NYE Bettor’s Guide

Some friends and I were camped out in the Old Office of the Knitting Factory last night, waiting for The Duo to take the stage for its 88-person fifth anniversary show. The recently departed James Brown serenaded the room through the speakers, and we began to discuss the potential frequency of JB covers we’ll hear around the country this week. Of course, I’m sure some bands will shy away from re-creating greatness in favor of blasting funktastic pre-show and setbreak music, but at the hundreds of shows that’ll take place before and on New Year’s Eve, I’m setting the Over/Under on James Brown covers at 74 times. What’s your take?