Hula-hula guy Count Skylarkin' gets his Hawaiian shirt on for a night of sunny sounds to launch the New Year party weekend. He tells Tim Hughes all about it

IT may be frosty, foggy and frozen outside, but this New Year, revellers are urged to get into the party spirit – tropical style.

In a bold attempt to banish the chill, The Cellar is tomorrow hosting a night of 50s and 60s-style surf-rock and sun-kissed tunes with a South Seas theme.

The night, an instalment of Count Skylarkin's Big Ten Inch shows, sees local legend Sir Bald Diddley rocking out with his fabulous Ripcurls. And the Count – aka Cowley Road party-starter Aidan Larkin – assures us it will be a night to blow away the post-festive cobwebs and ease us into the New Year festivities.

"This is the perfect warm-up for New Year's Eve – or even an alternative," he says.

"We are doing something different. It'll be a festive beach-tastic bonanza of surfin', twistin', twangin' rock & roll with a Hawaiian theme," he goes on.

"Sir Bald is an Oxford superstar from a bygone age that never happened. It's proper hip-shaking rock & roll."

The night also sees the Count spinning feel-good tune, a set of 'hip-droppers and Hawaiian boppers' courtesy of Johnny Louche and Van Mule.

"Hula-hula girls – or indeed guys – in grass skirts get in free before 11pm and the same goes for people in swim wear. And gents in Hawaiian shirts get in for half price all night. There's no place for long johns!"

So why go tropical in the middle of winter?

"I was on holiday in the Canaries in November and had to think of something," he says. "I don't have a lot of imagination so started looking around at the people on the beach and thought 'we'll do that' – inflatable palm trees and all."

The night is the perfect excuse to party for those of us who are not fans of NYE itself. "There will be none of the crowds in town, it'll be easy to get a cab and, a babysitter if you've got kids – and we'll even have a countdown at midnight," he grins.

For the Count, tomorrow's show is one of a string of parties. His advise to fellow committed party-goers in it for the long haul? "Stay the course!"

"Nights like this are the perfect way to have fun," he goes on. "If you aren't going to a house party, go to something with a house party feel, but where you don't have to clean up after.

"We don't want big names, we want home comforts, but no one wants to go far... and this is within staggering distance home. Perfect!"

Sir Bald & His Ripcurls

  • The Cellar, off Cornmarket, Oxford
  • Friday, December 30
  • wegottickets.com

What else is on:

Dance & dub

Cowley Road New Year’s Eve Festival

Aidan Larkin sets his decks up again at the Bullingdon on NYE for a party headlined by the Rat Pack. Also up are dance crew Simple, live reggae and dub outfit ZAIA, Old Skool Oxford and Dub Politics. Treat it like a festival and dress accordingly. The fun goes through to 6am.

  • The Bullingdon, Cowley Road, Oxford
  • New Year’s Eve
  • ticketweb.co.uk

Party tunes

NYE Soul Explosion

Oxford soul and pop covers band The Bang Tail Feathers will keep party people dancing into 2017 with a night of Northern Soul – themed music with Southern Cocktails and Deep-South Food.

  • The Rusty Bicycle, Magdalen Road, Oxford
  • New Year’s Eve
  • Tickets £15 from the pub

Dance

Switch NYE

This year’s NYE festivities at the O2 Academy Oxford are presided over by dance crew Switch, who present an epic bass-heavy night featuring SASASAS, Flava D and Mollie Collins.

  • O2 Academy Oxford
  • New Year’s Eve
  • ticketweb.co.uk

Dance

Fluid NYE

In a dream for lovers of bass house, grime and drum & bass, the Fluid crew present their first ever New Year's Eve bash at The Cellar. Revellers can expect wall-to-wall party bangers as well as some true classics.

  • The Cellar, off Cornmarket, Oxford
  • New Year’s Eve
  • ukfluid.com

Masked Ball

NYE MASQUERADE BALL

Spend the night in style at the Latin-themed club's Black & White Masquerade Ball. Revellers are urged to dress to the nines, with a black & white black-tie dress code suggested, but not required, and masquerade masks optional.

Cocktails and champagne will flow all night.

  • Lola Lo, Magdalen Street, Oxford
  • New Year's Eve
  • lolalo.co.uk/venues/oxford