This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The theme of EVE 2013 is "Light, Art, Sound," and arguably the most exciting element at this year's downtown three-day New Year's Eve celebration is the expansion of the latter.

For the first time in its four-year history, nationally touring acts are scheduled to perform at EVE, city and Downtown SLC officials announced Wednesday at a press conference at The Gallivan Center.

Casey Jarman, head of the popular summetime Twilight Concert Series, was brought in to lure musical acts this year, with top-shelf nationally touring names like Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Blind Pilot, Nick Waterhouse and !!! (aka Chk Chk Chik) sharing the same stage as local acts David Williams, Night Sweats, No-Nation Orchestra and the Joshua Payne Trio.

Jarman joked that when Downtown Alliance head Jason Mathis had asked him in previous years to help with EVE, Jarman had always responded "Hell, no." But Jarman said that with the growth of EVE, he saw an opportunity to "give people a different perspective" on the event.

Nick Como, spokesperson for the Downtown Alliance, said Jarman's success in transforming some city concerts into marquee events made him a perfect person to bring luster to the celebration. "We saw the success of the Twlight Concert Series," Como said. "There is the opportunity for [EVE] to become a great music event ... It's great to have Casey involved."

There are bigger changes as well this year. Chief among them is that the Salt Palace Convention Center will no longer be the headquarters for the event, with The Gallivan Center and its newly renovated stage hosting the musical acts. Other organizations and venues have also become involved, including The Leonardo and Discovery Gateway joining past year venues such as the Clark Planetarium, Off Broadway Theatre, Broadway Centre Cinemas, UMOCA and Temple Square.

A new Family Festival at The Gateway will also be held all three days of the event from 3 to 7 p.m.

A three-day pass that allows access at all 10 downtown venues will cost $15 and will be available at Harmons Grocery Stores, The Gateway Concierge and at EVEslc.com.

Also new this year is an EVE VIP pass, available for $40, that includes priority viewing for the live music on the Upstairs at the Gallivan Center's balcony (as well as access to the Gallivan Center's heated inside area ), in addition to an elevated viewing platform for the midnight fireworks show on New Year's Eve. VIP admission also includes ice-skating at the Gallivan Center, a pass to The Lenonardo's exhibit "Da Vinci — The Genius," and IMAX films at the Clark Planetarium.

For more information go to eveslc.com.