STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 10.00am WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER

RELEASE YOUR PARTY ANIMAL! EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAY 2015/16 ANNOUNCE FULL PROGRAMME OF EVENTS & STREET PARTY LINE-UP

Organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay invite revellers to ‘Release Your Party Animal’ and come to Edinburgh to enjoy the best New Year’s party on the planet. Unique Events, who have produced Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council since 1993, today announced the Street Party line-up and full details of the three-day festival which takes place from Wednesday 30 December 2015 to Friday 1 January 2016.

Edinburgh is the ‘Home of Hogmanay’, and organisers are expecting another sell-out event, welcoming 150,000 visitors to ’s capital city over the three days, bringing an estimated economic benefit of over £40 million to the city (figures based on 2014/15 event). Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a key part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals celebrations.

The celebrations launch on Wednesday 30 December with the family-friendly Torchlight Procession as 10,000 torchbearers wind their way through the city streets lined with tens of thousands of spectators. The Procession, which is supported by EventScotland, will move from George IV Bridge towards the finale of the Son et Lumière display on Calton Hill which can be viewed from across the city and from the streets surrounding the hill. Access to Calton Hill will be exclusively available for torchbearers and their accompanying friends and family. This year Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has partnered with UNICEF who will be raising funds at the Torchlight Procession and throughout the Festival to help children both in Scotland and abroad.

On Thursday 31 December, the musical line-up across the seven stages in the centre of the city promises to deliver an exhilarating party soundtrack for the anticipated 75,000 revellers. The flagship Concert in the Gardens (which sold out in a record 10 days) features headliners Biffy Clyro making their only UK appearance this year who are joined by very special guests Idlewild and Honeyblood for a very strong all- Scottish line-up.

There’s a new look to the world famous Street Party with an additional stage and screens, expanded entertainment zones and dedicated ‘Food & Drink Villages’. The Waverley Stage (Indie) will be headlined by Newcastle alt-rock band and nominees Maxïmo Park, celebrating the 10th anniversary of

their seminal debut album ‘A Certain Trigger’ with special guests, energetic punk duo Slaves and Glasgow outfit, the hotly tipped White.

Maxïmo Park said, “Where better to spend New Year's Eve than the Home of Hogmanay?! Edinburgh is a spectacular city at the best of times, but it undoubtedly outdoes itself at the turn of the year. The Street Party will be a double celebration for our band as it's ten years since our debut album came out, which guarantees a party mood.”

The new Castle Stage (Scottish) features performances from leading Scottish Celtic crossover bands Rura, Peatbog Faeries and a special 25th anniversary performance from Shooglenifty.

The Frederick Stage (Party) provides the soundtrack to the whole Street Party with DJ sets from BBC 6 Music’s Craig Charles, who presents his ‘Funk n’ Soul Show’, alongside Edinburgh’s own Simon Hodge. VJ’s Buttercup and Pixels mix cutting-edge visuals to accompany the dance tunes which are relayed on seven screens along the length of Princes Street and throughout the Street Party arena. The Mound Stage (Cabaret), which alters position this year, features the Guilty Pleasures cabaret performers, fresh from their sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. Guilty Pleasures offers a heart- thumping, show-stopping, disco-dancing, rollercoaster of a night’s entertainment featuring DJ’s, dancers, performers and audience participation.

The perfect ending to the event calendar for the Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has signed up to Scotland’s Food Charter for Events. Organisers have created new refreshment and break-out areas around the Street Party arena including Market Street and the West End of Princes Street. The Mound Precinct leading into East Princes Street Gardens offers a food and drink experience, with retailers from the Edinburgh’s Christmas European Market on hand with a feast of cuisine beneath the exhilarating Star Flyer and Big Wheel attractions, offering revellers a sky-high view of the capital.

A new event for 2016 sees the annual sell-out ‘Keilidh’ move into its own exclusive outdoor arena on the Royal Mile to become ‘The Old Town Ceilidh’. The UK’s biggest outdoor ceilidh event becomes even bigger, with two live stages featuring the best in traditional Scottish music with performances from Cask Strength Ceilidh Band, Whisky Kiss, Ceilidhdonia and Sporran Again and ‘Ceilidh Makers’ will be on hand to make sure everyone knows the moves. Participants will also join together at 11.00pm to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the ‘World’s Longest Strip the Willow’. (The current record for the world’s biggest outdoor dance is already held by the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival.) Those wishing to participate in the record attempt should wear traditional dress – a kilt, tartan trews or a sash. The Old Town Ceilidh is expected to be a huge hit with the many overseas visitors to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and will feature its own Midnight Moment.

New Year revellers across Edinburgh and beyond will enjoy a feast of fireworks with countdown displays on the hour from 9.00pm, rising to the crescendo of the spectacular Midnight Moment as the fireworks lift from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle and Calton Hill. (The Castle display is extended east this year for the Ceilidh revellers in the Royal Mile.) The fireworks are followed by the world’s largest rendition of Auld Lang Syne as old friends and new join hands across the arena to sing Burns’ universal New Year anthem.

All stages are live from 9.00pm to 1.00am but the party starts from 7.00pm throughout the Street Party arena.

Free Hogmanay NightBus Services will once again run throughout the capital for revellers supported by sponsors Diageo and Lothian Buses. A much welcome journey home at of the festivities is part of the Join the Pact global responsible drinking initiative from Johnnie Walker which has secured over one million personal commitments from people across the world to never to drink and drive.

On Friday 1 January 2016 the ‘Stoats Loony Dook’ celebrates its 30th anniversary and sees 1,250 ‘Dookers’ in fancy dress, ranging from the weird to the wonderful, welcome the New Year with a dip in the River Forth at South Queensferry. Thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets to watch the Dookers parade through the town before plunging into the chilly water under the shadow of the world famous Forth Bridges. This year the event is supported by Stoats, who’ll be there on the day, warming everyone up with free bowls of energising porridge, giveaways and a fabulous fancy dress competition. Registration for the event is now open at £10.00 (includes £1 booking fee and a 10% donation to the South Queensferry branch of the RNLI.).

On New Year’s Day, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay presents Scot:Lands – incredible new worlds hidden in beautiful buildings and outdoor spaces in the city’s Old Town, where audiences can discover the very best in music, art and theatre, created and curated by Scotland’s most innovative artists, arts organisations and musicians: a festival in itself – all free. Scot:Lands is supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund and the full programme will be in early November.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Festivals and Events Champion at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations continue to be the envy of the world and once again we’re going to be THE city to be in to bring in the bells. The countdown to this New Year will have a distinctly Scottish feel with scores of home-grown musical talent and the striking Old Town featuring as the setting for the new ‘Old Town Ceilidh’, where revellers will be tested to perform the longest Strip the Willow dance in the world. As part of the event’s new-look layout, the bigger arena will help revellers to sample this year’s abundance of live entertainment. From the Torchlight Procession straight through to the Street

Party’s fireworks on the hour every hour and the Loony Dook on 1 January, the 2015/16 three day event will be spectacular.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “We are the home of Hogmanay and there is nowhere in the world that celebrates New Year like the Scots. As the bells strike midnight the eyes of the world turn to Edinburgh and Scotland and I warmly invite people from near and far to visit and join the celebrations. Attracting over 150,000 visitors - and with many thousands more watching from home - Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a key event within Scotland’s Winter Festivals and our world leading programme of festivals. As well as benefitting our economy, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay promotes Scotland as an all year round visitor destination and marks the start of 2016, our Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.

“This year’s programme demonstrates Edinburgh's cultural vitality and rich heritage. It’s fantastic to see community events like the Torchlight Procession and the Loony Dook going from strength to strength. Scot:Lands also returns this year after record levels of participants last New Year’s Day. We will be supporting this exciting cross-genre programme of events again this year through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund.”

Pete Irvine, Director of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said, “Today we announce the strongest line-up we’ve ever had at the Street Party and with a big Scottish presence. Each stage offers decidedly different music and the whole party will get down (and up) to a funk and soul classic soundtrack from Craig Charles on the Frederick Party Stage, broadcast on seven screens.

This year we go full Hogmanay circle, back to the Royal Mile for the new “Old Town Ceilidh” – stages, screens, bars, fireworks and dancin’ in the street around the Cathedral in an unforgettable Scottish experience. We’ll be encouraging everybody to help us break the world record for the biggest outdoor dance which we set on 30 December 2000.

So, join us at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and release your party animal.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is an incredibly important occasion for Scotland, helping to promote our reputation as the perfect stage for events and Edinburgh as the world’s leading festival city to a global audience. The festival continues to grow each year and the 2015/16 programme of events looks set to be the strongest yet, with more than 150,000 visitors expected to take to the streets of the capital over the course of three days. I can think of no better way to welcome in the New Year than what is sure to be a grand celebration of Scotland’s rich cultural heritage, supported by some of our finest performers and artists.”

The award-winning social media campaign #Blogmanay returns to showcase the unique experience of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, whilst using the festival as a gateway to explore and discover the delights of visiting Scotland, the ‘Home of Hogmanay’ in winter. Locals, visitors, businesses and attractions across the city and beyond will be producing a huge bank of live digital content – blogs, reviews, videos, photographs and tweets, highlighting Edinburgh & Scotland as a premier winter destination. This year guest bloggers will be joining #Blogmanay from across Europe, North America, Australia and China to experience the very best of Scotland as part of the award-winning campaign, which since 2013 has generated over 225 million twitter impressions. Blogmanay is a collaborative project produced in conjunction with The Scottish Government, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, VisitScotland, Visit Britain and Marketing Edinburgh.

Tickets for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Concert in the Gardens are already sold-out. Tickets for the world famous Street Party, The Old Town Ceilidh, and pre-booked Torches for the Torchlight Procession, are on sale now from www.edinburghshogmanay.com, by calling Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Office on 0844 573 8455 or by calling into the Hogmanay Box Office at The Fringe Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh. Street Party tickets are priced at £25.00 (including booking fee). Early bird tickets for EH postcode residents are still available at £19.00 (including booking fee). Old Town Ceilidh Tickets are priced at £45.00 (including Booking Fee). Torches for the Torchlight procession can be pre-booked (priced at £10.00) and registration for the Stoats Loony Dook is also open (£10.00 including booking fee and 10% donation to the South Queensferry branch of the RNLI).

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is produced on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council by Unique Events, working with partners Underbelly who present Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions and events.

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For further information please contact: Frances Sutton, Press Manager Edinburgh’s Hogmanay [email protected] or 07841 579481

Notes to Editors:

Street Party:

Waverley Stage: Maxïmo Park: Maxïmo Park formed in Newcastle and their five albums have sold in excess of 2.5 million copies including three Top Ten UK placings. Renowned for their energetic live shows, Maxïmo Park have numerous sold out tours to their name including various headlining arena shows in Europe.

Slaves: Slaves (UK) have had an amazing 2015. A true breakout band of the year they appeared in many ‘Ones To Watch’ lists, and have gone on to become one of the most talked about acts this year, gaining an army of fans including personal heroes Jamie T and Mike Skinner. In June Isaac (drums, vocals) and Laurie (guitar, vocals) released their debut album, Are you Satisfied? which smashed into the top ten charts. Full of bolshie anthems like

‘Cheer up London’ and ‘Do Something’, the album is a riotous riposte to the dreary mood of austerity Britain. They’ve also gone down a storm at radio with sessions for Huw Stevens, Mary Anne Hobbs, Annie Mac and two acclaimed Radio 1 Live Lounges where they delivered blistering covers of Skepta’s ‘Shutdown’ and The Chemical Brother’s ‘Go’. Populist but hardcore, pithy but often hilarious or surreal, Slaves (UK) are the hotwire treatment that the UK music scene has been in desperate need of.

White: Since forming in Glasgow a year ago, WHITE's lush sound and art-pop sensibility have impressed home crowds and industry heavyweights. Looking as if they were beamed down from planet Berlin-era Bowie, this five-piece is a band that arrived fully formed with a very clear idea of how to do things their way. While it's possible to pick out influences - Arcade Fire, Talking Heads, LCD Soundsystem, the Associates - WHITE are anything but a tribute band. “For the first time since Franz Ferdinand, here is an indie guitar band, Scottish or otherwise, with a realistic chance of becoming a pop group.” –

Scottish Stage: Shooglenifty: Wrapping up their 25th anniversary year with a big bang in their home city, Shooglenifty is a band that cannot easily be summed up in one short phrase. Attempts to describe this almost uncatagorisable combo include: ‘hypno-folkadelic-ambient-trad’, ‘acid croft’, and ‘dub diddly’. Whatever it is, it has endured, evolved and, above all, entertained for quarter of a century. And joining the band for the bells on the Castle Street stage on 31st December is their new secret weapon ‘puirt à beul’ vocalist Kaela Rowan, who fits their skilfully-knitted left-field sound as snuggly as a tartan tammy. Be warned: there will be dancing.

Peatbog Faeries: Based on the Isle of Skye, the Peatbog Faeries bring Celtic Dance music into the 21st century. They incorporate many influences which take them from traditional and reels through jazz, hip hop, reggae and more. Their instrumentation includes bagpipes, fiddle, whistles, guitars, keyboard drums and a brass section. The band have released six albums with a seventh due out shortly. They have played to audiences all over the world, and in December 2008, the band won the award for ‘Best Live Act’ at the prestigious .

Rura: “One of the most exciting bands on the Scottish folk scene” (Songlines), RURA have rapidly become a must- see act. Refreshingly contemporary whilst rooted in tradition, the Glasgow-based five piece pack an almighty punch with a powerhouse mix of Highland pipes, whistle, flute, fiddle, bodhran, guitar, vocals and effects. Following the April release of their second album, Despite the Dark, the band toured the UK in both April and September, sandwiching some 11 festivals across five countries in the summer months – including a three-week Canadian tour culminating at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the main stages at both Cambridge Folk Festival and Denmark’s Tønder Festival.

Party Stage: Craig Charles: The legendary actor, host and broadcaster Craig Charles of , Robot Wars and fame is also one of the UK’s best loved Funk and Soul DJ’s. Broadcasting for 10 years on BBC 6 Music, Craig Charles has gone from strength to strength, becoming a commanding figure and DJ in the UK funk and soul scene. Away from the residencies in Manchester and London, plus a very busy summer festival schedule, DJ sets at Parklife, Lovebox, Soundwave, Great Northern Mod & Ska Festival and Mostly Jazz, Funk and Soul Festival, where he curates and hosts his own stage booking favorites from the scene, Roy Ayers, The Haggis Horns, Cymande. Craig has collaborated with ‘Sony’ and released ‘Craig Charles Funk & Soul Classics’ a compilation featuring past & present tracks from the scene. With plans for a festival in the mix, doesn’t look like things are going to get any slower in 2016…. No Sleep til Bedtime.

Simon Hodge: Been DJing and promoting soul and funk nights in Edinburgh for over 20 years. The first club he started was Big Beat which ran for 10 years, mainly at La Belle Angele and specialised in dancefloor jazz of the funky variety, as well as featuring live some of the best talent from the States such as Charles Earland, Reuben Wilson, Weldon Irvine and Lee Fields. He also co-ran the very popular salsa night Club Latino, also in the 90s in La Belle Angele. After a break of a year in addition to several new partners he set up Four Corners, which has become an institution in club life of Edinburgh and for 11 years has been packing them into The Bongo Club with their unique blend of funk, soul, latin, reggae and afrobeat. In addition he has done a lot radio of work including being a regular guest on BBC Scotland’s “Bebop to Hiphop”, presenting BBC Scotland’s “Planet Latino” , co-producing several music documentaries for BBC Radio 2, and has been one of the producers for The Craig Charles Funk And Soul Show on BBC 6Music since 2006.

About our funders and sponsors: Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2015/16 is funded by: Principal Funding Partner - City of Edinburgh Council Major Funding Partners - EventScotland, Scotland’s Winter Festivals and the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals EXPO Fund Major Partners - G4S and Diageo Official Event Partners - Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG), Stoats Porridge and VisitScotland, Media Partners – Forth 1, The List Official Transport Partner – Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams and Edinburgh Bus Tours, Transport for Edinburgh With Thanks to – Edinburgh Airport, Edinburgh Festivals, Marketing Edinburgh, National Museum of Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland and Historic Scotland.

About Scotland’s Winter Festivals

1. Scotland’s Winter Festivals is a campaign led by The Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, supporting celebrations of Scotland’s three national days - St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. Scotland’s Winter Festivals run from November until the end of January. 2. Scotland is world-renowned as the home of Hogmanay, celebrated on 31 December. Fire festivals, torchlight processions, street parties, live music and fireworks, Scotland really is the best place in the world to see in the New Year. 3. Scotland boasts a wide variety of Hogmanay celebrations, from large scale events such as Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, which attracted over 140,000 visitors last year from over 70 countries to smaller, regional gatherings. 4. Scotland is renowned for its Hogmanay traditions with people celebrating in homes, pubs, clubs and village halls across the country hosting their own events which embrace tradition – first footers bringing coal, toasting with a dram at midnight, taking part in the Loony Dook on New Year’s Day. 5. You can find everything you need to know about Scotland’s Hogmanay celebrations at www.scotland.org/hogmanay

About EventScotland EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews. EventScotland is a team in the VisitScotland Events Directorate - the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland.

Unique Events Limited: Unique Events is Scotland’s leading independent event company specialising in creating festivals and producing large scale public events. Unique Events have produced Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council since its inception in 1993. Details of the 2015/2016 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations will be announced in October. Taking place from Wednesday 30 December 2015 till Friday 1 January 2016 the celebrations feature a Torchlight Procession winding through the streets of the city, the world-famous Street Party and Concert in the Gardens, the Midnight Fireworks display, singing and dancing all set against the magnificent backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. For tickets and more information: www.edinburghshogmanay.com

Underbelly: Underbelly is a UK based, live entertainment company. Their events and festivals division operates one of the largest operations at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe selling over 230,000 tickets for over 140 shows over 25 days. 2015 marks the seventh year of Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre and the fourth year of London Wonderground at Southbank Centre. Elsewhere Underbelly also produces Comedy Hullabaloo with the RSC Stratford- upon-Avon; Pride in London for the GLA and board of Pride; West End Live in Trafalgar Square for Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre. Through their Underbelly Productions arm they produce and promote live shows in London, throughout the UK and on tour internationally. In 2014 Underbelly sold over a million tickets to their various events. Underbelly's unique performance venue, Udderbelly, will be making its international debut on Hong Kong's iconic waterfront skyline from December to February 2016 with a bellyful of exciting, eclectic and affordable entertainment.

Edinburgh’s Christmas: Underbelly has produced Edinburgh’s Christmas since 2013 and won the Best Festival at the 2014 UK Event Awards. This year Edinburgh's Christmas runs from Friday 20th November 2015 until Monday 4th January 2016 and the full programme of events was announced on Tuesday 22nd September. Edinburgh’s Christmas promises to deliver the biggest and brightest Christmas festival in Scotland. www.underbelly.co.uk.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay & Edinburgh’s Christmas are produced by Unique Events Ltd & Underbelly on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council.