ROLESVILLE, N.C. – A DJ on Thursday said the next New Year's Eve should more than make up for this one.

One year ago, Austin Bowling was playing live music at a party ringing in the year 2020.

“My buddy turned to me at one point. He said I was the first person that he saw this year and the last person he saw last year,” he said. “That ended up being my last jazz gig until now.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to canceled New Year's Eve parties all over the state, leaving DJs and musicians like Bowling with nowhere to go on the last night of the year. Instead, he will spend the evening at home, practicing for when the nightclubs open back up.

“This year, we would have been doing some 20's parties, like Roaring Twenties style, so a lot of electro swing and things like that,” he said. “I was really looking forward to breaking out a lot of that music but, unfortunately, it's not going to happen.”

Even the largest New Year's Eve traditions aren't immune.

First Night Raleigh abandoned its annual downtown concert and acorn drop. Instead, the organization set up a drive-thru light show at Dorothea Dix Park. Other towns such as Fuquay-Varina put on their own light shows. North Carolina-based band The Avett Brothers eschewed their New Year's extravaganza in favor of a virtual concert featuring country legend Willie Nelson, among other performers.

The year 2020 was not an easy one for Bowling. Virtually every party for which he would normally DJ was canceled. He was still able to provide entertainment at 18 weddings this year, though in a normal year he said he appears at closer to 40. Still, Bowling said he's remaining optimistic. He said he's already fielding numerous wedding DJ requests for 2021, so that's a sign of pent-up demand.

“One of my friends said, 'you know, once we get things rolling again, it's going to be like the Roaring Twenties all over again.' And I really believe that,” he said.