Anyone who lives for live music knows that the only place to be when the ball drops is on the dance floor, shakin’ it like there’s no 2014. New Years concerts are filled with passionate celebrating, as we ride out the tail end of 2013 in style. And, while any of these eight NYE concert options is guaranteed to excite you, L4LM has selected what we believe to be the best of the best for NYE entertainment. So without further ado, here is your NYE in NYC Concert Guide!

1. Disco Biscuits – The Theater at MSG (11:00 PM, $85.05 Ticketmaster)

Cosmic jammers The Disco Biscuits are returning to the Theater at Madison Square Garden for five nights of musical madness, playing the 26th and 27th (at 8:00 PM), the 28th and 29th (at 11:00 PM), and this late-night New Year’s celebration (get your tickets here). By all accounts, the Biscuits know a thing or two about performing live. The band annually hosts their own music festival, Camp Bisco, and will be playing at The Theater for their second consecutive New Year’s Eve. The Biscuits’ free-flowing trance-rock style will provide for the perfect psychedelic ambiance for your NYE in NYC.

If you can’t make their NYE show, don’t fret. The band recently announced a 3-night run at the Electric Factory in their native Philadelphia. Get all the details here!

2. Billy Joel/Ben Folds Five at Barclays Center (9:30 PM, $175.00 StubHub)

It’s nice to see MSG letting Billy out once in a while. We’re glad they’re not the jealous type.

But seriously though, the Barclays Center is an incredibly exciting venue (just ask Nets fans), and this back-to-back pianist party will be an NYE for the ages. Ben Folds Five, which is actually a bass/drums/piano trio, reunited in 2012 after twelve years to record a new album, and they’ve been touring ever since. Ben Folds is easily one of the most lovable performers, engaging the audience whenever possible. At Bonnaroo, last year, the singer/songwriter took a cell phone photo of everyone in the crowd flipping him the bird. Man, I’d really love to see that picture.

After the Ben Folds opening set, the legendary Billy Joel will serenade you into the new year, playing all of his sing-alongable classics throughout the late evening. Billy Joel recently made headlines by becoming the fourth franchise of Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks, Rangers, and Liberty. Per the agreement, Joel has already scheduled one concert per month (from January to May) at the Garden, and promises even more dates to come. Joel seemed earnestly enthusiastic about the arrangements, which should make for an energetic NYE in NYC.

3. Infected Mushroom/Astrix/Savant – Best Buy Theater (9:00 PM, $60.00 GA Ticketmaster)

Somewhere between psychedelic, rock, trance, and electronic, there is a magical band that stands tall, a magical Israeli duo named Infected Mushroom. Through live instrumentation and live production, these guys know how to put on a show. The evening starts with two DJs, the Russian producer Savant and the Israeli psychedelic DJ Astrix. Expect both of them to whip the Best Buy Theater into a frenzy, paving the way for our favorite fungus among us. Infected Mushroom know a thing or two about partying, and, you can guarantee that this will be one of the electro-grooviest ways to spend your NYE in NYC.

4. Punch Brothers – Bowery Ballroom (9:00 PM, $71.98 GA StubHub)

Bluegrass masters The Punch Brothers bring their down-home sound to the Bowery Ballroom for three nights of feel-good tunes. A five-piece string ensemble, The Punch Brothers have amassed a loyal following since their foundation in 2006. Each member is a respectable musician, rattling off quick honky-tonk tones at every turn. Between the banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and upright bass, there’s no telling what’s coming next. These guys are seriously soulful.

If you like to dance and smile, you’ve come to the right place. This will be one memorable, bluegrassy New Years Eve in the Bowery.

5. Gov’t Mule w/ Robby Krieger at the Beacon Theatre (9:00 PM, $62.55 Ticketmaster)

Shout! your way into the new year with this star studded lineup at the beautiful Beacon Theater. The show opens with Robby Krieger, legendary guitarist of The Doors. Yeah, The Doors. A musician for nearly fifty years, Krieger was especially active in 2013, perhaps due the unfortunate passing of his former bandmate, keyboardist Ray Manzarek. Expect a heartfelt performance of Doors classics and Krieger originals.

After Krieger’s performance, southern rock jammers Gov’t Mule take the stage. The Mule have also been touring actively in 2013, in support of their new album Shout! (read the L4LM review here). These guys bring a lot of energy to their performances, as frontman/lead guitarist Warren Haynes delivers a steady stream of soulful singing and scintillating soloing. Check out this guy play!

All in all, this show will make for an unforgettable, rockin’ New Years Eve. The Mule is also playing on 12/30, with blues band Vintage Trouble opening that show. Get tickets here.

6. Big Gigantic/Two Fresh/DallasK/Paper Diamond at Roseland Ballroom (8:00 PM, $83.75 GA Ticketmaster)

Is this gonna be a fun fucking New Years Eve or what?! Big Gigantic and friends are taking over the Roseland Ballroom for one incredible evening of electronic live music. The festivities begin early, with DJs Two Fresh and DallasK spinning their beats to get the crowd partying.

Then, audiences will be treated to the electronic stylings of DJ Paper Diamond, a bassist turned electronic producer hailed for his dynamic, multi-layered compositions. He released one album under the Pretty Lights Music Label, as well as two EPs in the past two years. His performances, especially those at Coachella and Electric Forest, always receive rave reviews. Heh. Get it?

At sometime shortly before midnight, the hosts with the mosts, Big Gigantic, will take the stage. This duo is something indescribable, something on the border of jazz, electronica, hip-hop, jam… a sincerely unrivaled, unprecedented musical experience. The band is comprised of Dominic Lalli, who simultaneously produces electronic beats and plays the saxophone; with live drumming, as provided by Jeremy Salken. The result is some seriously high-octane music, but, you can judge this for yourself…

At what will be the last New Years Eve concert at The Roseland Ballroom, expect nothing but excitement… and great, great music. Big Gigantic is also playing on 12/30, with a completely different cast of characters, which includes The White Panda, Brillz, Manic Focus, and DJ Green Lantern.

7. Gogol Bordello/Man Man – Terminal 5 (8:00 PM, $41.75 GA Ticketmaster)

So, obviously, any show you’re going to go to on New Years Eve is going to be high-energy. It’s the last day of the year. It’s a celebration. But no band does celebration quite like Gogol Bordello. These purple-wearing gypsies play their punk music, and they play it loud!

But one thing at a time. Opening band Man Man blew us away with their new album, On Oni Pond. You can read the stellar review here. These guys are some creative musicians, melding genres and dancing all the while. Expect some great tunes to get things grooving.

When Gogol Bordello takes the stage, what should you expect? Well, let’s see…. Gogol refers to Nikolai Gogol, a Ukranian writer who smuggled his culture into Russia, and Bordello, well, that’s just an Italian word for brothel. It’s a downright filthy rocking dancing rioting celebration, but don’t let the dirt fool you… these guys are some serious musicians. 2014 will be the band’s 15th anniversary, forming in our very own L.E.S., which only promises the very best from lead guitarist/vocalist Eugene Hütz. This band is a crazy amount of fun, and a crazy amount of New Years Eve in New York City.

8. Phish at Madison Square Garden (8:00 PM, which really means 8:45 PM, $149.00 StubHub or check out CashOrTrade.org)

And then, there’s Phish… the band we simply can’t say enough about here at L4LM. Something draws us Phish phans into this madness, and we eat it up religiously. Will they play Wingsuit? Will they celebrate their 30th anniversary with some sort of hilarious stunt? Who knows?

One thing is for certain… if this is truly their last year playing MSG on NYE, this will be an unforgettable concert experience. This is a band that is re-finding their creative stride, and, when they’re creative, they are the jam-music creative masters. 2013 has been a calendar year for Phish, coming off a wildly successful summer (Tahoeezer) and fall (Wingsuit) tours. It’s good stuff, and I know I can’t wait to see them again for four nights at the Garden.

Carini’s got a lumpy head.

For several of these shows, you may be able to find an extra for the actual cost of the ticket, or for trade at CashOrTrade.org 

-David Melamed (@DMelamz)