Dallas Concerts To See While Ringing in the New Year

2018 is soon to be in the rearview mirror, and the only way to celebrate — or forget — the last 365 days is to find the biggest party with the best live music. You’ve already received an invite to your friend’s house for cheese and Apple Music playlists, but filing that away as a strong option C, you look elsewhere for a night to remember.

Below are some places guaranteed to be packed with alcohol, dancing strangers and live music blasting long after the clock strikes midnight. Any one of these spots can be your destination to create memories you won’t fully piece together until mid 2019.

Paul Oakenfold at the Lizard Lounge
Doors at 8 p.m., show at 10 p.m.
2424 Swiss Ave.
$25 to $300

World-famous DJ Paul Oakenfold will set up shop at the Lizard Lounge. A multiple-time Grammy nominee, Oakenfold is constantly in the conversation as one of the top DJs in the world, so his appearance at the Lizard Lounge will guarantee to sell out. Tickets range from general admission at a strangely reasonable $25 to the much more expected VIP bottle service for two with table, coming in at $300.

The Revolution at House of Blues
Doors at 8:30 p.m., show at 10 p.m.
2200 N. Lamar St.
$45 to $85

The band formerly known as Prince’s band, The Revolution, will headline House of Blues’ New Year's Eve show. Fans of Purple Rain can see the legendary band in action, honoring the loss of the late musical icon who served as their frontman. General admission tickets will come in under $100, but the variety of VIP upgrades are considerably more lavishly priced. The Let’s Go Crazy package, for instance, is priced $3,000 and includes dinner in the Foundation Room for 10, a VIP suite, 10 tickets to the concert, two bottles of Champagne and two platters of food for the suite. This is a great package if you assume the world is ending tomorrow and you can get one over on American Express.

ISHI at Trees
Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
2709 Elm St.
$17 to $26

For people who like their music served with a psychedelic twist, musical group ISHI will take the stage at Trees to usher in New Year’s Eve with their unique sound. The Dallas-based group takes elements of folk, rock and funk, and mixes them through an electronic filter to create a dreamlike performance that’s as visually arresting as it is captivating to listen to. Also performing are The Rich Girls, a Hall and Oates tribute band that will have you saying, “Wait, that was a Hall and Oates song?” over and over to the person next to you.

Neon Indian at It’ll Do Club
Doors at 9 p.m.
4322 Elm St.
$25

Denton-based Neon Indian will perform a DJ set at It’ll Do Club for its New Year’s Eve celebration. There’s a strong possibility you’ve seen or heard Neon Indian and the maestro creating all the music Alan Palomo, with work featured in Grand Theft Auto V and high-profile appearances on The Tonight Show. If you haven’t had the fortune to experience Palomo’s infectious electric arrangements that can work as both a track to dance or relax to, buy tickets now to make up for lost time.

Meyerson ‘til Midnight
Concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
2301 Flora St.
Tickets $41

For you classy people who drink wine that doesn’t come in boxes, put on your best black tie and enjoy the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerson Symphony Center. The event promises Strauss waltzes, an intermission Champagne toast and after the concert, the party continues to the lobby. Concertgoers can grab a drink at one of the cash bars and take to the dance floor for the venue’s first-ever Meyerson ‘til Midnight event. Photo ops will abound for the evening, so if everyone cooperates, they can recreate that creepy picture at the end of The Shining.

Bryce Merritt at The Rustic
Show starts at 7 p.m.
3656 Howell St.
Free entry with RSVP

Those with lighter wallets should check out The Rustic for NYE as it hosts Nashville-based soul/pop musician Bryce Merritt. By RSVPing ahead, you receive free entry to the concert — with a slight catch. An RSVP does not guarantee a seat or standing room, so the best bet is to arrive early. There is an option to upgrade to VIP, with $50 buying you access to a VIP lounge with an unobstructed view of the stage. Select appetizers will be served in the VIP lounge, and it’s recommended they are best enjoyed eaten while making direct eye contact with some scummy non-VIP on the other side of the velvet rope.

Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights at The Granada
Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m.
3524 Greenville Ave.
$24 to $80

Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights will close out the night at Granada’s last show of 2018. Tyler’s music is fast, loud, pure rock-infused with a Southern influence that, at first glance, makes the viewer mistake the band as a country act. The Dallas roots of the band add a twang to the lyrics and guitars, but the heart of the music is something more akin to Soundgarden or the waves of bands that took their influence and ran. The Vandoliers and Ottoman Turks will also be on hand to perform.