FIRST ELEVEN There are plenty of smaller-scale Hogmanay celebrations going on around the nation. Here are The List’s top 11 alternative ways to welcome 2011
1 THE COMEDY BANQUET Maggie May’s (60 The Trongate, Glasgow,
548 1350) brings back its annual Hell’s Bells celebration, with a five-course meal, comedy from Canadian funnyman Tom Stade (pictured), live music from The Dawn Patrol and a club open ‘til the early hours.
another stylish celebration, this one at the Roxburghe Hotel (38 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, 08448 799063). A champange reception, five-course meal and swingin’ Frank Sinatra tribute band make for a seriously classy New Year party.
7 THE BIGGAR BONFIRE South of the central belt, the Biggar Bonfire (Biggar, Borders) will once again welcome in the new year in the oldest of fashions, by lighting a ruddy great fire and having a party round it.
2 THE BOAT PARTY The Ferry (25 Anderston Quay, Glasgow,
01698 360 085) is hosting a New Year’s Eve Ceilidh on the banks of the River Clyde, with The Gary Blair Ceilidh Band and DJ Alan Todd keeping the party going until 2am.
3 THE GALA KNEES-UP The annual Raymond Gubbay
Hogmanay Gala at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (2 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, 353 8000) is a perennially popular affair, with TV comedian Joyce Falconer introducing traditional and classical music favourites on New Year’s Eve.
4 THE HAGGIS DINNER The Sheraton Grand Hotel (1 Festival Square, Edinburgh, 229 9131) is hosting a Hogmanay Ball, with live music, ceilidh dancing, a traditional haggis dinner and a stunning city centre view of the fireworks.
5 THE COMIC OPERA As well as hosting a variety of festive
concerts, the Usher Hall (Lothian Road, Edinburgh, 228 1155) is also flaunting its theatrical side, presenting Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado on Wed 29 Dec, starring Alistair McGowan (pictured).
6 THE MASQUERADE BALL The Hogmanay Masquerade Ball is
8 THE BURNING OF THE CLAVIE Another example of fiery festivities can
be found at Burghead (near Elgin, Moray), where The Burning of the Clavie – a centuries-old ritual involving an extremely flammable cask of wood shavings and tar – still takes place every year, bringing good luck to the local residents.
9 THE FIREBALLS CEREMONY Not to be outdone, the Stonehaven
Fireballs Ceremony (Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire) consist of forty or so local residents, accompanied by pipe bands, parading down the High Street while swinging massive flaming balls, which are then launched into the nearby harbour.
10 THE STIRLING SHINDIG Back towards the centre of Scotland,
and the more genteel citizens of Stirling will most likely be screaming their heads off at the homegrown music and TV talent who’ll be providing the entertainment at Stirling’s Hogmanay (Castle Esplanade, Stirling, 01786 274000).
11 THE BA’ GAME In the most northern reaches of the
country, the Orkney Ba’ Game (Kirkwall, Orkney) pits the two halves of the town against each other in a 100s-a-side game of footie. The matches have only the most shadowy of rules, and are known to last well into the evening.
WIN HOGMANAY TICKETS! The List has tickets to give away to nearly all the Hogmanay celebrations on this page. Log onto list.co.uk/offers to apply. See Offers, page 6, for more information.
HOGMANAY 2010
CLUB CLASSICS
Henry Northmore and David Pollock round up some of the best NY clubbing options in Edinburgh and Glasgow
Hogmanay is the biggest night of the year in many clubbers’ calendars, and, as usual, crowds in Edinburgh are spoilt for choice. The Official Edinburgh Hogmanay Afterparty (HMV Picture House) will rock to the frenetic live show of electro-house heroes Booka Shade (pictured). Or for more big names try Colours, City & Broke present City of Edinburgh Hogmanay Party (City), where the hosts will be joined by drum & bass beasts Pendulum for a DJ set augmented by MC Verse. Want something different? You can have lush
Latin rhythms at the Departure Lounge Hogmanay Carnival (The Caves); the harsh techno attack of Surgeon and Neil Landstrumm headlining Substance NYE (The Store); the hard rap of Giggs at the Tipsy NYE Party (Base); the retro garage of The Kosher Pickles at The Go- Go Hogmanay Party (Studio 24) or just keep it indie with DJ sets from Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) and Adam Ficek (Babyshambles) at the Hogmanay Hijack (Liquid Room).
Among the homegrown options the big band
swing and easy listening of Vegas! Grand Hogmanay Ball (Ocean Terminal) has become an Edinburgh institution; 25 local DJs will be playing out house, techno, electro at Karnival & Cabaret Voltaire’s TooManyDJs (Cabaret Voltaire); Headspin Meets Mumbo Jumbo (The Bongo Club) will offer a mix up of funk, hip hop, house and much much more, or finally you could head to the funk mash-up monster that is Motherfunk vs She-Bang (The Voodoo Rooms).
In Glasgow Optimo Presents Hogmanay (Art School) will be an emotional affair, and will feature Twitch and Wilkes back at the scene of New Years past for the final time before the venue closes in the summer. Among the other biggest parties in the city will be Arches NYE (Arches), which has booked a DJ set from Pendulum and has guests including Kissy Sell Out, Clouds and Sei A, and Subculture NYE (Sub Club) with Lil’ Louis and Radio Slave.
Elsewhere, there’ll be fine DJs at Big Trouble in Little Warehouse (SWG3); a Cadenza label showcase at Tictactoe NYE (Templeton Carpet Factory); burlesque at Club Noir’s Hogmanay (Classic Grand) and indie bands and DJs at Pinup Nights’ Hogmanay Ball (Flying Duck). Disco-house club Melting Pot (Admiral Bar Basement) will welcome guests DJ Cosmo and Cottam, while the ever-reliable Numbers (Stereo) will feature all of the excellent house, techno, dubstep and UK funky night’s seven residents for the first time on the same bill. ■ See clubs listings, page 51, for full details.
16 Dec 2010 – 6 Jan 2011 THE LIST 11