In the States for the New Year? Our handy guide to the biggest parties should help keep you dancing into 2009.
December 31st: Hands down the most special day in the year's partying calendar. Whether you're going out on the town, or staying in for a house party, it seems like every man, woman and child is out to maximize their enjoyment on the final night of the year. Sure, both high expectations and prices are the norm, but there's simply no arguing with the quality of parties going on over the New Year.
We begin our American run-down in New York, where all manner of revelers will be satisfied by the options around the city. Digging minimal techno? The Bunker's Blood & Thunder 3 should do the trick, with an 18 hour epic party that will feature Jan Krueger, Kate Simko and a host of local talent in Public Assembly's back room. Ready for some house music legends? Cielo will host a very special edition of Louie Vega and Kevin Hedge's Roots party. Willing to believe in yourself for a solid 24 hours? Danny Tenaglia will be taking the crowd past the afterhours into something else altogether over at Pacha. Down for some trance? Tiesto will be giving you five hours of it over at Roseland Ballroom for the final night in his In Search Of Sunrise tour.
Flying over to Chicago, there are two announced events already that we've got our eye on. Silentcorp's New Years Eve promises a night of live techno from Plus 8 vet Kooky Scientist and Drumcode's Dustin Zahn among others, while house music will be in full effect at Smart Bar with Green Velvet taking care of business behind the decks.
On the West Coast, we've plenty on offer: Los Angeles boasts the likes of Moby, Benny Benassi, Paul Oakenfold and more at the Giant Maximus party, while the more pop-oriented side of dance will also reign over at the Los Angeles Sports Arena with Armin Van Buuren and Deadmau5 performing along with Patrick Bodmer from M.A.N.D.Y.. (We have no idea.) Meanwhile those who can't choose between Oakie and Van Buuren will have Sander Kleinenberg as their third headliner choice. The multimedia-happy DJ will bring in 2009 over at Avalon. Looking to keep it a bit more underground in the LA area? We'd suggest checking into Abe Duque, Nikola Baytala, Alland Byallo, Drumcell and a whole slew of others at Lunar New Years Eve.
The final and perhaps unlikeliest hotbed of techno on New Years Eve? Seattle, whose Decibel Festival is taking the opportunity to book two nights—the 30th and 31st—of electronic music goodness to bring in the New Year. Taking place at one of the festival's main venues, Jesse Rose, Alex Smoke and John Tejada will be in town to perform.
Abe Duque, Maetrik, Nikola Baytala, Alland Byallo, Darius Aleksandar, Drumcell, Developer, Suli Belarto, Ben Annand, Vealchop, Mark E Quark, Doug Prewitt, Nonfiction