NYE: 7 ways to wave 2012 goodbye

(Cherry Shakewell - 2)

If you have ever been stuck on a night bus at the stroke of twelve or ended up at a really bad party with your friends, you know that it’s important to do some research before you go out to celebrate New Year. Here are some of the most striking parties in the capital!

1. Event organisers KetaLoco and Feestgedruis certainly win the prize for most inventive party. The silos of the old Bellevue Brewery – now the Brussels Event Brewery – are being transformed into a medieval fairy-tale castle for their FABLES & FAIRYTALES party. With three halls (“Techno-tech-house”, “Soul-funk-disco”, and “Deep house”) and names like Mo & Benoelie, Andhim (DE), Boulevard (live), L-Fêtes, Kong & Gratts, DJ Kwak (Strictly Niceness), and Don Santos and Don Cabron, this party looks like it can’t possibly go wrong. Don’t forget to dress up as a princess or a knight!
— 21.00, €20/25/30, Brussels Event Brewery, rue Delaunoystraat 58b1, Molenbeek, Facebook: Fables & Fairytales

(Andhim - 1)

2. In the magnificent La Tentation, you won’t be partying into next year, but back in time. Because at RADIO-A-GOGO, it will only be turning 1964! With the unsurpassed show by Black Elvis, burlesque dancing girls Cherry Shakewell and Poppy, go-go-girls, and DJs playing the best rock-’n-roll, beat, and soul, this will be one of the naughtiest retro events ringing in the New Year. Find yourself a appropriate costume or dress, and warm up your thighs for a groovy twist.
— 23.00, €15/20 (students > 0.00, €5), La Tentation, Lakensestraat 28 rue de Laeken, Brussel/Bruxelles, 
www.neoretroagency.com, Facebook: Radio-A-Gogo

3. The Bazaar Club closed its restaurant earlier this year to turn the ground floor into a second clubbing hall. As it turned out, they hit the nail on the head, because well-known Brussels party concepts suddenly headed for the Marolles in droves. Two of those organisers are joining forces for New Year. Leftorium and Holger are bringing great international names like Daniel Wang and Ryan Elliott to UNION JACKS, but the cream of Brussels’s nightlife scene will also be there, represented by Geoffroy Mugwump, Walrus, Prince Off, Handless DJ, Sixsixsixties, and others.
— 23.00, €12, Bazaar, Kapucijnenstraat 63 rue des Capucins, Brussel/Bruxelles, www.leftorium.be, Facebook: Left Orium

(Essentia - 5)

4. Three years ago, the art and music event Plastic organised a few evenings in the beautiful Gesù church opposite the Botanique. To celebrate the transition from old to new, they are heading back to that location with NYEXIII and in doing so, are teaming up with Libertine Supersport. Ed Banger Records DJ SebastiAn is coming over from France for a set of alternating funky and hard-core electro beats. The English indie-rock band Foals is also sending its offspring to the church for a DJ set. And naturally Mickey, Rick Shiver, and Franco Y Gael will not miss it. Great for people looking for a stylish party with an edge. And what’s more, you rarely get to party in such a unique location.
— 23.00, €15 (> 0.00)/€20 (< 0.00)/€10 (< 5.00), Église GesùKerk, Koningsstraat 165 rue Royal, Sint-Joost-ten-Node/Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, www.libertinesupersport.be, Facebook: Libertine Supersport, www.plasticbrussels.com

5. For the third time, ESSENTIA is heading to the beautiful Théâtre du Vaudeville in the heart of Brussels. It’s a prestigious place that spontaneously brings evening gowns and tuxedos to mind. And yet you needn’t dig too deep into your pockets because for 50 euro, you will get free drinks all night, including champagne. If you arrive before midnight, you will even get an extra little present. DJ Mile from the famous You Night Club will guarantee a great atmosphere.
— 22.00, €50 (entrance, cloakroom, drinks, champagne), Théâtre Du Vaudeville, Koninginnegalerij 13 galerie du Reine, Brussel/Bruxelles, www.lenouvelan.be, Facebook: Essentia Brussels

(La Fête - 6)

6. People who enjoy a somewhat more traditional New Year’s party can indulge at the Botanique café. The organisers of the enjoyable God Save The 90’s parties are setting up LA FÊTE, a party that underscores confetti, streamers, and kissing at midnight. Furthermore, the DJs will play the best music from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. For champagne lovers, there is even a happy hour before midnight, and you don’t have to worry at all about the dress code. Uninhibited fun.
— 22.00, €13/17, Café Bota, Koningsstraat 236 rue Royale, Sint-Joost-ten-Node/Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Facebook: lafetebyto

7. There will also be champagne corks popping at Le Cercle des Voyageurs again. For the BOUCAN NYE13, the otherwise quiet and cosy café/restaurant/library/club is being transformed into an adventurous party hall with, among others, the Lowup crew, which will send you round the world like a rollercoaster. Baile funk, kuduro, UK funky, dubstep, etc., they have all the ingredients to make a fantastic party.
— 23.00, €10, Le Cercle des Voyageurs, Lievevrouwbroersstraat 18 rue des Grands Carmes, Brussel/Bruxelles, www.lecercledesvoyageurs.com