Feliz A o Nuevo at Ballybay
Havana Nights will celebrate New Year’s Eve with salsa dancing from 9:30 p.m. until 3 a.m. Friday Dec. 31, on Johnston’s Ballybay’s huge hardwood dancefloor, 550 Richmond Ave., on the city’s West End.
DJ la Maquina will spin an exhilarating Latin mix direct from the streets of la Habana, Puerto Rico, New York, Colombia y todo el mundo! The recorded music ranges from salsa, to merengue, from chachacha to timba. While Ballybay operates a full-service cash bar, there will be a free champagne toast at midnight.
Admission costs $5 and is open to everyone age 17 and older; lafamiliadelasalsa.com.
Gilbo = Elvis @ Damon’s
Elvis Presley would’ve celebrated his 76th birthday next month had he not died in 1977 at age 42.
Central New York Elvis imitator Tom Gilbo channels the late King on New Year’s Eve, Friday Dec. 31 at Damon’s Party House, on Route 31, in Cicero. As he warbles “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Jailhouse Rock,” Gilbo will be backed by The Blue Suedes, another incarnation of the band Southern Comfort, which will open the show at 8 p.m. Gilbo takes the stage as Elvis at about 10 p.m. Admission costs $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
For info call 698-4382, or visit thebluesuedes.com.
‘Bands Together’ for Jenni-Lyn
Recent murder victim Jenni-Lyn Watson will be remembered at a multi-act musical benefit running from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday Jan. 2, at Sharkey’s Eclectic Sports Lounge, 7240 Oswego Road (Route 57), in Liverpool.
“Syracuse Bands Together” for the Jenni-Lyn Watson Dance Scholarship Fund will feature performances by Augustine, Born Again Rebels, Brand New Sin, Capricorn Black, Catastrophe Me, Feeding Affliction plus Rob Spagnoletti, Paul Taylor, Hendry, Chris Terra Band, Fab Five Paul, Hodson & Donelan and Dirty Little Secret Unplugged.
Admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for ages 11 to 21, and is free for youngsters age 10 and under. The ticket price includes a buffet dinner and one free beverage. For info, visit jennilyndancefundraiser.com, or call 382-7285.
Collective swings at Suds
On the first Wednesday of each month, the 16-piece Salt City Jazz Collective holds forth from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Syracuse Suds Factory, South Clinton and Walton streets in Armory Square.
Led by trombonist Joe Colombo, the Collective performs hard-charging charts by Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. The band also performs compositions and arrangements by its lead alto player, Joe Riposo, who was recently featured an Eagle cover story.
Admission is always free, and the Factory’s food pleases every palate as does the suds; 471-2253; saltcityjazz.com.
Rhythm-Airs swing Wednesdays
The Rhythm-Airs big band led by trumpeter Maureen Clum performs swing standards from 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday at McNamara’s Pub, 5600 Newport Road, in Camillus; $3/per person, $5/per couple; food and drinks available; 672-8872.
‘Auld Lang Syne’
In practically every English-speaking country around the world, the song “Auld Lang Syne” is heartily vocalized at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Penned by Scottish poet Robert Burns in the 1700s, it was first published in 1796, after Burns had shuffled off this mortal coil that summer.
Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the rendition we now sing set to the tune of an ancient Scottish folk melody.
“Auld Lang Syne” literally means “old long since,” or simply, “the good-old days.”
