By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

When the bells all ring and the horns all blow

A number of concerts throughout Central Iowa will be held on New Year’s Eve, including Rockin’ in the Blue Year, featuring Bob Dorr and The Blue Band at Hotel Fort Des Moines (left), and Corey Taylor’s Dysfunctional New Year’s Eve Bash at the Val Air Ballroom (right).

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest nights of the year for bands and music fans. This year, as in years past, there is no shortage of options for music lovers to ring in the New Year. Here’s a sample of some of the many live music offerings to be found in Central Iowa on Tuesday.

• Rockin’ in the Blue Year — A popular New Year’s Eve tradition in downtown Des Moines at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, 1000 Walnut St., featuring Bob Dorr and The Blue Band. This year’s concert includes performances by Blue Band alumni G. Bryce Loshman, Sam Salomone, Ron DeWitte, Bryce Janey, Phil Maass, Dan “D.J.” Johnson and Eric Douglas, for a special reunion show with special guests Al Naylor and Cindy Pille. Additional performances by The Tornadoes featuring Jacqueline Krain, Rob Lumbard, The Bryce Janey Trio and Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts will be held throughout the hotel. Includes free buffet and champagne toast. $50. 243-1161.

• LAZER 103.3 Presents Corey Taylor’s Dysfunctional New Year’s Eve Bash — The Dumfux and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor rock in the new year at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, 301 Ashworth Road. Doors 7 p.m. Showtime 8 p.m. $15. 223-6152.

• New Years Eve on the Cheap — Featuring Milwaukee-based blues band Reverend Raven & the Chainsmokin’ Altar Boys at Blues on Grand, 1501 Grand Ave., 9:30 p.m. $10. Keeping with Blues on Grand’s traditional low-cost New Year’s Eve affair, manager Jeff Wagner posted the following on the club’s Web site: “What that means is if you want food, bring your own damn food, if you want goofy party hats, bring your own damn hats. We will give you a little champagne, but I guarantee you it’ll be cheap. The best thing is you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg just to welcome in the New Year.” 244-3092.

• Nada New Year 2008 — Des Moines pop-rockers The Nadas ring in 2008 at People’s Court, 216 Court Ave. The band is set to release its new album, “The Ghosts Inside These Halls,” March 4. Last week, it issued a new single just in time for the holidays, “Here Comes Christmas.” Tickets TBA. 277-3737.

• House of Bricks — Two hard rock shows. The first, an all-ages affair, featuring Mindrite, Destrophy, The Boston Hellmask and Sidewise at 5 p.m. The second, 21-and-over, with ColdFiltered’s “Problem Child” (a salute to AC/DC), World Under, Mindrite and a special midnight performance by Dirty Little Rabbits featuring Stella Katsoudas (Stella Soleil, Sister Soleil) and Shawn Crahan (Slipknot). The Dirty Little Rabbits’ set includes free breakfast and champagne at midnight. Advance tickets for each show are $12.50 through IowaTix.com. Tickets at the door are $17. 525 E. Grand Ave. 727-4370.

• Downtown Countdown 2007 New Year’s Eve Party — At Embassy Suites on the River, 101 E. Locust St. Includes first-floor party featuring Star 102.5 DJs Jimmy & Scootie and access to ballroom featuring cover bands Rock Fist and Pop Rocks. Live music will also be held in Doozie’s. Free appetizers and champagne toast. $39. 244-1700.

• New Year’s Eve Celebration — Local R&B and blues groups The Janey Band and Hot Tamale & the Red Hots share the bill at Raccoon River Brewing Co., 10th and Mulberry streets, next to the Hotel Fort Des Moines. $20. 362-5222.

• The Mewsical Ball — Three bands share the bill at the Vaudeville Mews, 212 4th St., including blues diva Lady Blue, and rockers The Soapbox Prophets and Truth Be Told. 7 p.m. $10. 243-3270.

• Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino — Two rockin’ country music shows at the Showtime Lounge at the Altoona casino. The first, national alt-country bad boys the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, from 6 to 10 p.m. The second, local country singer Jason Brown, from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Free.

• New Year’s Eve Pops — Des Moines Symphony pays tribute to Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and includes selections by George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rogers, Lorenzo Hart and Harold Arlen. Hoyt Sherman Place, 8 p.m. $27-$60.

Scene notes

New seats located just off stage left and right are now available through Ticketmaster for the Jan. 27 Martina McBride concert at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. … A longtime favorite of many local blues fans named “Band of the Year” at the 2007 Blues Music Awards, Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials play two shows in Central Iowa this weekend. On Saturday, you can slide down to Blues on Grand to catch them at 9:30 p.m. On Sunday, if you’re up for a road trip, they play the Down Under Pub, 924 Main St., in Grinnell at 9 p.m. Mojo Machine opens the Grinnell show at 7 p.m. Admission to each show is $10. … Iowa indie-rock legends House of Large Sizes are re-grouping to play four shows this week. They include Friday at The Picador in Iowa City, Saturday at People’s Court in Des Moines, Sunday at The Triple Rock in Minneapolis and Tuesday at The Reverb in Cedar Falls. The Beat Strings open all shows. Posters for the show warn fans about getting overexcited about a possible full-blown return after retiring a few years ago by stating “Don’t call it a comeback.” In the meantime, enjoy them while you can. … The Art Fusion Experiment, a mix of literature, music and fine art, will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. at East Village Books, 510 E. Locust St. The event includes an auction of artwork where proceeds benefit local mentoring programs and charities, live art, stories by author J. Coburn and an acoustic performance by heavy metal rockers Freaklabel, who will be on-hand to sign copies of their new CD, “Monolith.” Admission is free. Call 244-5999. … Midweek Music, held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 600 6th Ave., continues Wednesday from 12:05 to 12:30 p.m. with a performance by celloist Tom Hudson and pianist Sue Hudson. The performance is free and a home-cooked meal is available for $6. … iTunes announced its best-selling albums of 2007. They include 1) Maroon 5 “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” 2) Amy Winehouse “Back to Black” 3) Kanye West “Graduation” 4) Daughtry “Daughtry” 5) Colbie Caillat “Coco” 6) Linkin Park “Minutes to Midnight” 7) Various artists “High School Musical 2” 8) Timbaland “Shock Value” 9) John Mayer “Continuum” 10) Various artists “Hairspray.” The most downloaded iTunes song of 2007 was Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal).” … One more list — this one with feeling. The Americana Music Association’s top 10 albums of 2007 are: 1) Lucinda Williams “West” 2) Ryan Adams “Easy Tiger” 3) Kelly Willis “Translated From Love” 4) Son Volt “The Search” 5) Patty Griffin “Children Running Through” 6) Marty Stuart “Compadres” 7) Jay Boy Adams “The Shoe Box” 8) Joe Ely “Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch” 9) Subdudes “Street Symphony” 10) Gurf Morlix “Diamonds to Dust.” CV

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