When it comes to live music, my top New Year’s Eve show has to be 1991 at San Francisco’s Cow Palace. The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana played that night riding the crest of their biggest albums to date, Nevermind and Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Both bands played unforgettable sets as the Grateful Dead finally met its match for highest profile New Year’s Eve show in the Bay Area.

Oh yeah, Pearl Jam opened the show. We skipped them, though, as we were not big Pearl Jam fans. One of my friends (or was it me?) specifically said, “they’ll never be very big anyway.”

Whoops.

St. Louis won’t match a bill like that this year, but there are plenty hip happenings to choose from. Have a great night and we’ll see you at a show in 2009!

Recommended shows and parties

First Night will boast several worthy performances, including blues and soul diva Kim Massie (7:45 to 8:30 pm at the Third Baptist Church), Lliam Christy’s Los Flamencos (8 to 9 pm at the Sheldon), world music vet Farshid Etniko (9:15 to 10 pm at the Third Baptist Church), El Caribe Tropical (10 to 11:30 pm at the Sheldon), Ticket to the Beatles (10:15 to 11:30 pm on the Washington Stage) and a number of acclaimed percussion groups throughout the night. For a full list of music and non-music performances at First Night, click here.

Shame Club, Lions of Hazelwood, Dirty 30’s and Heros of the Kingdom will play the Bluebird.

The Koken Art Factory (2500 Ohio St.) will feature Columbia, Mo., progressive band Soulstace.

The Off Broadway revives the Under Cover Weekend as Fattback plays the hits of Huey Lewis & the News and the Monads do Devo. The Mandonnas take care of midnight duties with their Madonna covers.

White Flag Projects (4568 Manchester Avenue; 314-531-3442) throws the Tom Huck New Year’s Evil Party, which will feature an indoor shooting range, a weenie roast and a troupe of hillbilly go-go dancers. www.whiteflagprojects.org.

Rounding out the night’s music is Dr. Zhivegas at the Pageant, the Schwag at the Roberts Orpheum Theater, Hazard to Ya Booty at the Gramophone, the Loop Underground at Blueberry Hill and The Invisibles at Mangia Italiano

For a complete list of events, search our Events Calendar at http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment.