Rock to Retro

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?/ Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of Auld Lang Syne?/ For Auld Lang Syne, my dear, for Auld Lang Syne,/We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for Auld Lang Syne.”

*Where will you be singing this Scottish ode to the “good old days” this New Year’s? It will be the first day of the next-to-last year of the millennium. So don’t waste it. To steal a line from an old Carly Simon song, “These are the good old days.”

Or at least they will be someday.

Valley people who don’t want to stay home, but who want to rock the old year out and the new year in will have ample opportunities depending upon their musical tastes and the size of their wallets. These are just a few of the options.

Common Grounds coffeehouse, 9250 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, (818) 882-3666, will have “Dead Air,” an all-Grateful Dead open mike in the early hours of its New Year’s Eve party. Sign-ups start at 8 p.m., and the first acts will go on at 8:30. After the open mike, the alternative rock band Rolling Thunder will play through the new year. A Deadhead’s delight. No cover, but lots of caffeine.

Rock maven Gina B presents two bands, Mono Groove and the Road Kings, at the Blue Saloon, 4657 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 766-4644. It’s $6 at the door; that includes party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

Preston Smith and the Crocodiles will perform at Jax, 339 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, (818) 500-1604. No cover and no minimum, but reservations are required.

Meanwhile, the Moonlight, 13730 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 788-2000, will have pop/jazz vocalist Lenetta Kidd with the Moonlight Swingers. $5 cover, plus a $9.95 minimum.

Cafe Cordiale, 14015 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 789-1985, will bring in the new year with dinner and the Ellis Hall Band. The restaurant will offer a limited menu with entrees ranging from $36-$46. Complimentary champagne toast at midnight and party favors.

Cha Cha Cha, 17499 Ventura Blvd., Encino, (818) 789-3600, presents the Libido Brothers. $25 per person covers the party admission and champagne toast at midnight, plus fortune tellers, balloon artists and a limbo contest.

Monteleone’s West, 19337 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 996-0662, will present classic pop singer Bob Marlo with the Ben Rizzi Trio. The supper club offers a $100 party package that includes a five-course meal, champagne and party favors.

Valley blues fans will have several choices on their menu.

Francesca and the Flames will perform at the Classroom, 8333 Tampa Ave., Northridge, (818) 885-0250. $5 at the door will include party favors and a buffet.

Gashouse Dave and the Hardtails, with special guest artist Dewey Terry, will hold forth at Cozy’s Bar & Grill, 14058 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 986-6000, on this special night. $10 at the door.

Down the boulevard, Smokin’ Johnnie’s, 11720 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 760-6631, will have the Blues Underground at its “New Year’s Blues Blowout.” No cover.

Universal CityWalk’s B.B. King Blues Club will feature Guitar Shorty and Eric Sardinas. But it will cost you $30 to stand at the bar. The club is also offering a $200 per couple dinner package that includes a bottle of bubbly and a rail-side (where you can best see the stage) table.

Country music aficionados will not be disappointed.

The country band Spaghetti Western will perform at Crest Country’s New Year’s Eve party. 6101 Reseda Blvd., Reseda, (818) 342-1563. Free party favors and snacks and no cover charge.

The Cowboy Palace Saloon, 21635 Devonshire St., Chatsworth, (818) 341-0166, offers the Love Sick Prairie Dogs at its New Year’s Eve party. $15 at the door includes a Southern-style buffet dinner, complimentary champagne at midnight, party favors, a balloon drop at midnight and prizes.

The Stage Robbers will perform their brand of country at Crazy Jack’s, 4311 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, (818) 845-1121. $15 at the door includes party favors. A dinner package will be available for $27.

For many new years, it was called Pelican’s Retreat. Then, it was Borage, and now it’s become Fusilli’s, 24454 Calabasas Road, Calabasas, (818) 225-8090. It’s where the Boogie Knights’ phenomenon started, and on New Year’s Eve, it will present a Boogie Knights ensemble, Knight Fever, performing ‘70s retro. Festivities start at 8 p.m. and it’s $25 at the door.

Have a good time.