Round and round: Carsten Höller's "Carousel" (1999)

After the holidays, some of us have assuredly come to the gruesome conclusion that our families are alien units imported from the nether regions of the universe to make our lives hellish for a few days. Enduring boorish episodes of "Oh, what a nice scarf set" and more parched turkey is enough to send us running to alternative forms of entertainment -- football or eating too many leftovers. Join the loop, right?

Well, here's something to be excited about, and it's not just the gift receipts with those unwanted gifts. How about leaving your ho-ho-holiday hole of a home and breaking into the cycle of LOOP: BACK TO THE BEGINNING at the Contemporary Arts Center?

Reasons to go? How about sweet reminiscence? It's the CAC's last show at the downtown location on Fifth Street before shuffling to Zaha Hadid's freestanding unit at Sixth and Walnut, soon to be known as the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art. That's how it goes: A $35.7 million building, a longer name.

If you haven't been to see Loop, the final invitation stands to witness your contemporaries in disparate environments with works like Rodney Graham's performance/ video "City Self/Country Self" (2001) and Santiago Serra's "Six people who are not entitled to be paid for sitting in cardboard boxes" (2001).

For those of us who are Loop veterans, it's time to cycle back to previous visits. In fact, you might take one of your slower cousins and watch his/her endless attempts at flipping Ceal Floyer's projected "Light Switch" (1992/2001). Take your mama for a spin on Carsten Höller's "Carousel" (1999) to celebrate the New Year and fetishize the flickering cyclical crowd projection and "tie guy" in Marijke Van Warmerdam's "Kring (Circle)" (1992).

On one hand, there's no prospect of change. On the other, a plenitude of change. Before Francis Alys walks the streets for the final time at the old CAC, Larry Johnson prepares for the last shout and Rodney Graham gets one last kick in the pants, remind yourself: Every loop has an end, and this one happens on Jan. 5. 513-345-8400 (See Art.) -- LIBERTY WAMPLER

TUESDAY 31
Had enough of Dick Clark's perpetually perky visage invading your New Year's Eve? If so, get your partyin' ass over to The Southgate House Ballroom as local Avant-Jazz pranksters RAY'S MUSIC EXCHANGE headline their third annual New Years Eve show. As usual, it's a diverse affair: Also on hand are Pop rockers The Swarthy Band, Hip-Hop savants Iswhat?! and the aptly named Comet Bluegrass All-Stars. And that's not all: The Walker Project and Athens, Ohio, Jam band Peach Melba take over the second-floor parlour. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and $25 (in advance; $30 day of show) gets you a champagne toast, food from Chipotle and, of course, plenty of music. Take that, Dick. Tickets: www.musictoday.com or 859-431-2201. (See Music.) -- JASON GARGANO

Music and New Year's Eve go hand in hand, so perhaps you're ready to move up to the city's biggest concert -- THE QUEEN'S JUBILEE -- WITH A TWIST. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's year-end gig at Music Hall is headed by Associate Conductor John Morris Russell. Since this year is the jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of England (that means she's 75, if you're too proper to ask), the evening features works by British composers, an elegant dinner and post-concert dancing to the music of the Jerry Conrad Orchestra in the royally appointed Grand Ballroom. Don't expect the Queen herself to show up (or do the twist), but we are promised a few tongue-in-cheek surprises. 513-381-3300 (See Onstage.) -- RICK PENDER

What exactly happens EVERY TIME A BELL RINGS? We're pretty sure it's not of the angel-gets-his-wings variety, at least not when it's a production of Mayhem & Mystery. Their New Year's Eve dinner theatre in Hamilton promises suspense and slapstick comedy as the audience pitches in on cracking the case. With hors d'oeuvres, libations, dinner and champagne at midnight, the $80-per-person price is a deal. Will you be a victim? Will you be a detective? Will you even live to clink your glass at midnight? That's up to Mayhem & Mystery. 513-896-6200, ext. 121. (See Holiday.) -- JESSICA TURNER

Giant Judys

One of Cincinnati's best new bands, GIANT JUDYS, will be playing Downtown's promising new venue, The Cavern, on New Year's Eve. The event also features Boy Radio, the local DJ duo that specializes in BritPop and Indie sounds, and DJ Joe Nicholson promises lots of '80s faves as well. Food (from Jerusalem Café) and a midnight champagne toast are included in the $10 cover charge (advance tickets go for $7), shuttle service from Northside and Clifton is available, and organizers will have games from Twister to Trivial Pursuit on hand for dance-floor breaks. 513-379-9624. (See Music.) -- MIKE BREEN

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Curtain Call
Intriguing shows and slow ticket sales mark the year in theater

Look Here!
Structural changes highlight the year's art scene

The Fine Print
Reviews of A Year of Reading, Meditations from the Mat, Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere, Karma 101 and World's Top Photogra-phers

Fine Tuning
Local ensembles reach symphonic milestones in 2002

Shake It
Dance steps to a new level in 2002

No More Waiting
Beckett's complete plays move from page to screen

Simply Irresistible
Contact is a joyous toe-tapper

Groove Tube
On your TV

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