NYE Events in So Cal

Orange County

Eagles Performance 8:30 PM

OC Pavilion

801 N. Main St.

Santa Ana, CA 92701

714.550.0880

Info: The band who sang "Hotel California" is playing at the OC Pavilion and counting down to the New Year.

New Year's Eve OC at the Hilton Orange County 8PM-5PM

3050 Bristol

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

714.540.7000

Info: This is an overnight party, lasting until 5AM on seven dance floors with 5,000 attendees. It includes ten live bands and a gaming casino. Tickets sell for $60.

Heat Ultra Lounge 9PM-2AM

321 W. Katella Ave.

Suite 214

Anaheim, CA 92802

212.843.2400

Info: $35 for General Admission, $45 for VIP. Music by Rico De Largo and DJSparx. There will be a balloon drop, party favors, confetti cannons, and fireworks at Disneyland nearby. The party goes until 2 AM.

Shark Club 8PM

841 Baker St.

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

212.843.2400

Info: Two floors, one with hip-hop, house, electro and the second with punta, 80s, cumbias, and reggae. The club also has large projection screens, an outdoor fire patio, and pool tables.

Sutra Lounge 9PM

1870 Harbor Blvd.

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

212.843.2400

Info: The lounge offers dancing to the Starkillers with two dance stages, and DJs like DJ Deone, DJ EFX, Graham Fee and DJ Zemo.

RED Nightclub 9PM to 4AM

4647 MacArthur Blvd.

Newport Beach, CA 92660

212.843.2400

Info: Featuring DJ Tre and Roaming Felons with two rooms and a patio. Music played include hip-hop, house, and Top 40.

Long Beach

The Queen Mary 6PM

1126 Queen's Highway

Long Beach, CA 90802

877.342.0738

Info: Music will include Latin, swing, jazz, a live DJ, and performances by Eddie Wakes and Dueling Pianos. Tickets are $89, not including parking. Fireworks will go off at midnight.

Majestic Yacht 9:30PM to 1:30 AM

100 Aquarium Way

Long Beach, CA 90802

212.843.2400

Info: The 7th Annual NYE party on a 140 foot yacht with two dance areas and an outdoor deck. Tickets are $150 with an open bar and a four-hour cruise on the Long Beach Harbor.

Pine Avenue 7PM

Live performances by Beatles Tribute band American English, The Disco Kings, and Knygt Ryder while dining on Pine Avenue in Long Beach.

Los Angeles

New Year's Extravaganza 9PM to 2AM

6608 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

1.866.842.8212

Info: At the Kress Hollywood there's four floors, an open bar and celebrities. Tickets range from $50 to $175.

The Stiletto and Sneaker Ball 9PM to 2AM

9077 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

866.824.8212

Info: Two floors, three patios, two dance floors with LED lighting, DJs and special gifts, and party favors.

New Years Nation LA @ The Ricardo Montalban Theatre 8PM to 2AM

1615 N. Vine St.

Los Angeles, CA

866.824.8212

Info: It'll be an 80s extravaganza with entrainment by Roy Hay, hosted by KROQ's Rodney, a "lite bites buffet" and a champagne toast at midnight.

Club Orchid 9PM

607 S. Oxford Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90005

866.824.8212

Info: Tickets range from $20-$40 with two floors and a dining area. VIP tickets include all access to VIP area, no waiting time and free appetizers till 11PM.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Band on the Rise: Paper Tongues

Lead Singer of Paper Tongues, Aswan North, might have called it destiny when he ran into Randy Jackson at a restaurant in Los Angeles. North invited Jackson to hear their music and Jackson got a "vibe" from North so he took a chance and looked them up. He immediately signed the band to A&M/Octone Records and has since been promoting them. 

Jackson says he was looking for something different and unique, and Paper Tongues had no hesitation to make it big, believing they "are going to change history." They sound like a mix between U2 and Rage Against the Machine, but have powerful lyrics with strong political messages and songs titled, "For the People" and "Rich and Poor."

Hailing from North Carolina and playing since 2007, Paper Tongues is made up of seven guys, all currently on tour with Switchfoot on The Hello Hurricane Tour. Although it's only been a year since they were signed, they're already hitting the radio with their latest single, "Ride to California" and getting their album ready to debut this summer. 

Paper Tongue's music is positive and refreshing, but has a force that declares their music is here to stay in the music world. On the band's website North says, "I wouldn't want to start a revolution. I believe things only change from the inside out. I don't feel that we can change much unless we join hands with people who have already been bleeding." 

The say their purpose as a band is to bring healing to people, to bad politics, and to a society that needs change. For a country seeking change, Paper Tongues is the perfect dose of music to revive the arts in a way where music and action can merge. 

For more information, visit www.papertongues.com

Katie Cervantes 

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Singing in the New Year

Elvis Christmas

Elvis Presley's (Christmas) spirit lives on in this album with 23 songs, all explore each part of the season. He puts a lot of passion and punch in "Santa Claus is Back In Town" and embraces the tempo of the fifties with "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)." There's more romance and mistletoe to this album, but still has classics like, "O Come, All Ye Faithful." This is more of an album everyone will be able to enjoy.

Brad Paisley Christmas

This album is full-on country with plenty of twang and yee-has. Brad Paisley doesn't let you forget he's a country singer since it definitely feels more country than Christmas. He makes it interesting by playing original songs like "Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday" and "364 Days to Go." Many of these tunes are slow enough to dance to, but some still have the style of Brad Paisley where you can wear your cowboy boots and dance while you decorate the tree.

Christmas In the Heart, Bob Dylan

Said to have "a voice made of sandpaper," Bob Dylan takes himself back to the old-school tunes with "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Winter Wonderland" with an album that sounds as if it's right out of a fifties Western film. There's times when Dylan's voice is noticeably struggling to keep up, but you can hear him enjoying himself with each chord and forgetting about his age.

The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection

With classics like "Santa Baby" and "Silent Night," Taylor Swift has fun showing off her talent instead of trying to make a hit. She makes the album her own by putting a country and pop twist to each of the six songs with banjos in the background and a Southern twang to her voice.

Joy to the World, Faith Hill

Faith Hill went full force in this Christmas album, having plenty of bells and trumpets. "Joy to the World" sounds as if there's a full-on orchestra by her side as she shows off her singing. "What Child Is This?" embraces the more serious tone of Christmas, almost something that's a little chilling, but "Holly Jolly Christmas" goes back to the jolly part that you can sing along to.

Christmas with Weezer

Weezer does a great job sticking to the holiday tunes, but just replacing them with electrical guitars and bass. It definitely sounds like Weezer, but isn't too much rock to where you can't get into the Christmas mood. They even sing "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." They stay true to each song they cover, but still add their own personal touch of Weezer.

Oh, Blue Christmas, A Fine Frenzy

There are few albums out there as creative as A Fine Frenzy's. She sings Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," which sounds like she's right in the heart of his voice, and delicately sings and plays "Winter Wonderland." Her fragile and soft voice are enough to imagine snow is really falling in Southern California as you listen. A few songs even sound like wind is blowing as she plays the piano, which adds a bit of mystery to the lyrics.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com