Afterward, folks tend to slide back into routines until the end of the year arrives again.
Hip-hop and R&B musician Rashad is striving to set an early example with the Elevator Music Winter Jam.
"It's a giving-back type of show," he said. "I just wanted to reach out to the people I respected a lot and have a party at the beginning of the year."
The headliners include his hip-hop group, the 3rd (in the mold of the Roots or A Tribe Called Quest); and J Rawls and Middle Child. Among the other performers: Young Reese & Blaze, who record for LeBron James' Dreamlife label; Young Wise; Omnibreed; Philly P; Nix; TaRae Nikol; and Pace.
The event takes its name from the record label and production company headed by Rashad, at age 27 a veteran of the Columbus scene.
The North Side native, who scored his first independent-label deal at 14, has produced tracks for Boyz II Men, Styles P and Jadakiss.
He signed a deal with Universal Motown and was set to release the album Elevator Music in 2003.
For reasons that Rashad can't pin down, the deal fell through.
His drive to make music, however, has never slowed.
"It was just an industry type of thing," Rashad said. "It was disheartening at the time, but, in the end, it was a blessing in disguise."
Freed from Universal Motown, Rashad set about creating a "mogul type of situation" for himself.
"I just decided to continue relationships I had in the industry," he said. "I sell my beats and sometimes full songs or the hooks. They've been going like hot cakes, and I've been able to keep my name on the songs. I've been able to work in L.A., New York and my own studio (on the North Side)."
In addition to his music -- both solo and with the 3rd -- Rashad works with several other central Ohio acts.
His most notable project in '08 will be with soul singer Daniele, from Hilliard. Her album -- Love, Daniele -- will be released during the first third of the year.
"She's like a young Alicia Keys," Rashad said. "She plays piano; she sings."
Daniele, he said, would mix well with another pair of Columbus veterans, J Rawls and Middle Child.
The two, who will perform Friday night, will release an album of classic-soul-inspired contemporary songs in the spring.
The disc -- produced by Rawls for his Polar Records label -- features Middle Child vocals on every track.
Like Rashad, Rawls continues to reach way beyond I-270 with his talents.
In the late '90s, befriending Mos Def and Talib Kweli, he joined them on tracks in New York and Los Angeles.
He has also remixed songs for the Beastie Boys.
"This show is all about reminding the city that there's a lot of good music here in Columbus," Rawls said. "We just wanted to try to make sure people don't forget it."
abeck@dispatch.com