Countdown to a good time

No way was LUXY going to give up the spotlight for its big New Year's party, having opened in Taipei late September as the city's first superclub.

While Ministry of Sound still struggles to get its act together in Neihu, LUXY has by-and-large been fulfilling management's expectations, with big crowds and a steady roster of big name DJs from abroad.

For the club's New Year's Eve party, London's LTJ Bukem, along with MC Conrad, will join the city's hottest DJs and see if they can bring down the house, with the help of free champagne, dancing girls, Elle Girl Model Troopers, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Elsewhere, there are several free parties over the festive period, a secret location for after-hours speculation and the usual countdown/binges around town, plus two government-organized affairs, with top-line local entertainment that traditionally attracts massive and good-humored crowds for fireworks and a countdown.

In the green corner, the DPP-led government is putting on what it calls a "New Eve Rally" (sic) in front of the Presidential Office (總統府前跨年晚會表演), with guest billing for Jay Chou (周杰倫), B.A.D., Machi, Melody Chiang (江美琪), the president and all his men, plus a special French fireworks show, from 7:30pm to 1am.

In the blue corner in front of the Taipei 101 Building (101台北國際金融大樓), Taipei City Government's big bash will include Mayday (五月天), A-mei (阿妹), Elva (蕭亞軒), eVonne, Energy, K One, Cosmo (丸子), Law Chi-cheung (羅志祥), among others, starting at 6:30pm. The highlight of the evening, we are assured, will be Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) duet with A-mei.

The Taipei Times party round-up for the festive period:

● Aliang and Friends, at 15, Alley 15, Ln 345, Sec 4, Renai Road. (台北市仁愛路4段345巷15弄15號). Call: (02) 2775 2505.

Enjoy an acoustic night of jazz and blues with Greg Jackett and Aigner on New Year's Eve. Tickets NT$150.

● Bacchus, B1, 12 Songshou Rd, Taipei (台北市松壽路12號B1). Call (02) 2345 6928.

NYE is NT$1,500 for free champagne and DJs. Think Saturday, Jan. 3, for a free party with a flyer, which you can pick up at Citizen Cain. DJ Em, one of Taipei's most visible playas, will join seven other DJs. 10pm to 5am.

● Blue Note, 4F, 171, Sec 3, Roosevelt Rd, Taipei (台北市羅斯福路3段171號4F) 2362 2333.

● Brown Sugar, 101 Songren Rd, Taipei (台北市松仁路101號) 8780 1110. Expect a raucous party with a countdown and two house singers. Tickets for two NT$1,250.

● Carnegie's, at 100 Anhe Rd, Sec 2, Taipei (安和路二段100號), (02) 2325 4433.

The upmarket meeting place is hosting what it calls "a big piss-up," where entry is free for members plus one guest, or NT$1,000 for non-members, including two drinks. There is a set dinner at NT$1,500 (no service charge) with free-flowing Champagne ("genuine French stuff from those chalky hillsides around Reims").

"I would recommend that people get here well before midnight on New Year's Eve, in order to avoid the inevitable rush and to avoid being left outside on the street as was the case in the past for those that thought our premises have the same capacity as Wembley," says Carnegie's General Manager Bob Marshall.

● Citizen Cain, 67 Dongfeng St, Taipei (台北市東豐街67號) 2706 2162.

DJs Stew and Plimmtastic will drop the beats, while the bar staff will give out free champagne at midnight. Admission is free.

● Fresh, 2F, 7, Sec 2, Jinshan S Rd, Taipei (台北市金山南路2段7號2F), 2358 7701.