New Year's Eve is approaching, you know the routine: Confirm a location with your friends, start drinking, count backwards from 10, kiss somebody, then continue drinking, all the while repeating your New Year resolutions so that you might still remember them come Jan. 2. While the Taipei Times can't help you with resolutions, kissing or counting backwards, we do provide a bit of advice on locations and their respective drink specials. While many places are simply raising prices or charging an admission fee, others are planning something a little special to see in 2003. We happily report on the latter. Have a happy New Year, then get home safe!
2nd Floor
Taipei's premier dance club promises a feast for the ears and eyes on the biggest club night of the year. For the ears, DJs Cliff, Darryl, Vertigo, P!TT, A-Bomb, Joe Ho and Mykal will have dancers partying through the night. For the eyes, club proprietors have lined up special effects company Astral to shine their stuff on three large screens hung above the dance floor. Plans are also in the works for an Internet link with Singapore and Tokyo, but this was unconfirmed as of press time. Tickets are NT$800 in advance or NT$1,000 at the door. 15 Hoping W. Rd., Taipei (北巿和平西路15號)
12 Monkeys
DJs Mykal, Em Lee, Nina and @llen will be retreading their favorite vinyl of the year in the notorious basement that formerly housed Spin. It's a costume party, mind you, wear one and get a free drink. The bar will also run drink specials all night. B1, 91 Hoping E. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei (北市和平東路一段91號B1)
The Tavern
Punters can dig into barbecue, a finger-food buffet, a beer and a glass of champagne at midnight for only NT$450. Goulash soup will be served at 1am for all those who can lift their head off the table. 5 Keelung Rd., Sec. 1, Lane 380, Taipei (北市基隆路一段380巷5號)
Whisky
The proprietors of Whisky are cooly nonplussed about the New Year, save the fact that they want everyone to come wearing a costume. Resident DJs will spin the best tracks of 2002. 40 Hsinsheng S. Rd., Sec. 3, Taipei (北市新生南路三段40號)
Fresh
The boys will be counting down at Fresh to resident DJs and busting out the balloons at midnight. NT$400 buys your entrance and a drink. Lots of Moet will be added to the drinks lists at NT$1,750 for a man-sized bottle and NT$900 for the little guy. 2F, 7 Chinshan S. Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei (北市金山南路二段七號2F)
CKS Memorial Hall & Presidential Palace
Enjoy wading into a huge throng of people oohing and ahhing to a brief, unspectacular display of fireworks? Look no further than Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the Presidential Palace, where the celebrations have become less and less celebratory since the DPP administration took office and deemed having fun gratuitous. Still, the grinchly government that cancelled Christmas will shoot a few fireworks salvos at midnight in order to maintain tradition, albeit a scaled-back one. Thanks for the memories.
Room 18
Australian DJ Jools will headline the countdown party along with Alexi, Eric Chang and Room 18 resident master turntablist, Chozie, who kicks off the party at 10:30pm. NT$1,200 admission gets you access to the buffet before midnight, and two free drinks. Warner Village, B1, 18 Songshou Rd., Taipei (北市松壽路18號B1華納威秀)
Plush
The owners of Plush are splitting their operation and taking over the basement of the Living Mall for a 1980s-styled retro party. Entrance is NT$800. Another party will be taking place in the 12th-floor club itself with an admission price of NT$1,200, which buys you one drink. Music for both venues will be served up by DJs Levi, Jr. Lin, Jean, Golden and Chozie, who seems to be everywhere that night. When asked, the management said that the basement offers more space, but they couldn't offer any good reason for wanting to play music from the 1980s. Living Mall, B3 & 12F, 184 Pate Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei (北市八德路四段184號B3&12F京華城)
VS
Hip-hop will be the flavor of the evening at VS, with DJ Vicar warming the crowd, followed by DJ Noodle. Cover is NT$500 and includes one drink. Coors and Johnny Walker (12 year) are both buy-two, get-one-free. B1, 208 Fuhsing S. Rd., Taipei (北市復興南路208號B1)
Taipei City Hall
City Hall's annual New Year's shindig actually begins tonight, when the city government flips the switch for thousands of lights installed along Renai Road. The party starts in earnest at 6:30pm on New Year's Eve for a concert given by some of Taiwan's top pop talent as well as shows by various dance and performance groups. The real fun comes when Mayor Ma and Taipei City councilors take the stage to countdown the new year.
The Wall
Here's where the cool kids will be. The party starts at 9pm with electronic jazz and funk fusion band KbN, followed by hip hop acts MC Insatiable and MC Rampant. Last of the live bands will be reggae funk-rock sensation, Smoking Cones. After that, DJs SL, K Fancy, Em Lee and Saucy will serve up the platters into the first six hours of the new year. Party organizers promise fire spinners, masseuses and lots of funky fun. NT$800 advance tickets are available at The Wall and at Citizen Cane. Tickets will cost NT$1,000 at the door. B1, 57 Tunhua S. Rd. Sec. 1, Taipei (北市敦化南路57號B1).
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