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Not in the mood to stay at home and watch the tape-delayed TV broadcast of the ball dropping in Times Square on Dec. 31?
Well, fortunately, there are plenty of other ways to spend the last night of 2019.
And many of them have to do with music.
The following is a look at the top New Year’s Eve concerts going on in the Bay Area. The offerings range from jam-rock and EDM to funk and salsa — and beyond. Oh, and there is also plenty of comedy, for those who want to yuk it up on Dec. 31.
So just pick a flavor, call up some friends, and get out there and groove your way right into 2020.
Dead & Company
The Grateful Dead’s annual NYE runs in the Bay Area were the stuff of legends, as Jerry Garcia and his talented pals jammed from one year right into the next.
Dead & Company is carrying on that mighty tradition with its own year-ending two-night run, Dec. 30-31, at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
It should be a fun way to mark the first New Year’s Eve at the new home of the Golden State Warriors, as this Grateful Dead offshoot — featuring the Dead’s own Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann as well as John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti — roll out the classic jam band tunes.
Details: 7 p.m. Dec. 30, 8 p.m. Dec. 31; $50-$199; www.ticketmaster.com
The Whispers
It’s always boogie season when this funky R&B act hits the stage. So lace up your dancing shoes and head on over to Paramount Theatre in Oakland on Dec. 31 to groove away the last night of 2019 with the Whispers.
The band, which got its start in Los Angeles in the early ‘60s and then relocated to the Bay Area a few years later, boasts a songbook that includes such soulful hits as “Rock Steady” and “And the Beat Goes On.”
Vocalist Lenny Williams, who many know for his work with Tower of Power in the ‘70s, is also on the bill.
Details: 8 p.m.; $45.75-$89.75; www.paramounttheatre.com
Maceo Parker
This is turning out to be one of the Bay Area’s best musical traditions, as the mighty saxophonist/band leader celebrates the new year for the sixth consecutive time at the SFJazz Center in San Francisco.
Parker is one of the funkiest players on the planet, who is known for collaborating with such talents as James Brown, George Clinton, Fred Wesley and Prince. He’ll be performing five shows in four nights at the venue — one per night Dec. 28-30 and then two shows on Dec. 31. Saxophonist Candy Dulfer is a special guest for the shows.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28-30, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31; $25-$105; www.sfjazz.org
Deadmau5
The EDM icon, who many know best for his oversized mouse head mask, headlines a two-night dance party at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on Dec. 30-31.
Deadmau5 (pronounced “dead mouse”) has delivered many popular singles over the years, including “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff,” “I Remember” and “Sofi Needs a Ladder.”
The bill also includes Justin Martin, Qrion and Lights (Dec. 31 only).
Details: 8 p.m. Dec. 30, 9 p.m. Dec. 31; $49.50-$89.50; www.ticketmaster.com
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Get ready to ring in New Year in Big Easy fashion, as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band — a New Orleans institution since the 1960s — brings a bit of the Bayou to the Bay. The band, which has been led by Ben Jaffe since the ‘90s, performs Dec. 31 at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco. Lakou Mizik is also on the bill.
Details: 9 p.m.; $70; www.livenation.com
John Oliver
The brilliant comedian, who has won multiple Emmys for his work on the HBO series “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” performs six shows in three days, Dec. 31-Jan. 2, at The Masonic in San Francisco.
In addition to his work on the small screen, Oliver has also done some notable voiceover work in film, including giving voice to the bird Zazu in 2019’s blockbuster “Lion King” remake.
Details: 7 and 9:30 p.m.; $69.50-$99.50; www.livenation.com
Spafford
Not going to make it to Madison Square Garden in New York to see Phish on Dec. 31? You can still get your fill of high-octane musical improvisation by catching Spafford, which is one of the better jam bands to come to prominence over the last decade. The Arizona outfit plays Dec. 30-31 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.
Details: 8:30 p.m. Dec. 30, 9:30 pm. Dec. 31; $25-$79; www.slimspresents.com
Afro-Cuban New Year’s Eve Dance Party
Spend the last night of 2019 dancing to the music of Jane Bunnett & Maqueque (a Grammy nominated act that has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival) and Louie Romero Y Su Grupo Mazacote (one of the top salsa groups in the Bay Area) at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. Jesse “Chuy” Varela from great local radio station KCSM is the MC for the evening.
Details: 9 p.m. Dec. 31; $40-$80; www.thefreight.org
Greg Proops
The comedian, who attended both the College of San Mateo and San Francisco State University, returns to the Bay Area for another year-ending run, Dec. 30-31, at the Punch Line in San Francisco. It should be a fun time for fans of Proops’ work on such shows as “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show.”
Details: 7 and 9:15 p.m. Dec. 30, 7:45 and 10:15 p.m. Dec. 31; $27.50-$65; www.punchlinecomedyclub.com
Portugal. The Man
Without a doubt, “Feel It Still” is one of best singles of the decade. Yet, generally speaking, it’s not really representative of this band’s sound. Portugal. The Man is more about swirling psychedelic workouts than it is radio-friendly singles. You’ll hear what we mean if you attend the group’s shows Dec. 30-31 at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Chicano Batman opens the shows.
Details: 8 p.m.; $59.50; www.ticketmaster.com
Lagwagon
The SoCal act, which still features founding members Joey Cape on vocals and Chris Flippin on guitar, takes over Slim’s in San Francisco on Dec. 31. Expect a night of fun punk rock, hopefully drawing heavy from 1994’s “Trashed.”
Pulley and Grumpster are also on the bill.
Details: 9 p.m.; $35-$40; www.slimspresents.com
Hometown Heroes
Kevin Avery, Kevin Camia, Sean Keane, Caitlin Gill, Louis Katz, Brendan Lynch, Chris Garcia and Irene Tu join forces for a three nights of laughter, Dec. 29-31, at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29-30, 7 and 10 p.m. Dec. 31; $25-$75; www.cobbscomedy.com
Brian Culbertson
The multi-talented smooth jazz artist is back to celebrate the new year once again at Yoshi’s in Oakland. Culbertson, who performs on synthesizer, piano, trombone, trumpet and other instruments, plays four shows in two nights at the venue.
Details: 8 and 10 p.m. Dec. 30, 8 and 11 p.m. Dec. 31; $64.00-$135; www.yoshis.com
Lettuce
The experimental funk/jazz/hip-hop sextet, which was founded by alumni of Berklee College of Music in Boston, performs Dec. 31 at the Independent in San Francisco. Chris Karns is also on the bill.
Details: 9 p.m.; $149.50; www.ticketweb.com
Andre Power
The accomplished DJ, who is also co-founder and creative director behind the artist collective Soulection, headlines the New Parish in Oakland on Dec. 31. Sasha Marie, Tia Nomore, Ricky Lake, Drew Banga and Nanosaur are also on the bill.
Details: 9 p.m.; $20-$40; www.eventbrite.com
Crawdad Republic
The Livermore-area act, which delivers a mix of Americana, folk and bluegrass, performs on New Year’s Eve at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore.
Details: 8 p.m. Dec. 31; $20-$40; lvpac.org
