Here are musician Ken Beasley’s top music picks for a New Year’s Eve on the Lower East Side.
PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND – 8PM at Bowery Ballroom
If you’re planning to ring in the new year on the Lower East Side, what better way to do it than with a downtown legend. Poet, award winning author, and American punk pioneer, Patti Smith, welcomes 2011 at the Bowery Ballroom. On the 31st, the artist that gave us such essential albums as “Horses” and “Easter,” will deliver an experience that will undoubtedly bring on feelings of delivering a death-blow to one year and celebrating the noisy, messy birth of another. $55 // 6 Delancey Street.
WE ARE SCIENTISTS – 8PM at Mercury Lounge
Brooklyn’s We Are Scientists bring their Brit-tinged rock to the Mercury for a New Year’s eve show with Bad Girlfriend, and Rewards. Founding members Keith Murray and Chris Cain were joined by Andy Burrows in 2009, after drummer Michael Tapper’s departure, and are now supporting their 2010 release “Barbara.” $30 advance/$35 door // 217 East Houston Street.
NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE STONE – John Zorn & Marc Ribot – 7PM at The Stone
The Stone, John Zorn’s jazz/avant-garde hot spot will be putting on its own New Year’s celebration with a couple of jazz heavy-weights, one of which is Zorn himself. Starting the night off, the revered saxophonist/composer/arranger will gush forth knotty jazz runs with pals Milford Graves on percussion, and Bill Laswell on bass. Later, (if you’re still standing) guitar warrior Marc Ribot will take the reins, and lead you to the stroke of midnight – and the end of 2010. $40 // Avenue C (at 2nd Street).
Splitting his time between performing and producing, contributor Ken Beasley primarily plays with his own roots/rock band, Ken Beasley & Co., as well as the power punk outfit Missy Sport, while also curating the Underground at the Abrons music series on the Lower East Side.
