It’s New Year’s — get smoochy.

At midnight on New Year's Eve, everyone scans the party for someone to kiss. This moment, shared among those who didn't bring a smooch-worthy date, shares the same sort of vague panic that being picked last for kickball had in fourth grade. Suck.

To avoid this potential shame altogether, just stay home and watch the ball drop with Dick. But really, is this how you wish to remember New Year's Eve? Lonely, with a bottle of cheap champagne for one, salty tears staining the new couch? Viable, fun options for wild bashes abound right here in town. Here are just a handful of hip happenings. Call the venues for more info.

Icon's Baddabing (5917 N. Academy Blvd., 528-6098) features soulsters InThaMixx at their Black and White Ball. The opportunity to get down and dirty always appeals at the Leechpit-sponsored party at The Black Sheep (2106 E. Platte Ave., 227-7625), with The Right Aways, Black Pegasus and others. (See page 32 for a full lineup and details.)

If electronica's more your style, hit up Eden (217 E. Pikes Peak Ave., 635-0999), where DJs are spinning and the champagne fountains a-flowin'. Find the blue-lit doorway for another party at 15C (15 E. Bijou St., in the alley, 635-8303).

The Walkabout Pub & Grill (1919 E. Boulder St., 471-1188) features Brotherly Luv; The Continental Kids are playing Thunder & Buttons II (2415 W. Colorado Ave., 447-9888); and Love.45 is rockin' The Ritz Grill (15 S. Tejon St., 635-8484). Check out Martini Shot at Southside Johnny's (528 S. Tejon St., 444-8487); an evening with Wrestle with Jimmy at Jack Quinn's (21 S. Tejon St., 385-0766); Shades of Soul at Rum Bay (20 N. Tejon St., 634-3522); and a magical evening with Bluffet, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band at -- where else? -- The Thirsty Parrot (32 S. Tejon St., 884-1094).

Not enough? Try the eclectic jazz of Hidden Agenda at Cedars Jazz Club (3125 Sinton Road, 578-5740), or scoop into some jam in Manitou with Creating a Newsense at the Ancient Mariner (962 Manitou Ave., 685-5503).

If you're in the mood for a good old-fashioned croonin', head south to Pueblo, where master crooner Gary Bennett is at Parkside Steak House (720 Goodnight Ave., 719/565-1296). The "man of many voices" will croon you randy with over 100 celebrity impressions.

Feelin' like a classic evening? Get to the Colorado Springs Philharmonic's New Year's Eve Celebration at the Pikes Peak Center (190 S. Cascade Ave., 520-SHOW). Maestro Thomas Wilson joins Lawrence Leighton Smith on piano and vocalist Amy Sue Hardy to say, "Ahoy, 2006."

Or head north for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra's A Night in Vienna, at Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (950 13th St., 303/640-2862), featuring all the waltzes, polkas and classics necessary to usher in a jolly new year.

Back in the Springs, get to V Bar (19 E. Kiowa St., 471-8622) to catch Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center curator Gina Pierce's Cold Comfort, a multimedia art exposition sponsored by OpticalReverb. Complete a short art walk of sorts by visiting Phantom Canyon (2 E. Pikes Peak Ave., 635-2800) to check out the Front Range Mural and Grafmasters showing. Throw down a pint with many of the featured artists on hand to party under the paint and discuss their works.

-- Kara Luger and Matthew Schniper