Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
HOGMANAY
Hogmanay
's meaning is, put simply, the last day of the year, but in reality it's all about
celebrating the beginning of a new one. The best way to do so is to join one of the street
parties that are held in the middle of towns and cities, often centred around a prominent clock
face which rings out “the bells” at midnight. These days, the largest New Year's Eve street party
in Europe takes place in Edinburgh, with around eighty thousand people enjoying the
culmination of a week-long series of events. On the night itself, stages are set up in different
parts of the city centre, with big-name rock groups and local ceilidh bands playing to the
increasingly inebriated masses. The high point of the evening is, of course, midnight, when
hundreds of tons of fireworks are let off into the night sky above the Castle, and revellers begin
to chorus “
Auld Lang Syne
”, an old Scottish tune with lyrics by Robert Burns, Scotland's
national poet. For information about celebrations in Edinburgh, and how to get hold of
tickets
for the street party, visit the
Fringe O
ce at 180 High St (
T
0844 573 8455; box o
ce
opens Dec 3) or go to
W
edinburghshogmanay.org.
the first gay and lesbian centre appeared in the 1970s.
Since the early 1990s, more and more gay enterprises,
especially cafés and nightclubs, have moved into this area,
now dubbed the “Pink Triangle”.
CC Bloom's
23-24 Greenside Place, New Town
T
0131
556 9331; map pp.60-61.
Edinburgh's most enduring gay
club, with a big dancefloor, stonking rhythms, a young,
friendly crowd and free entry all night.
Daily 11pm-3am.
GHQ
4 Picardy Place, New Town
T
0131 550 1780; map
pp.60-61.
Stylish bar and club catering to a dressed-up
crowd. Highlights on the nightly club menu include
Sunday's pop, cheese and chart mash-up, “Ice Cream
Sundae”, and the electro-chart student night on Tues.
Tues-Sun 10.30pm-3am.
CLUBS
The Bongo Club
66 Cowgate, Old Town
T
0131 558 8844,
W
thebongoclub.co.uk; map pp.64-65.
Legendary
Edinburgh club and arts venue; its line-up is eclectic but
always worth checking out. Look out for the monthly dub and
reggae Messenger Sound System.
Daily 11pm-3am.
Cabaret Voltaire
36 Blair St, Old Town
T
0131 247
4704,
W
thecabaretvoltaire.com; map pp.64-65.
Atmospheric nightclub in the Old Town's subterranean
vaults, playing host to some of the city's best and cheapest
(entry £4-7) underground electronic music as well as live
rock bands.
Club nights Tues-Sat 11pm-3am.
Ì
The Caves
8-12 Niddry St, Old Town
T
0131 557
8989,
W
thecavesedinburgh.com; map pp.64-65.
Housed in a labyrinth of arches rediscovered after a
hundred years, this bohemian multi-functional venue has
the city's most staggeringly atmospheric setting. As well as
live music and club nights it's also used for private functions
and weddings. Consequently there's little consistency as to
when public nights are on, so keep an eye on their website.
Club nights 10pm-3am.
Electric Circus
36-39 Market St, Old Town
T
0131 226
4224,
W
theelectriccircus.biz; map pp.64-65.
Offers a
host of private karaoke rooms (£4-5/person), and puts on
burlesque and live music with an indie slant. Clubs here,
like “Magic Nostalgic” and “Beep Beep, Yeah!” tend to
follow an unashamedly retro vibe.
Tues-Thurs & Sun
7pm-1am, Fri & Sat 7pm-3am.
Lulu's
125b George St, New Town
T
0131 225 5005,
W
luluedinburgh.co.uk; map pp.60-61.
Sultry
subterranean nightspot beneath restaurant
Tigerlily
. A place
to see and be seen, with its fair share of Travolta-wannabes
striding to the sound-responsive disco light floor.
Mon-
Thurs & Sun 10pm-3am, Fri & Sat 9pm-3am.
LIVE MUSIC VENUES
Bannermans
212 Cowgate, Old Town
T
0131 556
3254,
W
bannermanslive.co.uk; map pp.64-65.
A
subterranean labyrinth of caves and musky warrens located
at the base of South Bridge;
the most atmospheric joint in
town in which to discover local indie bands hoping for a big
break.
Daily noon-1am.
The Liquid Room
9c Victoria St, Old Town
T
0131 225
2564,
W
liquidroom.com; map pp.64-65.
Open every
evening, this small venue is frequented by local acts and
touring indie bands as well as a variety of alternating club
nights geared towards student patronage.
Club nights
most Wed, Fri & Sat 10.30pm-3am.
The Picture House
31 Lothian Rd
T
0131 221 2280,
W
edinburgh-picturehouse.co.uk; map pp.60-61.
A
1500-capacity city-centre venue that still manages to
feel intimate. The reasonably eclectic gig list includes
local bands, breakthrough chart-toppers and
the
occasional
tribute band.
Box
o
ce
Mon-Sat
noon-4pm.
Queen's Hall
85-89 Clerk St, Southside
T
0131 668
2019,
W
thequeenshall.net; map pp.60-61.
Converted Georgian church which now operates as a
GAY CLUBS
Edinburgh has a dynamic gay
culture, for years centred
round the top of Leith Walk and Broughton Street, where
