Ring In The New - Part Two

DinoPetty graphic taken from Tributosaurus website.

More last minute suggestions for fun ways to close out 2009.

Tributosaurus has made quite a name for itself by performing a tribute to a different musical act each month, usually at Martyrs on Lincoln Avenue, and occasionally at Park West and other venues. Core members Curt Morrison, Chris Neville, Dan Leali, Jon Paul, and Matt Spiegel enlist guest musicians to help out, and are so detail-oriented they describe the experience as “becoming” their chosen artists. For $35, you can watch Tributosaurus, along with Grant Tye and Greg Suran, play Tom Petty’s biggest hits as well as several of his album tracks at Martyrs on New Year’s Eve. If you got Petty’s The Anthology Live box set for Christmas and are aching to recreate some of those dynamic performances in a club setting, this could be a New Year’s Eve to remember. 773-404-9494

Durty Nellies in Palatine scored a major coup with its booking of The Smoking Popes for New Year’s Eve. The Chicago-based, highly influential cutting-edge rock band broke up in 1999 after eight years, but came together for a well-received reunion show at Metro in 2005. The Smoking Popes decided to stick around, and released the critically acclaimed Stay Down in 2008. It’s Been A Long Day, a collection of the band’s early indie material plus some previously unreleased tracks, is scheduled to drop in early 2010, but fans will be able to buy copies at Durty Nellies. Admission for the show, which also includes opening acts Chicago alt-rockers Makeshift Prodigy and the Texas three-woman band Girl In A Coma, is $55. 847-358-9150

People looking to add a little Chicago skyline to their revelry can make reservations for Rock N’ Roll New Year’s Eve Experience, which is sponsored by The Signature Room at The 95th and 97.1 The Drive. The lavish setting, way up in the Hancock Building, is a definite change of venue for The New Invaders, who are used to performing their spirited covers of mid to late 1960s rock songs at outdoor festivals and clubs around the Chicago area. This fun band faithfully recreates a wide range of material, using talented singers, musicians, and go-go-girls. In addition to The Byrds, The Monkees, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, they’ll probably throw in a few tunes by recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, The Hollies. Also joining in the merrymaking are The Tony Calderisi Trio and Soda. (Sorry, couldn't find a website for either of these acts.) The $200 per person ticket price covers gourmet food, an open bar, and dancing. The Signature Room is also a unique place to watch the midnight fireworks going off at nearby Navy Pier. 312-787-9596

Finally, a tip of the party hat to musicians-actors-filmmakers James and Carla, who will be hosting a BYOB shindig for a few friends at their new Black Forest space in Evanston. This one isn’t open to the public, but their unique, mixed-media shows soon will be, and I wish them the best of luck for a successful season in 2010.