Hogmanay 2010/2011 clubbing highlights in Edinburgh and Glasgow

The best New Year's Eve club nights in Scotland

Booka Shade

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 Karniva & Cabaret Voltaire’s TooManyDJsl (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.

Going out in Edinburgh this Hogmanay? RBS is supporting free bus travel home. Free Lothian Buses and First services will be running from Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party along the major routes and leaving regularly between approximately 00.00 to 04.00am. Find out more information about routes and timetables.