l N l'IS d festival events
the Queensferry & District Pipe Band. Entrants should phone ()131 331 4346 in the first instance.
Hogmanay Nootfest II The Stand
: Comedy Club. 5 York Place. l—3pm.
. Lunchtime laughs with improvisation. stand-up comedy. games and prizes.
Music For New Year's Day City Art
Centre. Market Street; Fruitmarket Gallery.
E Market Street. l—5pm. Less energetic.
f tnore cultured way to spend the first day of 1999. Excellent Celtic musicians Ceolbeg
‘ brew up some refitted folk tunes at the City
3 Art Centre accompanied by the foot
' stompin‘ songs of Keep It Up. Listen to
both while taking in the exhibition From McTaggart To Bellamy. key works in the city‘s 20th century collection. Nip over the road to The Fruittnarket for the Freddie King Quartet’s mix of be-bop and Latin and the Sophie Bancroft Duo‘s mellower blend of Latin jazz. The aural sculpture is complemented by Continental Drift:
Europe Approaching The Millennium. in which ten photographers reflect upon the changes in the identity of Europe. Huskies Go To Holyrood Holyrood
: Park. 2pm. Handsome canine showcase for the Husky and other sled dog teams as they race around the park.
New Year Walks Meet at the Mercat Cross. Royal Mile. 2pm and 4pm. £5
(concessions available). Historical
walking tours of the City‘s old and new
town districts led by experienced guides.
Ghost tours are also available (phone
()131 225 6591) and walks outside the
City (phone 0131 473 3800). The
Witchery Tours (of the murder. mystery
and supernatural variety) start at 352
Castlehill Royal Mile (phone 0131 225
6745)
Puss In Boots Adatn House Theatre.
Chambers Street. 2pm. £6 (£4). Lively
stage production of the well-known fairy
tale with a one-man band and audience participation.
Listings are divided into time bands. Unless otherwise stated, all events are free. For events requiring tickets, see details on page 14.
Starting before 4pm
Winter Wonderland East Princes Street Gardens. 10am—5pm. £4.50 (£3.50 without skate hire); £3.50 for under 12s including skate hire; £12.50 fatnily ticket. lce skate in the open air to seasonal songs while warming yourself with mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.
Hogmanay Carnival Waterloo Place.
1 lam—l lptn. Winter fairground thrills in the heart of the city for all the family. New Year At The Palace Palace of Holyrood House. (.‘anongate. 1 lam—4pm. £5.30 (QAP £3.70. under 17s £2.60). Light classical concert in the Picture Gallery. piping hot soup. haggis and croissants served in the Mews and an exhibition: Queen Victoria's Travels And Her Family. Watercolours Frotn The Royal Collection. What tnore could one want on the first of the New Year‘.’ Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op New Year's Day Triathlon Arthur's Seat. 12.30pm (Kids‘ Duathlon l 1.30am). Kick off the New Year with a 400m swim. eleven tnile cycle and 3.5 mile run. It's one way to beat that hangover. Alternatively. just watch the contestants suffer. Cash prizes to be won. £15 entry for individuals. £25 for teams. £3 for kids' heat. Call 0131 660 5213 for entry details and apply a.s.a.p. The Loony Dook Esplanade. South Queensferry. noon. The famous New Year dip in the Forth beneath one of Scotland‘s greatest modern landtnarks. The Forth Rail Bridge. Only for the mad or brave. but prizes to be won and survivors receive a complimentary hot toddy and soup. Entrants to meet at l lam at Moorings Pub. 24-26 Hopetoun Road. South Queensferry and are asked to participate in the High Street march with
The L Possibly the most infamous of the New Year's Day traditional celebrations, The Loony Dook is a sub-zero dip into the Forth beneath one of Scotland's greatest land marks, The Forth Rail Bridge. The Dook begins with a High Street parade lead by the Queensferry District Pipe Band. Hot toddies, soup and prizes for competitors. Meanwhile, high on the bridge Britain's biggest millennium clock counts down the days.
The Loony Dook, ESp/anade, South Queensferry, noon.
10 THE LIST GUIDE TO EDINBURGH'S HOGMANAY 1998/99
Music For New Year’s Day/1&8 Club 99
I What to do the day after the biggest party of 1998? Take it easy during the
hi.“ . ..'.
day, nurse that hangover, then continue partying in the evening. Two
attractions that are fast becomming New Year’s Day traditions in Edinburgh should take care of y0ur 1999 Day One needs: Music For New Year’s Day at the City Art Centre and Fruitmarket Gallery, which refreshes the parts other
' attractions cannot reach with a culture combination of art (such as John
Bellany’s Sweet Promise on display at The City Art Centre, shown above) and music; and the J&B Club 99, the final night of the three-day party at The Traverse, which mixes live music with three upbeat clubs whose emphasis is
on kitsch.
Music For New Year’s Day, City Art Centre and Fru/tmarket Ga/Iery, I—Spm. 1&8 Club 99, The Traverse, 9pm—330am.
Three Celebrated Quartets St. Andrew‘s and St. George's Church. George Street. 3pm. £6 (£4). After the mad partying comes the refined culture. Here. The Edinburgh Quartet plays Mozart (K387). Schubert (Opus 29 in A minor. ‘Rosamunde') and Beethoven (Opus 74. ‘The Harp‘).
Starting 4—6pm Beating The Retreat Castle Espanadc. 4pm. The traditional Beating ()f The
Retreat commencing at dusk on the
esplanade of the Castle and proceeding along the Royal Mile to Parliament Square.
Evensong Old St. Paul‘s Church. Jeffrey Street. 5--6.30pm. The Most Reverend Bishop of Edinburgh. Richard Holloway. conducts a service of reflection and resolution for all faiths with music and words in one of Edinburgh's most atmospheric churches.
Starting 6—8pm
‘ Groupe F East Princes Street Gardens.
gates open at 6pm (show lasts 45 minutes). Fresh from closing the 1998 World Cup in Paris with a spectacular
pyrotechnic display. (iroupe F unveil
their spectacular show combining fireworks and a multimedia presentation
entitled UN ["14 Plus de I.lll71f(’l'(‘ (A Little
More Light).
Hogmanay Hootfest ll, Useless Guide To Scotland The Stand Comedy Club. 5 York Place. 6—7. 10pm. £5 (£4). Bill Dewar and Brian Hennigan‘s Fringe hit. an alternative histtirical/sociological guide to Scotland with highlights including the ‘Scottish Vietnam Experience‘ and the ‘Btiddha ()f Bathgate‘.
Michael Marra TSB Hogmanay House. 5 Chambers Street. 7pm. £7.50 (£5.50). Ragtime blues meets traditional folk in Marra‘s funny. sometimes poignant. parables.
A Viennese New Year Festival Theatre. Nicolson Street. 7—9pm. £7 £2]. The rather wonderful Scottish Chamber Orchestra. conducted by Andrea Quinn. play a programme of music including Strauss. 'l‘chaikovsky and others.
Tam White Big Band TSB Hogmanay House. 5 Chambers Street. 7.15pm. £9 (£7). Live music from the band and the ‘big man‘ whose vigorous vocals span blues and v- I"
Starting 8—10pm
Hogmanay Hootfest II, The Bob Doolally Show The Stand Comedy Club. 5 York Place. 8-»-9.30pm. £5 (£4). The very nearly man of Scottish football returns with his own home-grown brand of filth and innuendo.
Te Deum: A Time Of Voices St. Mary‘s Cathedral. Palmerston Place. 8—9.20pm. £10. MUsical history lesson covering five centuries ofchoral music from Gregorian chant to the present. including music by Vitoria. Britten and John Tavener’s ‘Song For Athene‘.
1&3 Club 99 The Traverse. Cambridge Street. 9pm—3.30am. £15. Final night of the Blueroom/Atriurn/Traverse Bar/main theatre Clubroom party and your last chance to catch one of hottest party events. Going Places make it easy on you up in The Blueroorn. while The Lizzard Lounge All—stars and Kila provide the live sounds in the Atrium. Ladies Night in The Traverse Bar combines the talents of DJs Trendy Wendy. Sally Findlay and Nicci Forrest in a kitsch mix that swings froin Acapulco to Copacabana. and Joy l)Js Maggie and Alan play the party hits to please every persuasion.
John Rebourn and Archie Fisher TSB Hogmanay House. 5 Chambers Street. 9.30pm. £7.50 (£5.50). World class guitarist Rebourn joins fellow veteran of the 60s folk scene. singer Fisher fora night of unforgettable music.
Dick Gaughan TSB Hogmanay House. 5 Chambers Street. 9.45pm. £8 (£6). ()ne of Scotland‘s top folk singers. the ever- popular. ever-polemical (iaughan.
Starting after 10pm Hogmanay Hootfest II The Stand Comedy Club. 5 York Place.
l0.30pm-- l 2.45am. £6 (£4). Five act extravaganza with comedians Parrot. Kevin Hayes. John Flint. Pattl McNeil! and compere Jane Mackay.
The Marwicks Ceilidh Night TSB Hogmanay House. 5 Chambers Street. midnight. £7 (£5.50). Burn off some calories with one of Scotland’s fittest ceilidh bands.
Wildcats Of Killtenny TSB Hogmanay House. 5 Chambers Street. midnight. £7 (£5.50). Burn off some tnore calories with the Wildcats in this alternative ceilidh. With free acoustic sessions in the bar. open until 3am.