Turn it down

Na Style Jaa's pre-NYE rap show

For those who cannot wait until New Year's Eve, The Loft hosts a night of unconventional hip-hop acts at a Friday show dubbed “New Year’s Eve EVE.” Lansing-based Na Style Jaa takes the stage. The eccentric rap group formed in January, and has since created a genre the group calls “story core,” which most often combines humor and dramatized historical events into the lyrics. For example, its song “Party at the Panama Canal” has a central idea that, since the Panama Canal took 10 years to build, there must’ve been a huge drunken party to celebrate. Other songs take a more ambiguous angle: “Lost in the City” is about a young saxophone player who traveled to the city to pursue music, but ended up a sidewalk performer. All the beats are self-engineered, mixed and mastered by the group. Also making some noise will be Goat Machine, a Lansing-based high-energy group that mixes hip hop, folk and funk. Opening the show is The Silver Sun. Friday, Dec. 30 @ The Loft, 414 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing,  $5 advance, $6 for 21 , $8 for 18 and older door – 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show.

Neon New Year's at Mac's

A roster of area DJs spins into 2012 at Mac’s Bar Saturday. The event, titled “Neon NYE 2012,” features bass-bumpin’ sets from DJ Ruckus, Nic Bouldin, Sizl, AK DJ and Andy Lynch. The bar serves until 4 a.m. and will also supply gourmet hors doeuvres, champagne for a toast, cheeses of the world, a fruit platter, a mixed vegetable tray, various desserts and a chocolate fountain. This event is an extension of “Neon Tuesday,” a weekly electro night hosted by Mac’s Bar.

Saturday, Dec. 31 @ Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, 18 and over. $7, 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Funky NYE blues bash

The Green Door’s New Year’s Eve show includes a funky-blues performance by Smooth Daddy, some party favors and a champagne toast. A limited amount of V.I.P tickets are also available. Smooth Daddy, which claims to be the “funkiest band in Lansing,” plays a mixture of funk, blues and rock. It includes drummer and vocalist Mike Daniels, lead singer/guitarist Sam Brown and bassist Joe Cardinas. 

Saturday, Dec. 31 @ Green Door, 2005 E. Michigan Ave, Lansing, $10, 21 and over, doors at 8 p.m., show goes to 3 a.m.

Fahrenheit 2012

Lansing’s south side lights up with the “2012 Capital City New Year’s Eve Bash” at Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge. The event takes place in two themed rooms. In the main bar, the club will have dual DJs mixing all night. In the lounge is the laid-back “Euro bar,” with Euro-pop music bumping all night. Fahrenheit offers seven bars to shorten waits for drinks, several couples-only tables and three cabanas just off the dance floor. General admission includes a reception from 9 to 10 p.m., a New York City-style blowout at midnight, complete with balloon drop, a confetti storm, champagne toast, party favors and hors doeuvres. Other attractions include a 3 a.m. breakfast buffet, a specialty martini bar from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and free parking. Serving up the music are DJ Skitzo, DJ Face, E-MAN, DJ Breezy, DJ Restless and DJ Enyce. Special V.I.P packages are also available. Visit www.facebook.com/fahrenheit.vip. 

Saturday, Dec. 31 @ Fahrenheit Ultra Lounge, 6810 S. Cedar St., Lansing, $15 advance general, $25 day of, V.I.P. passes from $55 to $125, 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. 

A New Year's Eve 'Specktacle'

The Loft hosts a varied mix of local talent on New Year’s Eve, including The Specktators, a hip-hop duo that is headlining the evening dubbed “New Year’s Eve Specktacle.” The Specktators is made up of brothers Moe-T (Matt Duda), who records and produces, and Packi (Patrick Duda), who supplies lyrics and vocals. The Specktators’ first complete mix-tape project, “Familiar with Floss,” was released back in October and features the singles “Neon Lights,” “That Thang” and “EL Girls.” Also performing is Burton’s Garden, JKnox, Philthy and Spartan Pro Audio DJs. The event is hosted by The Amature, a Lansing hip-hop artist, and the night is topped off with a light show and decorations, a champagne toast, V.I.P. seating and some “cheesy party favors.” For those in need of a ride home, The Loft has cab services easily available. Saturday, Dec. 31 @ The Loft, 414 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, $10 advance, 21 and over, doors 8 p.m.

Dark, avant-garde dance party

For those who prefer the darker side of life, some cold, haunting and abrasive music may be the best cure for the New Year’s Eve hangover. Black Mass Sunday, a series of counter-culture shows, has its next event Sunday at Mac’s Bar. The show is an avant-garde dance party, showcasing songs and artists from the darker spectrum of music, complete with $7 servings of Lucid Absinthe (for those 21 or older). Before 10 p.m. there’s free admission. Spinning some tunes are DJ Stichiz Massacred (breakcore/industrial), DJ Glitch Colony (breakcore/industrial), Dav Jamz (DJ set of hardstyle), Jaysen Craves (DJ set of industrial/aggrotech) and Ein Sof Goyle (DJ set of darkwave/EBM/techno). 

Sunday, Jan. 1 @ Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, 18 and over. FREE before 10 p.m., $3 after 10 p.m., doors at 9 p.m.