Life after high-school marching band can be cruel and unforgiving. Clarinet skills that were once indispensable fall casually by the wayside, and drummers search in vain for rock bands that will tolerate their feathered hats. The massive exception to this rule is Mucca Pazza, a self-styled “circus punk marching band” whose 30-something members generate a ruckus that’s more akin to a rock concert than a football halftime show. With accordions strapped to their chests and speakers strapped to their heads, the group performs everything from hyperactive arrangements of Béla Bartók to a mashup genre they refer to as “snake-charmer-metal.” Their past exploits have found them performing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and chartering a fleet of canoes down the Chicago River. There’s no telling what their New Year’s Eve party at Double Door will bring, but attendees should be ready for anything—including crowd participation. (Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tuesday, December 31; 9 p.m., doors at 8 p.m. Tickets: $25–$28.) Photo: 8 Eyes Photography.