The Detroit Cobras.   (Photo: Kentaro M's Flickr)

The Detroit Cobras
Mercury Lounge, 8 p.m.; 217 E. Houston St., nr. Ludlow St.; 212-260-4700
The balls-to-the-wall ladies of the Detroit Cobras will be belting out their repurposed garage-rock covers at the Mercury Lounge alongside the A-Bones and the Underthings.

Dean & Britta
Southpaw, 7 p.m.; 125 Fifth Ave., nr. Sterling Pl.; Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-230-0236
The veteran shoegaze duo play an early New Year’s show, performing their compositions from 13 Most Beautiful ... Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests while the shorts are projected above them. A perfectly delicate way to start off a night of raucousness.

Antibalas
Knitting Factory Brooklyn, 9 p.m.; 361 Metropolitan Ave., at Havemeyer St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 347-529-6696
The kings of Brooklyn afro-soul take a break from their day job as the house band for Broadway’s Fela! to rock the Knitting Factory.

The Felice Brothers
Southpaw, 10 p.m.; 125 Fifth Ave., nr. Sterling Pl., Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-230-0236
The Brooklyn-via-the-Catskills folk-rockers (and real-life brothers) hope to bring you back to easy days of backyard barbecues and pleasant summer nights. Tickets are sold out, but where there's a will there's a way.

Obits, Eli Paperboy Reed & the True Lovers
The Bell House, 8 p.m.; 149 7th St., nr. Second Ave., Gowanus, Brooklyn; 718-643-6510
The Bell House is welcoming the New Year with a “legendary Rock and Soul blowout.” Subway Soul Club’s D.J.'s will be joined by Orbits and Eli “Paperboy” Reed & the True Loves.

Fischerspooner
Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, 10 p.m.; 17 Irving Pl., at 15th St.; 212-777-6800
Part performance-art project, part exuberant dance-pop duo, Fischerspooner broke out of New York City’s electroclash scene, worked with songwriter to the stars Linda Perry on a major-label album, and have finally arrived at Entertainment, the irresistible, whip-smart disc they released independently this year.

Mariah Carey
Madison Square Garden, 9 p.m.; 4 Penn Plz., nr. 31st St.; 212-465-6741
Mariah’s had a shaky 2009, with the lackluster reception of her latest, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, and a weird back-and-forth with alleged ex-boyfriend Eminem. But she’s still got more No. 1 hits than anyone else, ever, meaning her “into midnight” concert is still a must-see.

Sandra Bernhard
Joe’s Pub, 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.; 425 Lafayette St., nr. Astor Pl.; 212-539-8778
The sharp-tongued vixen says good-bye to 2009 through her outrageous tirades and cutting comedy act and with a little help from her band, the Rebellious Jezebels.

Gilbert & Sullivan Favorites
Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 8 p.m.; 155 W. 65th St., nr. Broadway; 212-769-7406
This annual event once again promises renditions from Gilbert and Sullivan’s legendary catalogue, including scenes, songs, parodies, and overtures. Bonus: Requests will be taken from the audience, leading to impromptu performances from the full orchestra.

New Year's Eve: Hampson, Gershwin, Copland & Broadway
Avery Fisher Hall, 7:30 p.m.; 10 Lincoln Center Plz., nr. 65th St.; 212-875-5030
Favorites like Gershwin’s "An American in Paris" and Copland’s "Appalachian Spring Suite" are on the bill for the New York Philharmonic’s end-of-year bash.