Think about the pressure a performer’s under to put on a good New Year’s Eve show.

For some folks, New Year’s Eve might be their one night out on the town all year. They’ve shelled out big bucks for a baby sitter and a nice dinner out.

So the show better be good.

“I feel a responsibility, because it’s always a big night out for people,” said Maine comedian Bob Marley, who has been doing New Year’s Eve shows at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium for more than a decade. “That always weighs on my mind when I come up with new stuff — do I put it on my album or save it for the holiday shows?”

Usually, the holiday show wins out. Marley said there will be plenty of new material in his act when he does two New Year’s Eve shows Saturday at the Merrill. And because he doesn’t want to let the folks at Portland’s Comedy Connection down, he plans to do another New Year’s Eve show there as well.

Rob Derhak, bass player for the jam-rock band moe., also says New Year’s Eve shows carry some responsibility.

“In 20 years, there’s only been one or two years when we haven’t played on New Year’s Eve. Our fans expect us to play, and we don’t want to let them down,” said Derhak, who will be playing two shows with moe. on Friday and Saturday at Portland’s State Theatre. “There are a couple of shows in a year that have really high expectations, and this is one.”

This year’s New Year’s Eve is even more special, says Derhak, because he gets to do a show in his backyard — he lives in Falmouth.

While there might be pressure on performers, you shouldn’t feel pressure to find something to do New Year’s Eve. There’s plenty going on, from concerts to dance parties and family-friendly festivals.

To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of some of the major New Year’s Eve events planned for the Greater Portland area. Space constraints prevent us from listing everything happening on New Year’s Eve here, so turn to the music, movies, art and et cetera listings in this issue of GO for more. You might also want to check with your favorite nightclub, venue or town hall to see if they’ve got anything planned.

All shows are on Saturday unless otherwise noted. 

• BOB MARLEY WITH GEORGE HAMM: 7 p.m. today; 6:30 and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland. $48. porttix.com; 842-0800. Marley’s 12th year of holiday shows at the Merrill, with his longtime friend and fellow Maine comedian George Hamm.

• BOB MARLEY, GEORGE HAMM AND HARRISON STEBBINS: 11 p.m., Comedy Connection, 16 Custom House Wharf, Portland. $40. mainecomedy.com; 774-5554. If seeing Marley at the Merrill isn’t intimate enough for you, catch him at this comedy club later on.

• MOE.: 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland. $50. All ages. statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000; Cumberland County Civic Center box office. This show with the famed jam band could go well past midnight, says bass player Rob Derhak.

• NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH with Mighty Mystic, Royal Hammer, Soul Rebel Project and DJ Queen B: 8 p.m., Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland. $20 to $40. portcitymusichall.com; 899-4990. A reggae-style New Year’s Eve party scheduled to go until 2 a.m.

• NEW YEAR’S EVE PROM with Katy Gaga: 9 p.m., The Big Easy, 55 Market St., Portland. $15 to $20. portsportsmaine.com/katygagaprom. The band Katy Gaga (think a mash-up of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga) will play gal-pop hits. Formal attire is encouraged. There will be a Champagne toast, prom photos will be taken, and a king and queen will be chosen.

• GALA ON THE POINT: 7 p.m., The Landing at Pine Point, 353 Pine Point Road, Scarborough. $79.95. thelandingatpinepoint.com; 774-4527. Music from Jim Ciampi Band and Colorblind. Table reservations include appetizers, a dinner buffet, dessert and a midnight toast.

• L.L. BEAN NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION AND FIREWORKS: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., L.L. Bean Discovery Park, 95 Main St., Freeport. tinyurl.com/llbeannewyears; (877) 755-2326. Free. This annual family-themed festival begins with activities and entertainment in the afternoon, including a 5:15 p.m. children’s concert by Rick Charette on the Discovery Patio, followed by fireworks at 6 p.m.

• NEW YEAR GORHAM: 5 p.m., downtown Gorham. $5. newyeargorham.org. Music and events all night long at venues around downtown Gorham, including a variety of shows, choirs and choruses, jazz music, Irish dancing and more. Plus fireworks at 10 p.m.

• LAST BLAST NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION: 4:30 p.m., Town Square, Old Orchard Beach. $10. oob365.com; 590-4201. A bonfire on the beach, marshmallow toasting pits, music and family activities. Plus two fireworks shows: at 5:30 p.m. and midnight.

• NEW YEAR’S EVE MAGICAL MADNESS DANCE: 7 p.m., Italian Heritage Center, 40 Westland Ave., Portland. $55 to $65. italianheritagecenter.com; 939-8570. Appetizers, dinner, dancing to the band Wavelength and a Champagne toast.

• THE MALLETT BROTHERS BAND NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY: 9 p.m., Empire Dine and Dance, 575 Congress St., Portland. portlandempire.com; 879-8988. $12; ages 21 and older. Local alt-country faves The Mallet Brothers are joined by local bands This Way and The Kurt Baker Band as they rock in the new year.

• YACHT ROCK IN THE NEW YEAR: 8 p.m., Bayside Bowl, 58 Alder St., Portland. baysidebowl.com; 791-2695. $15. Dress up as your favorite character from the TV series “The Love Boat” for this combination of tropical themes, ’80s dance music and discounted bowling. And if that isn’t weird enough for you, try this captain’s hat on for size: At midnight, the place will drop a bowling ball.

• PARANOID SOCIAL CLUB, with Sidecar Radio and Grant Street Orchestra: 9 p.m., Asylum, 121 Center St., Portland. $14 in advance; $16 day of show. portlandasylum.com; 772-8274. Rock into 2012 with three of Portland’s hottest bands.

• OPEN SKY NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION: 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland. $20 ($50 for a family pass); includes dinner. cowpastureproductions.com; 761-1757. Why leave the kids at home when you can take the entire family? This all-ages event features live music from a slew of local performers, including Dave Gagne, Arborea, Resisdance, Naveah Dance Company, Open Sky Faery, East Wave Radio and more.

• NEW YEAR’S AT THE PLANETARIUM: 8 p.m. to midnight, Southworth Planetarium, University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth St., Portland. $6. usm.maine.edu/planet. Another family-friendly event, and you can’t beat the price. Enjoy the planetarium’s most recent astronomy shows as you count down to 2012.

• “ICING” NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH: 9 p.m., Space, Portland. $50. space538.org; 828-5600. Space is unlike any other venue in downtown Portland. It’s a concert venue. It’s an art gallery. It’s a bar. It’s a movie theater. It’s all those things and more, and on New Year’s Eve, you’ll be able to experience a little bit of everything as Space hosts a blow-out that includes large-scale art installations, curated wines, tasty treats and eclectic music (ranging from Middle Eastern to electronica), capped off by an audio-visual experience courtesy of brothers Nathaniel and David Meiklejohn.

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:

rrouthier@pressherald.com

 

 

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