Blue Moon Bash
Some may find it odd that our very own Silver Moon Brewing Co would host a New Year's Eve party with the name "Blue Moon Bash," but it's with good reason. Going with the moon theme, this will be the first New Year's Eve in 20 years that there will be a blue moon. In case you didn't know, a blue moon isn't actually blue - approximately every 2.7 years we get an extra full moon in addition to the usual 12. Silver Moon is bringing some of your favorite local bands under the big blue moon to their stage - Empty Space Orchestra, Mosley Wotta, and Eric Tollefson. And what makes it even better? It's absolutely free! Word is, in addition to tasty microbrews the Moon now serves champagne, so there'll be plenty of bubbly to go around at midnight. 9pm. Silver Moon Brewing Co, 24 NW Greenwood Ave. Free. 21 and upMcMenamins New Year's Eve Bash
The Old St. Francis knows how to throw a party. So we expect the brothers McMenamins New Year's bash in Bend to draw crowd. It doesn't hurt that McMenamins has booked the popular local bluegrass band Moon Mountain Ramblers to play a free show. Or step it up a notch with McMenamins' dinner and dancing package ($175 per couple) which includes a four-course meal and cocktails followed by a night of booty-sweat style dancing to the funkified pop of Portland's Intervision. Or step it up two notches and go all in with dinner and overnight package ($420 per couple), which includes the aforementioned dinner, drinks and music plus a place to crash when you do. Breakfast on the other end of the party seals the stay. McMenamins Old St. Francis School. 700 NW Bond. 382-5174. Moon Mountain Ramblers, 9 p.m. Theater. Intervision, 9 p.m. Father Luke's Room.
NYE Masquerade Ball
It's the last day of 2009, so why go out as your same old self? The year is about to be behind us, so why not celebrate in disguise and start the next decade off with a boom. We suggest some of 2009's biggest headline makers - Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Taylor Lautner (all you need is cut-off jean shorts and a fake tattoo on your arm), Taylor Swift, or Kanye West. Entertaining through the night is The JZ Band featuring special guests Brent Alan, Anastacia Scott and Frenchy Mallen. David Z and Joe Leonardi of The JZ Band cook up some bluesy rockin' soul to ring in the New Year. We hear the party goes until all of the masqueraders are revealed and beyond. 8:30pm. Three Creeks Brewing Co, 721 Desperado Ct. Sisters. $5. 21
and up.
Cloaked Characters
When one of Bend's best-known hip-hop acts hosts a party on New Year's Eve, you can bet it's going to be a romp. Yes, people still do describe a fun party as a "romp." Cloaked Characters not only MC the party but will also be DJing the gig, which is billed as a "Gold Party." This means you should wear gold - the color not the metal, because you probably already put all of that in the mail. Damn, gold (or at least the cash exchange thereof) was a big deal this year, wasn't it? Party includes dancing, truffles, champagne and of course the obligatory sweating up of the club's windows. 7pm-2am, Velvet 805 NW Wall St.
Masquerade Party with State of Jefferson
Just when you thought that this one-time Bend stalwart had evaporated from the scene, they return triumphantly to host this blowout at the Summit. State of Jefferson, for those not savvy, is a southern Oregon-based reggae, funk and rock collective that for a while was playing shows in town nearly every weekend. But they've returned for this one-night engagement at the Summit in which, like some other events going on in the area, encourages its revelers arrive in masquerade. If you're trying to dodge the crowds, the Summit's split-level setup allows breathing room, which might be hard to find at some of the spots on the list. Added bonus: complimentary champagne toast at midnight.10pm. Summit Saloon and Stage, 125 NW Oregon Ave. $10 cover. 21 and up.
