets: $60
Contact/website: (718) 963-3369. http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event

8. MOST CZAR-LIKE NEW YEAR'S EVE: Tatiana Russian Nightclub (in Brighton Beach)

For a blow-out extravagant night with a large group of friends, book a reservation at Tatiana's Russian nightclub on the Brighton Beach Boardwalk. It's one of a handful of Russian nightclubs that have incredible floor shows every weekend. So of course, for New Year's Eve, they'll do it up even more; you can expect a completely over-the-top show, with live music and dancing.

Advance reservations a must. After all that vodka, so is a pre-booked taxi or designated driver to get you home safely on New Year's Eve.

Where: 3152 Brighton 6th Street.
When: 9 P.M. - 3 A.M.
Price: $250 per person includes floor show, dinner and limited alcohol.
Contact/website: (718) 891-5151. http://tatianarestaurant.com

9. MOST 5 NEW YEAR'S EVE: Union Hall (in Park Slope)

Both the upstairs (usually a bar) and downstairs (usually a performance space) of this huge venue will be transformed in honor of the holiday. Expect a crowd.

Some former Republican presidential candidates talked a lot about 9,9,9; at Union Hall this New Year's Eve, it's all about 5,5,5. This hip institution (what other bar boasts an indoor bocce court?) is celebrating its fifth birthday this December by offering patrons a $5 entry and $5 drink specials.

They are also calling in some of their all time favorite acts — and giving away an iPad. Entertainment by DJ Lord Easy; karoke with Karoke Killed the Cat.

Where: 702 Union Street off 5th Avenue in Park Slope.
When: Festivities start at 8 P.M.
Tickets/Admission: $5 (the birthday special)
Contact/website: (718) 638-4400. http://unionhallny.com.

10. MOST...WHATEVER...NEW YEAR'S EVE: Union Pool (in Williamsburg)

If you're in the neighborhood, stop in at this classic, low-key, hipster Williamsburg joint. To quote their website in mid-December, just weeks before what is generally the biggest night of the year in the bar-and-restaurant business: "champagne, musics, performances, celebrities, & no shortage of smooches. but, when is that ever not the case. anyways... more info to come, but this will surely be a thigh smacker of a good time." In short, they'll do something for New Year's Eve, but hey, it's not clear yet what. Cool.