Weekend Guide [TUESDAYS]

December 30th, 31st and January 1st Weekend Guide

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

HEAR:

All About Eve

What: New Year’s Eve 2006

Why: So you’ve decided - this is the year you aren’t doing ANYTHING for New Year’s Eve. That’s it. You wonder what’s wrong with you that you just aren’t as “into it” as everybody else is.

What you should be asking is – why, having made this imminently intelligent decision to forgo the hype, you nevertheless will not be able to stay home in your jammies without feeling lame?

Don’t worry – EVERYBODY hates New Year’s! If you arm yourself with this handy maxim, you will no longer be alienated from all those people taking to the streets and  howling out their PAIN, together.  And for one brief moment you will feel at one with the world. And that’s what it’s all about, right? You feel better already!

However you come around to reconciling yourself to leaving the house, let us arm you with a few sure-fire good time gig suggestions:

The Railway Club: local roots rockers Bocephus King will swing you into 2006, with only a short stumble home when you can’t get a cab at 2 am. (579 Dunsmuir. $18 in advance. Info 604-681-1625.)

The Marine Club: Around the corner from the Railway Club! No frills, low-key, hi-charm, Herald Nix on rock duty, and Russ the bartender’s dry, dry humour keeping everybody thirsty. (573 Homer. Info 604-878-GOGO.)

The Wise Club: Caroline Mark and Her New Best Friends are a guaranteed good time, and the Wise Hall is a nice big space to fall off your high heels in. (1882 Adanac. $30 in advance. Info 604-254-5858.)

DO:

What: Catch the Midnight Express on New Year’s Eve.

Why: Promises to be THE event of the year. Taking its cue from the hottest parties in Barcelona, Paris and Amsterdam, this rockin’ way to see in the New Year happens at a train station. Vancouver’s top DJs, live performances, five bars…dress up (style code in effect).

When: December 31, 2005 starting 9:30 p.m.

Where: The Station, 1755 Cottrell Street

Info and tickets: www.clubzone.com

SEE:

What: Up to 2,000 fun-loving folk leap in the ocean at the city’s annual, notorious Polar Bear Swim.

Why: Wild costumes, intense revelry, knowing that they’re freezing their ____s off and you’re not.

When: January 1, 2006 at 2:30 p.m.

Where: English Bay in front of the bathhouse, at the south end of Denman Street. If you want to take part, sign up starts 12:30 p.m.