The Judge's Bench, a quaint neighborhood bar on Main Street, rang in another American New Year with a heavy dose of Irish flair.

Bow Street 7, an Irish rock duo, and sometimes trio, played music all night and into the first day of 2009 for a few dozen revelers at the 100-some-year-old pub and microbrewery.

While throngs of people ushered in the new year at large chaotic gatherings around Baltimore and Washington, these patrons wished for something a lot more laid back.

"I didn't want to go to a club," Rachel Oslund, a regular, said. "I like this place because it's got the personal feeling."

The two owners of the Judge's Bench, who took over in 2007, mingled with customers and handed out colorful New Year's Eve hats, tiaras, beads, festive horns and free glasses of champagne. The cozy two-story building had the majority of its party-goers crowded around tables and television screens on the first floor.

At the stroke of midnight, the band crooned the traditional New Year's Eve tune, "Auld Lang Syne," based on a Scottish poem by Robert Burns. The group, which has played there on several occasions, started the night off with "USA" by Irish/English rock band the Pogues and ended their last set with "Midnight Rider," by the Allman Brothers.

In between they performed a mixture of Irish pop/rock and folk songs and covers of popular American tunes, including "Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

"The band was great. They play a lot of old music," Tiffany Stack, a Floridian who hopes to quit smoking in '09, said.

As soon as the new, bigger and brighter Waterford Crystal ball finished its descent at One Times Square on the multiple television screens around the bar, patrons blew their horns, clinked their plastic champagne glasses and cashed in their first-kiss-of-the-year tickets.

Karen McAdams, of Woodstock, thought the celebration was nice and homey. She only has one resolution this year: "To enjoy each day."

For Ellicott City resident Joel Perry, his choice of party venue was a no-brainer. "The guys here have the best beer selection."

Perry hopes to lose the 30 pounds he's gained since entering his current relationship and join his friend for this year's Loch Raven 6K.

Jane Johnson, co-owner of the establishment, thought the celebration was "great" and was "thrilled with the way things turned out."

Her philosophy on New Year's resolutions is in step with that of Mike Johnson, husband and business partner.

"I detest New Year's resolutions because people always make them and break them," he said. "Maybe if they paid people to keep them, the outcome would be different."

Robert Jones, a Baltimore County resident who celebrated New Year's Eve in Ellicott City for the first time, decided to take a chance on festivities here and was glad he did. He found the experience to be "a positive one."

Jones' resolution focuses on others more than himself and is also a sign of the times.

"I want to be more generous toward others," he said. "We need to help each other out more because these are very trying times."

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