Well, here we are on New Year’s Eve with 2025 almost behind us. Going out to hear some live music has always been a popular way to ring in the new year, but in 1978, promoter Bill Graham (Fillmore East, Fillmore West) and the Grateful Dead threw a bash that has been hard to top since.
The Dead had already established a tradition of playing a few hometown gigs around San Francisco during the holidays, but that particular year, Graham wanted to kick things up a notch. Maybe he was inspired by The Band’s “Last Waltz” concert on Thanksgiving Day a couple of years prior, or maybe he wanted to give Winterland, his concert venue – which was scheduled to close on January 1 – a sendoff for the ages. And for those who couldn’t get tickets, the concert was broadcast live by KQED, San Francisco’s PBS television station.
The show lasted for over eight hours and featured the Grateful Dead, the New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Blues Brothers. For good measure, Graham arranged for the recently released film Animal House (starring Blues Brother John Belushi) to be screened before the music started, so as to get the crowd in a party kind of mood. Not that the crowd needed much help in that department. By all accounts, most members of the audience were tripping, as were most of the musicians on stage.
At midnight, Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd took the mic and provided play-by-play as a “ten – no, wait, twelve-foot-long – burning ember of marijuana” was lowered from the Winterland ceiling. Graham, dressed as Father Time, rode atop the replica joint, throwing confetti and actual joints to the crowd below. The Dead then played three sets over a four-hour period, after which breakfast was served to all attendees. Bill Graham was truly the host with the most.
Whatever you do to ring in the new year, please be careful, be safe, and be back here next week as Concert Watch kicks off 2026.
Ticket Alert
If a Mount Rushmore of Houston musicians were ever created, Rock Romano’s face would be right in the middle. The man who led Dr. Rockit for many years was born on Valentine’s Day, and during most years, Romano organizes a show on that date to celebrate his birthday. Of course he also invites some musical pals along to share in the fun, and this year the Hightailers and Steve Krase will be among the special guests at the Continental Club on Saturday, February 14. Pre-show PR materials promise “a couple of real surprises,” so who knows who else might show up. Tickets are on sale now and sure to go quickly.
Guitarists Joe “Satch” Satriani and Steve Vai go way back. How far back? Well, consider that Vai took guitar lessons from Satriani when he was in high school. The two have worked on projects together in the past, but now they have put together a proper band -SatchVai – and will take it on the road in the spring. Get your tickets now for the show at the 713 Music Hall on Thursday, April 14.
Tickets are also on sale for Wolfmother’s concert on Monday, June 8, at the House of Blues. The band’s sound is not easy to describe, but Wolfmother is, at its heart, a hard rock band that mixes in other styles, among them blues, metal and psychedelia. Whatever you call it, you can count on a wild experience, so hitch up your britches, bitches.
Most of us haven’t fully recovered from presents, trees and eggnog, but holiday aficionados will be cheered to hear that tickets are already available for the “Cowsills Family Christmas” show at Main Street Crossing on Thursday, December 10. ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: the Cowsills first hit the big time in 1967 with a cover version of the title song from the “tribal rock” musical “Hair.” The band was comprised of six siblings, who were later joined by their mother. After the Cowsills’ first wave of success, a television series loosely based on their exploits debuted in 1970. “The Partridge Family” featured real-life mother and stepson Shirley Jones and David Cassidy and captivated teeny-boppers during its four-year run.
Concerts This Week
In terms of New Year’s Eve concerts, the biggest bash will feature Treaty Oak Revival at Toyota Center. Since forming as a cover band in 2018, the Odessa aggregation’s fortunes have been on the rise, as the band’s original material has generated significant chart success, along with sales that have earned Treaty Oak Revival multiple gold records. Lead vocalist Sam Canty describes Treaty Oak as “a rock band with a country accent.”
Those looking for a somewhat more sedate but still lively musical experience might consider the Mucky Duck’s “New Year’s Eve in Ireland” concert, which has become an annual tradition. The show will feature performances by Pat Byrne, Kristopher Wade, EJ Jones and Frances Cunningham. The music starts at 4 p.m., and “Auld Lang Syne” will be sung at 6 p.m., which will be midnight in Ireland.
Also at the Mucky Duck this week is Houston musical stalwart Shake Russell, who performs on Saturday. Russell is a captivating performer, and his songs have been recorded by Ricky Skaggs, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, and Miranda Lambert. He is the recipient of two BMI Million-Air Awards, which honor songwriters, composers and publishers whose songs have received over one million spins on the radio.
And if you don’t have sufficient opportunities to boogie during your New Year’s Eve celebration, the Continental Club will present preeminent dance music stylists Disco Expressions on Saturday. We mention this now so that you will have time to take your white suit to the cleaners before the show. And don’t forget to shine those platform shoes!
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.
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