U.s. Cities Host Big New Year's Eve Shows

Although what is arguably the most well-known New Year's Eve celebration in New York's Times Square consists of little more than confetti and a sparkling ball, live music is playing a part in many celebrations across the United States tonight (Dec. 31).

Perhaps surprisingly, Big Apple venues will host the lion's share of acts associated with the jam band scene welcoming in the New Year on stage. The String Cheese Incident, Gov't Mule, Particle, the Disco Biscuits and former Phish guitarist Mike Gordon are all appearing on separate stages in New York, which will also host the indie rock triumvirate of Wilco, the Flaming Lips and Sleater-Kinney at Madison Square Garden.

In Los Angeles, the streets of the city's downtown will be turned into a massive club scene, with the likes of Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, Mark Farina and the Crystal Method, as well as modern rock act the Killers, populating several stages for the Giant Village 2005 celebration.

The Crystal Method will also be among the many acts playing Las Vegas tonight, putting in a set in Sin City before heading to L.A. Vegas will also host shows by resident Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Jadakiss, Velvet Revolver, Alanis Morissette and the Temptations, among others.

From Chicago (Train, Cracker, Urge Overkill, RJD2) to New Orleans (Buddy Guy, Galactic) to Atlanta (Trick Pony, Cowboy Mouth) to Austin, Texas (Los Lonely Boys, the Iguanas), there's plenty of bands gearing up to welcome 2005. Here's a glance at the talent playing some of the major U.S. cities:

NEW YORK
• Wilco, the Flaming Lips and Sleater-Kinney at Madison Square Garden
• The String Cheese Incident at Radio City Music Hall
• Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theatre
• Particle, Buckethead and Kaiju Big Battel at Irving Plaza
• The Disco Biscuits at Hammerstein Ballroom
• Eartha Kitt and former Phish guitarist Mike Gordon at B.B. King's Blues Club
• Patti Smith and the Drive-By Truckers at the Bowery Ballroom
• Michael Feinstein and Ann Hampton Callaway at Feinstein's at the Regency
• Spyro Gyra at the Iridium Jazz Club
• Garland Jeffreys at Joe's Pub
• John Zorn and Brazilian Girls at the Knitting Factory
• Mike Patton and Trans Am at the Knitting Factory
• Murphy's Law at the Continental
• The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players at Tonic
• Zen Tricksters at the Tribeca Rock Club

LOS ANGELES AREA
• John Digweed, Mark Farina, Paul Oakenfold, the Crystal Method and the Killers at Giant Village 2005 (downtown Los Angles)
• The Doors Of The 21st Century at the House Of Blues (Anaheim)
• Al Green at the Grove of Anaheim (Anaheim)
• James Moody, Paula West and Eric Reed Clancy's Crab Broiler (Glendale)
• Steve Tyrell at the Catalina Bar & Grill (Hollywood)
• Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys at the Derby (Hollywood)
• Dave Mason at the Malibu Inn (Malibu)
• Warrant at Murphy's Irish Resturant (Simi Valley)
• Gram Rabbit, Bootie Quake and the Vacation at the Viper Room (West Hollywood)
• Teena Marie at the House Of Blues (West Hollywood)

SAN FRANCISCO AREA
• Reverend Horton Heat and Vise Grip at Bimbo's 365 Club
• John Lee Hooker Jr. at Biscuits 'N Blues
• Lyrics Born at Cow Palace
• Tea Leaf Green and ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) at the Great American Music Hall
• Cyndi Lauper at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero
• The Les Claypool Frog Brigade and Gabby La La at the Fillmore
• Soulive and Bing Ji Ling at the Independent
• Chuck Prophet at the Ivy Room (Albany)
• Will Downing, KEM, Kenny Lattimore, Paul Mooney, Sheryl Underwood and Earthquake at the Paramount Theatre (Oakland)
• Joshua Redman at Yoshi's (Oakland)
• Guitar Shorty at Ukiah Brewing (Ukiah)

LAS VEGAS
• Celine Dion at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace
• Mariah Carey and Jadakiss at Caesars Palace
• moe. at the Cox Pavilion
• The Crystal Method at the Fashion Show Mall
• BTO at the Fremont Street Experience
• Velvet Revolver at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel
• Alanis Morissette at the House Of Blues
• Reel Big Fish, Guttermouth, the Matches, Zebrahead, Voodoo Glow Skulls and Suburban Legends at Jillian's
• Rick Springfield at the Silverton Casino
• The Temptations at the Stardust Resort & Casino
• Paul Revere & the Raiders at the Sun Coast Hotel

SEATTLE
• Jello Biafra at Neumo's
• BT's Laptop Symphony and the Kottonmouth Kings at Qwest Field
• Super Diamond at the Showbox

CHICAGO
• RJD2 at the Abbey Pub
• Cracker and Michael Tolcher on the Back Porch at the House Of Blues
• Magic Slim & the Teardrops at Buddy Guy's Legends
• Susan Werner at Davenport's Cabaret
• Local H and Detroit Cobras at the Double Door
• Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Big Head Todd & the Monsters and Michael McDermott at the Grand Ballroom at the Navy Pier
• Train, Gavin DeGraw and Ingram Hill at the House Of Blues
• Urge Overkill, Suffrajett, the Sights and the University at Logan Square Auditorium
• Guided By Voices at the Metro
• Umphrey's McGee at the Riviera Theatre
• Bobby Bare Jr. and Nora O'Connor at Schubas
• Liquid Soul at Subterranean
• Lizz Wright at Symphony Center

ATLANTA
• Trick Pony at Cowboy's Concert Hall
• Five Eight at Downtown Countdown
• The Lost Trailers and the Kennesaw Bo Band at Earthlink Live
• Cowboy Mouth at the Marriott Marquis Ballroom
• Nashville Pussy at Masquerade Music Park
• Sister Hazel, Edwin McCain Band and Aslyn at the Peach Drop
• Tortoise and Sound Tribe Sector 9 at Tabernacle
• The Derek Trucks Band, Alvin Youngblood Hart's Muscle Theory and Kevn Kinney's Sun Tangled Angel Revival at the Variety Playhouse

NEW ORLEANS
• Buddy Guy and Jon Cleary at the House Of Blues
• Dash Rip Rock and Bag Of Donuts at Howlin' Wolf
• Robert Walter's 20th Congress at the Maple Leaf
• Kid Koala at the State Palace Theatre
• Galactic and the Stooges Brass Band at Tipitina's Uptown

DALLAS
• Slobberbone at the Barley House
• Jerry Jeff Walker at Gilley's Dallas
• The Old 97's and Thrift Store Cowboys at the Granada Theater
• Monte Montgomery at Poor David's Pub

HOUSTON
• Robert Earl Keen at the Hobby Center

AUSTIN
• Bob Schneider and Jake Andrews at Antone's
• Los Lonely Boys at the Austin Music Hall
• The Iguanas at the Continental Club
• B.J. Thomas at the Palmer Event Center
• The Gourds at Stubb's Barbeque
• Brave Combo at the Westlake Presbyterian Church

BOSTON AREA
• Aaron Carter at City Hall Plaza
• Ellis Paul at Club Passim (Cambridge)
• Guy Davis at First Night (Worcester)
• Chris Botti at Sculler's (Allston)
• Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson & The Magic Rockers at Union Blues (Worcester)

PHOENIX AREA
• Gaither Homecoming at the America West Arena
• Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers at the Celebrity Theatre
• The Fixx at the Ultimate Block Party (Scottsdale)

DETROIT AREA
• Blanche and the Greenhornes at the Magic Stick
• Was (Not Was) at the Royal Oak Music Theatre (Royal Oak)
• Todd Snider at the Ark (Ann Arbor)
• Sponge and 60 Second Crush at the Belmont (Hamtramck)

WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA
• The Pietasters at the (9:30 Club)
• Carbon Leaf and the Lloyd Dobler Effect at the Grand Hyatt
• Rachael Lampa at the Hope Christian Church (Lanham, Md.)
• Brian Culbertson at the Hyatt Regency (Reston, Va.)
• Kurt Elling at the Kennedy Center
• Fighting Gravity at the Wyndham Washington D.C.