New Year's Eve parties, best 2021 music releases & more

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Entertainment | Music | Events

THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

Listen local: 50 music releases from Greater Cleveland acts in 2021

It’s been another busy year in Cleveland’s music scene, with plenty of new releases in every genre, despite the pandemic continuing to put a damper on concerts and touring for much of the year. Throughout 2021, we’ve regularly profiled Northeast Ohio-based musicians and bands, and shared the new tunes they put out. That includes pop, punk, rock, country, folk, funk, jazz and more. And it includes singles, EPs and full albums. Though we didn’t catch all of the new music coming out of Northeast Ohio in the series this year -- an impossible task in such a busy scene -- we did capture a snapshot of new Cleveland releases. Listen up! READ MORE

New Year’s Eve at Noon with Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Tune in for a virtual celebration – 12 hours before the New Year begins. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History will host a Noon Year’s Eve party on Facebook, complete with a giant dinosaur egg drop and entertainment from the museum’s education department. Free. 11 a.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

Lago East Bank NYE party

A night full of food, drinks and entertainment awaits at Lago. This year’s party, themed as “Living Art,” encourages attendees to wear their finest gowns and tuxedos for the classy evening. Tickets range from $175 for a late-night admission to $250 for early admission with dinner included. 1091 W. 10th St., Cleveland. 7 p.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

Cleveland Foundation Rink at Public Square
Head to downtown Cleveland for a chance to ice skate in Public Square, at this year’s Cleveland Foundation rink. The rink will be set up for much of the winter season. Tickets $12. 50 Public Square, Cleveland. Through Jan. 17. DETAILS

The Rink at Wade Oval

Skate around the ice at Wade Oval’s ice rink this season, under starry lights in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood. Beyond the ice skating, hot cocoa, coffee and snacks will be available for purchase from a concession stand. Admission and rentals $1-$5. 10820 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through Feb. 27. DETAILS

Wild Winter Lights at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

This annual holiday light spectacular features more than one million individual lights illuminating hundreds of displays spread across the zoo. There are also carousel rides, costumed characters, model train displays, ice carvers, live music, a dazzling light show with a 50-foot tree and photos with Santa, of course. Tickets, $18-$20. Drive-through experience available on select dates for $54-$60 per vehicle. 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland. Through Dec. 30, Jan. 2. DETAILS

Winter RiverFest

Enjoy festive fun along the Cuyahoga as Rivergate Park and Merwin’s Wharf are transformed into a holiday village. The event, put on by Cleveland Metroparks, features ice skating, a beer garden, a retail shop and reservable igloos where you can dine on a special winter menu. Free. 1785 Merwin Ave., Cleveland Through Jan. 2. DETAILS

A Garden Holiday at the Cleveland Botanical Garden

‘Tis a feast for the senses as Cleveland Botanical Garden is turned into a holiday wonderland, full of festive plants and towering trees. Tickets, $12-$16. 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through Jan. 2. DETAILS

Magic of Lights

This magical drive-through experience returns to the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds where around every corner your favorite holiday scenes and characters are brought to life through spectacular light displays. You can also hop out of the car to meet Santa, decorate a snowman and enjoy seasonal treats at the Jolly Holiday Village. Tickets, $21-$26 per vehicle. 19201 E. Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights. Through Jan. 2. DETAILS

Tropidelic concerts

Dance two nights away to the music of Tropidelic, first at the Grog Shop on Dec. 30 and then at the House of Blues on Dec. 31. The energetic Cleveland band has made a tradition out of its popular New Year’s Eve shows, which will also feature Little Stranger, The Quasi Kings and more this year. Tickets $25-$55. 308 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. DETAILS

A Christmas Story House & Museum

Tour the Parker’s home from the 1983 classic movie, which has been restored with great detail to its original splendor. Fans can find original props, costumes, memorabilia and rare behind-the-scenes photos in the museum across the street. Tickets, $11-$15. Open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. 3159 W. 11th St., Cleveland. DETAILS

Cleveland Metroparks Toboggan Chutes

Find your thrill in the chill at the Chalet in Strongsville, whooshing down 700-foot refrigerated ice chutes on an old-timey toboggan. Reservations required. Tickets, $11-$13. 16200 Valley Pkwy, Strongsville. Through March 6. DETAILS

Cleveland Improv shows

Ring in the new year with plenty of laughter. Comedian and actor Guy Torry will headline two comedy sets on Dec. 31 — one at 7:30 p.m., and one at 10:30 p.m. Tickets $120-$140 for tables that seat two to four people. 1148 Main Ave., Cleveland. 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

“Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain”

In a first-of-its-kind exhibition, the Cleveland Museum of Art uses immersive digital technology to take visitors to the floodplains of southern Cambodia to tell the story of one of the most prized items in its collection: a rare, 7th-century sculpture of Krishna. Tickets, $12-15. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through Jan. 30. DETAILS

“Picturing Motherhood Now” exhibit at Cleveland Museum of Art

One of the museum’s major shows features works by a diverse group of more than 30 contemporary artists focusing on the subject of what it means to be a mother. The works explore motherhood through the lens of slavery, racism, feminism, undocumented immigration, the changing definitions of family and gender, and more. Members free. Non-member tickets start at $10. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland. Through March 13. DETAILS

Immersive Van Gogh

This popular art experience at the new Lighthouse ArtSpace offers a unique way to experience Vincent Van Gogh’s post-Impressionist works. The projection-based displays unfold on the walls around you, showcasing the Dutch master painter’s iconic works, including his most famous, “Starry Night.” Tickets $39.99-$49.99. Through Feb. 6. 850 E. 72nd St., Cleveland. DETAILS

EAT & DRINK

This year brought many new eateries to Northeast Ohio

Restaurants endured a challenging year, but many business owners and chefs saw it as a risky time to open a new eatery. Others saw an opportunity. Across Greater Cleveland, restaurateurs have brought us dozens of new dining spots, offering a multitude of cuisines and culinary styles – from Italian to ice cream to craft beer to specialty popcorn. There are new restaurants offering everything from Afro-Caribbean ethnic eats to Mexican, Japanese and more. Some are new restaurant concepts, others are chains expanding or local places branching out. The pandemic continues, as does the spirit of owners who are willing to keep Northeast Ohio restaurants surviving – and thriving – in these times. READ MORE

Restaurants that closed in 2021

As we welcomed in plenty of new Northeast Ohio restaurants this year, we said farewell to others. Some of Greater Cleveland’s most iconic restaurants and bars closed their doors for the last time this year, for a variety of reasons. Some decided to close when their owners retired. Some had disputes with landlords or leases. Others closed one location in order to open another. READ MORE

Alley Cat Oyster Bar NYE dinner

Seven courses await at Alley Cat Oyster Bar’s New Year’s Eve dinner. The list includes oysters with pineapple vanilla caviar, lobster bucatini carbonara with shaved truffle, black grouper, rib-eye steaks and more. Tickets $150-$200. 1056 Old River Road, Cleveland. 4 p.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

Wagner’s Of Westlake NYE dinner

Indulge in plates of prime rib, turkey breast, smoked kielbasa, pasta marinara and more at Wagner’s Of Westlake’s New Year’s Eve buffet. The restaurant will seat attendees for the buffet starting at 5 p.m., with some dinners continuing past midnight and into the new year. There will be a dance party, champagne toast and party favors provided at midnight. Tickets $40.95-$98.95. 30855 Center Ridge Road, Westlake. 5 p.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

Flight Cleveland's NYE virtual happy hour

Tune in for a virtual happy hour with Flight Cleveland, and taste several sparkling wines and champagnes from home with experts from the wine bar. Boxes of samplers are available and attendees can access the event through Zoom. $34-$50. 6 p.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

Cleveland-area breweries made news in 2021: Biggest beer stories

The brewing industry in Northeast Ohio is just that – an industry, and a healthy one. We offer a glimpse at the year’s biggest regional beer stories - along with a few personal favorites we quaffed along the way. What other year-end column will include Ruth Bader Ginsberg, an Irish Breakfast, dimes and an Angry Penguin? READ MORE

2021 sparkling wine guide

Cleveland.com's Marc Bona serves up his annual guide to sparkling wines. A little knowledge can help you understand what is in your bottle or glass. Prices, label terms, what to know before you buy. READ MORE

TV & MOVIES

“The Book of Boba Fett”

A looming figure in the “Star Wars” canon is coming into his own. “The Book of Boba Fett,” which premiered Wednesday on Disney+, tracks the bounty hunter and mercenary Fennec Shand as they attempt to claim Tatooine land once controlled by Jabba the Hutt and his criminal syndicate. Temuera Morrison stars as Fett opposite Ming-Na Wen’s Shand, with Jon Favreau and Robert Rodriguez among the seven-episode series’ producers and directors. A trailer offers insight into Fett’s viewpoint: Declaring he will rule with respect, he makes an offer to Jabba’s former captains that has a “The Godfather” ring to it. Episodes are out weekly on Wednesday. DETAILS

“Dickinson”

The book is closing on “Dickinson,” the Peabody Award-winning series starring Hailee Steinfeld in a reimagination of Emily Dickinson’s youth. In the series finale streaming now on Apple TV+, the poet’s work is flourishing but there’s strife in her family and across Civil War-torn America. For viewers playing catch-up on the concluding 10-episode third season, its new and returning guest stars include Ziwe as Sojourner Truth; Billy Eichner as Walt Whitman; Chloe Fineman as Sylvia Plath; Zosia Mamet as Louisa May Alcott and, as Death, Wiz Khalifa. DETAILS

“The Lost Daughter”

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feature directing debut, “The Lost Daughter,” scintillatingly adapts the 2008 Elena Ferrante novel about maternal ambivalence and a holiday in Greece. The film, which begins streaming Friday on Netflix, stars Olivia Colman as a vacationing professor whose interactions with a boisterous, distracting clan (including a young mother in their midst played by Dakota Johnson), recall her own parenting history, seen in flashbacks with Jessie Buckley. “The Lost Daughter” cleaned up last month at the Gotham Awards, which honor independent film, and topped AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr’s best-of list for 2021. In her review, the AP’s Jocelyn Noveck praised Colman’s “blazing” performance as “a veritable onion shedding layers as she plays Leda, a prickly yet exceedingly vulnerable 48-year-old academic.” DETAILS

“C’mon C’mon”

In the year-end rush of new movies, it’s been easy to miss Mike Mills’ tender, shaggy indie gem “C’mon C’mon.” The film, which became available Dec. 23 for digital rental and video-on-demand, stars Joaquin Phoenix as a radio journalist who temporarily takes care of his 9-year-old nephew (Woody Norman). Shot in black-and-white and featuring interviews with real kids peppered throughout, “C’mon C’mon” is an open-hearted movie about parenting with personal resonances for Mills, Phoenix and Norman. In her review, Bahr wrote that Mills “has a unique way of blending everyday banalities with cosmic questions and ideas to create lovely symphonies of humanity.” DETAILS

MUSIC

25 best songs of 2021

The biggest music stars in the world didn’t disappoint in 2021. Everyone from Taylor Swift and Adele to Drake and Kanye West delivered engaging new material. But it wasn’t just the usual suspects. New artists and indie acts made tremendous splashes with memorable singles. Picking the best songs of a given year isn’t easy. But we managed to narrow it down to the 25 we think will stand the test of time. Our No. 1 has already proven that. READ MORE

Music Box concerts

The Music Box goes all out for New Year’s Eve, with several concerts and parties taking over the Flats music venue on the final day of 2021. Inside the Supper Club, things kick off with a Noon Year’s Eve Motown brunch with Nitebridge ($18-$25). Later in the day, the space will host local Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumors for a show that runs until midnight ($65). 1148 Main Ave., Cleveland. Dec. 31. DETAILS

Hubb’s Groove New Year’s Eve

Cleveland jazz and R&B band Hubb’s Groove will be providing the tunes all night long at the Independence location of Doubletree by Hilton. Tickets to the party are available, along with tickets that include overnight accommodations at the hotel and New Year’s Day fun. Tickets $75-$499. 6200 Quarry Ln., Independence. 1 p.m., Dec. 31. DETAILS

Tune in to a New Year's Eve concert

David Guetta, Powerwolf, Journey, Avril Lavigne, Jason Aldean, The String Cheese Incident, and even Insane Clown Posse will all be performing at various New Year's Eve shows this Friday. Of course, it's all subject to change, but check out some of the scheduled performances HERE.

"Carole King & James Taylor" documentary

The new year gets off to a sweet start with “Carole King & James Taylor: Just Call Out My Name,” a new documentary premiering at 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, on CNN. Directed by Frank Marshall (“The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”) the film includes a new interview with the two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers as well as longtime collaborators such as Danny Korthcmar, Russell Kunkel and Lee Sklar, as well as performance footage. READ MORE

The most anticipated albums of 2022 for the early New Year

After looking back at 2021 during the past few weeks, 2022 beckons. For music fans, all signs indicate it will be another busy year, with the live music world hoping to return to greater normalcy and plenty of new music slated for release. Here are a dozen releases that we a) know about and b) are most looking forward to. READ MORE

Note: Due to the ongoing virus surge, we recommend contacting each venue for the latest info on events as additional cancelations may occur.

Listen to the latest episodes of CLE Rocks podcast, with Troy L. Smith

Entertainment | Music | Events

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