Party like it's 1978, or 1993, or 2000, or maybe even 2011.

December 31, 2011 4:19 PM

It's New Years Eve (or already the first day of the new year, depending on where you are), and you may be looking for something other than the radio to play for a countdown. Head backwards, then, to cruise into the 80s with the Grateful Dead for the closing of Winterland. Or join the Janglers to say goodby to 1993 and hello to 1994 at Peabody's Downunder. You can check out twelve hours of Essential Mixing and relive the transition from 2000 to 2001. Get closer to the present day with some big band and swing into 2010 in style. Say hello to 2011 with B.A.G.S. (Bullman, Ashworth, Guggino, Sipe), spend an hour and a half with Blu Mar Ten or six and a half hours with Mr Scruff. And if you're looking for something new for tonight, try some mixes from Redondo, Montreal Funk Monkeys, and a countdown minimix from DJ Raymix.
posted by filthy light thief (21 comments total)

Arg. The 12-hour long Essential Mix audio isn't linked from the MixesDB page above, but can be found through the usual nefarious means of rapidly sharing and whatnot.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:23 PM on December 31, 2011

That is a great big bunch of tunes there! WBGO is doing Toast of the Nation starting at 8pm EST, ringing in the New Year in every US timezone. I'm parking my dial there.
posted by vrakatar at 4:31 PM on December 31, 2011

Is this the New Year's thread?

I just got home from a New Year's concert / fighter-jet show and my ears are still ringing, I'm still remarkably drunk, I have someone's glitter stuck in my hair, I think the giant videoscreen countdown gave me epilepsy.

So can I just, like... crash on the floor in here for awhile? You all can just step over me, or draw stuff on me, or shave my eyebrows. I really don't care anymore. Just need world to stop spinning.

This took way too long to type, I'm getting too old for this etc... gnight you crazy kids.
posted by rokusan at 4:35 PM on December 31, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think I'll just stay in and drink until I pass out. Just like any other night.
posted by Decani at 4:55 PM on December 31, 2011 [1 favorite]

Happy New Year, rokusan. You are remarkably good at spelling while drunk.
posted by saturday_morning at 4:56 PM on December 31, 2011

OK, if this is the NYE thread, here is my toast. (insert favorite toast here: no puns, please)

This is actually my least favorite holiday, because, aside from its ontological meaninglessness, I spent about twenty years in a row playing music for New Year's Eve parties, because that is the one night we musicians get paid double. The usual vibe felt like people trying just a little too hard to have a good time, and using alcohol to facilitate this goal. Half the time, not enough people were showing up in the view of whoever was paying for the affair.

But tonight, we are lighting logs on fire in the fireplace (always nice) and inviting people over to eat and drink and talk. And, for a change, my music-making will be for a New Year's brunch tomorrow.

Happy 2012, friends.
posted by kozad at 4:59 PM on December 31, 2011

Thanks Saturday morning. I can do amazing things with my eyes 1 inch above the keyboard and auto-correcting red squiggles.. I can easily break 10words per minute. Usually.
posted by rokusan at 5:16 PM on December 31, 2011

Yay New Years thread! My parents skyped me from holiday in Dubai this afternoon a few minutes before midnight there, and I made them point the laptop out the window so I could watch the fireworks set off all over the Burj Khalifa. About to head out to my own NYE celebrations but I don't know if they'll be able to measure up!
posted by yellowbinder at 5:26 PM on December 31, 2011

We've got a recording of Dick Clark's Rockin' NYE from 1979 that the wife and I will be watching, with special musical guests Rick James, The Village People, Chuck Mangione, and a few more. Eric Estrada and the event director woman from The Love Boat are the celeb hosts.

Timing the ball drops to be synced between 1979 and now is the tricky part.
posted by chambers at 5:27 PM on December 31, 2011 [2 favorites]

I haven't even started drinking yet, wait for me guys.
posted by The Whelk at 5:38 PM on December 31, 2011

Coldplay was pretty freaking great, yellowbinder.
posted by rokusan at 5:40 PM on December 31, 2011

Hah, were they playing? I only got my dad's kitty (or rocket?) sound effects.
posted by yellowbinder at 5:45 PM on December 31, 2011

Bar will be open here for a good long time....I'm going to eat noodles and play bloodbowl. Here is a song for anyone missing a loved one.
posted by vrakatar at 5:54 PM on December 31, 2011

Happy New Year, everyone! Tonight's the 30th anniversary of my first Grateful Dead show, 12-31-1981 (link to archive.org audio of the show). Maybe not quite as epic as the 1978 Closing of Winterland show in the FPP, but not far behind -- they played four sets, and Ken Kesey counted us down to midnight perched astride a trapeze high above the stage, as it were. It was a killer show, and Bill Graham fed us all breakfast afterwards. While driving us home, my friend suddenly felt compelled to turn on the windshield wipers, "to clear away the giant bugs collecting on the windshield." Fun times, fun times. :-)

Peace, and a safe 2012 to all.
posted by mosk at 6:41 PM on December 31, 2011 [2 favorites]

I became a bit of a deadhead after I stayed up all night to listen to the New Years Eve Dead show at Winterland on KSAN radio (1977?). Guess it was the year before the closing. I still have some tape. They played "Terrapin Station" and it was just magical. Amazing.
posted by zomg at 6:47 PM on December 31, 2011

filthylightthief,

Thanks much, but where's the Mr Scruff mix? I think you duplicated the Blu Mar Ten link.
posted by lukemeister at 7:20 PM on December 31, 2011

I think the Mr. Scruff mix is this one w/ Floating Points (<-- amazing 2011 record, btw!!).
posted by raihan_ at 7:30 PM on December 31, 2011 [1 favorite]

Nope, it should be this mix (and I just came across his 2009-2010 NYE mix, for another 6 hours of fun and games.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:11 PM on December 31, 2011 [2 favorites]

Thanks for the Janglers links. That brings back wonderful northern Ohio memories. Happy New Year!
posted by keds at 9:11 PM on December 31, 2011

I last saw the Grateful Dead in 1968. Missed a few shows after that, I guess.
posted by kozad at 8:25 AM on January 1

Mr Scruff's 2011-12 NYE mix, another 6.5 hours of music on Soundcloud.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:18 AM on January 15 [1 favorite]