New Year’s Eve in Downtown Long Beach will rock a little harder this year with a lineup of indie bands and DJs brought in through the booking powers of 2013 newcomers Federal Bar.
While the last few years of New Year’s Eve parties have been headlined by high-energy cover bands from the Spazmatics to Super Diamond, connections available through Federal Bar–which is owned by the bi-coastal entertainment firm the Knitting Factory–helped put original acts like Long Beach’s Rival Sons and Los Angeles-based eight-piece The Mowgli’s on this year’s main stage.
Though the celebration’s organizers, Downtown Long Beach Associates, have their own in-house team responsible for booking live events like the Summer and Music series, access to Federal Bar’s network of bands opened up new options for the end-of-year party, which closes down several blocks of Pine Ave. until 2AM every New Year’s Eve.
“We always work with all the restaurants on the street when planning these events, but this year with the addition of Federal Bar, we thought it would be a great opportunity to work with them since they have such great connections to entertainment venues with the Knitting Factory,” said DLBA’s Marketing and Special Events Manager, Gina Dartt. “We thought they would be a good resource to reach out to.”
In addition to collaborating with the DLBA to bring bands to the main stage, Federal Bar is also sponsoring its own stage in the parking lot next to the restaurant where Knitting Factory acts like The Knitts and Dekades are slated to perform.
When the clock strikes midnight, however, it will be Long Beach-based rock revivalists Rival Sons on the main stage, performing what the band says is their 98th show this year. Fresh off an international tour, Rival Sons marks the first time an original local band has been tapped to headline Downtown’s New Year’s Eve celebration, a move that makes the annual event more in line with Summer and Music’s indie-supportive programming.
“I think it might bring out a different crowd this year. Hopefully, it will be a lot of fans of these artists that go to see them on tour and people really excited to see Rival Sons back in their hometown,” said Dartt, who noted that the event is expected to draw upwards of 10,000 people. “We thought it’d be a good reflection of Long Beach to have original artists this year. It’s what Long Beach is all about.”
Pine Avenue’s NYE celebration will take place from 8PM-2AM at Pine Ave. and Broadway. Tickets are $20 at the gate. A free family-friendly New Year’s celebration will also take place at Rainbow Harbor from 5PM-10PM and includes music, face painting, balloons and a trackless train.
Additionally, all Long Beach Transit fares are being waived from 5PM-2:30AM and Los Angeles County Metro rides are free after 9PM.
For more information, visit downtownlongbeach.org
{FG_GEOMAP [33.7692672,-118.19238869999998] FG_GEOMAP}