Family fun begins at Virginia Beach Town Center’s Fountain Plaza with our LIVE DJ…. from 6 pm until 9:00 pm. Dancing, stilt walkers, jugglers and more festive fun for all ages to ring in the New Year! “Dance Off Contest” for kids under 12! Come on out and show your stuff!
Monotronic -
Since emerging in 2016, Monotronic have maintained their status as a ponderous and provocative enigma. Conceived by guitarist/producer Ramsey Elkholy, Monotronic started as a loose collective of NYC-based musicians. The rotating cast of musicians have shared the stage and recorded with the likes of Joe Jackson, Robert Randolph, Elliot Moss, The Spin Doctors, and Dweezil Zappa, to name a few.
The Monotronic sound is a combination of electronic music with a wide range of cultural influences, mostly drawn from Elkholy’s time spent in Calcutta studying Indian classical music and his travels throughout Southeast Asia, where he spent nearly two years in the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia among the Orang Rimba tribe. He describes Monotronic as “a concept, whereby each instrument can be heard as a continuation of the other and the music sounds as one distinct whole, emanating from a single source”.
Empire Strikes Bass -
Asheville, NC-based Brass/Funk/Rock band Empire Strikes Brass has a lot to say with a big sound. Chock-full of serious groove from a thumping rhythm section highlighted by lush horn arrangements played by a thick horn section, the band’s compositional roots as well as its creative and collaborative soul contribute lots of depth to their original tunes and covers that speak volumes to ESB’s evolution.
Founded in 2012, ESB has grown from a party band of friends playing New Orleans-originated or inspired second-line and funk tunes with elements of rock and jam.
Lupe Fiasco -
Chicago-born, Grammy Award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco gained national attention with his 2006 album Food & Liquor, which helped cement a new wave of Chicago rappers in the national conversation. Revisit the album that put Lupe Fiasco on the map, and changed the course of Chicago hip-hop forever.
The independent rapper who parted ways with his former label, Atlantic Records, following the release of 2015’s Tetsuo & Youth, is pegged as one of the most gifted lyricists and visionaries to grace the mic. Rising to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, Food & Liquor, Lupe has released six acclaimed studio albums; Drogas Light, released in 2017 on his own label, 1st & 15th. These albums have netted 3 platinum singles, 3 RIAA Gold Certifications, 12 Grammy nominations, and one Grammy Award in 2008 for his infectious single, “Daydreamin,” feat Jill Scott.
While musical genius and ingenuity are at the forefront of Lupe’s achievements, the artist extends his innovation to projects that aim to foster creative discourse and opportunities in underprivileged and impoverished communities. As the co-founder and co-owner of community initiatives such as, We Are M.U.R.A.L, The Neighborhood Start-Up Fund, Society of Spoken Art, and Studio SV, Lupe Fiasco proves that he is more than just a mouthpiece for change, but a committed facilitator of intellectual community discourse and outreach.
Streets for the event will be closing earlier in the day. Columbus Street will be closed from Market Street to Constitution Drive. The Countdown Stage will be assembled there as well as the VIP Tent. Central Park Avenue and Town Center Drive will also have closures. You will still have ample access to the free garage parking.
Parking in Town Center is free. We have several garages and as they fill up for the evening, guests will be routed to the nearest garage with free space.
Overflow parking will be in the Bed Bath & Beyond Parking lot. We have several hotels in the area, including the Westin, Hilton Garden Inn, Hyatt, Crowne Plaza, Residence Inn, and more.
The restaurants in Town Center will be open New Year’s Eve. They have some great specials and are looking forward to the event. We encourage you to eat in TC before the concert! We suggest reservations!