The Skinny Guide to Christmas and Hogmanay 2023

CHAT

The Skinny's Christmas playlist Justin Bieber – Drummer Boy Dolly Parton – The Little Drummer Boy Bing Crosby & David Bowie – Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy The Jackson 5 – Little Drummer Boy The Hives & Cyndi Lauper – A Christmas Duel The Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping Slow Club – It's Christmas and You're Boring Me LCD Soundsystem – christmas will break your heart Frightened Rabbit – It's Christmas So We'll Stop Low – Just Like Christmas The Sugarcubes – Christmas Day The Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick Darlene Love – All Alone On Christmas Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) The Pogues – Fairytale of New York The Staves – Home Alone, Too Matt Rogers – RUM PUM PUM Kylie Minogue & Iggy Pop – Christmas Wrapping Run DMC – Christmas In Hollis Murray Gold – Doctor Who Theme The Just Joans – Card From a Multipack

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Crossword Solutions Across 2. KIN 5. GIFT 7. ATTIC 8. PINE 9. TYPES 11. FEAST 13. PANTOMIME 17.

CHRISTMAS 18. CONSUMERS 20. WHOLESOME 22. FLING 23. SNORE 25. SLOE 26. SWIFT 27. IRIS 28. ANY Down 1. MISTLETOE 3. MINT 4. KNIT 6. TOP-UP 8. PLATE 10. SINGALONG 11.

FRIVOLOUS 12. SAINT 14. DUMMY 15. SHY 16. TRY 19. RECIPIENT 20.

WHITE 21. EMOJI 22. FALL 24. EXIT

THE SKINNY

Listen to this playlist on Spotify — search for 'The Skinny Christmas Playlist' or scan the below code

CHAT

Rosamund West Editor-in-Chief "Playing every version of Little Drummer Boy in the office for one full day. "

Tallah Brash Music Editor "It's not Christmas until I make my grandma's bacon and onion suet pudding. The festive season without it is out of the question."

Jamie Dunn Film Editor, Online Journalist "I like to watch gnarly horror films while I wrap my presents."

Anahit Behrooz Events Editor, Books Editor "no <3"

Laurie Presswood General Manager "Tangerine race. Tweet me with your guesses."

Sandy Park Commercial Director "The Annual Christmas Quiz Family Argument."

Tom McCarthy Creative Projects Manager "Falling asleep in front of Doctor Who."

Ellie Robertson Digital Editorial Assistant "I wear my dangliest earrings to Christmas dinner."

Phoebe Willison Designer "Crying in my room whilst muttering ‘I'm never doing this again.’"

Dalila D'Amico Art Director, Production Manager "Wrapping my toes in bacon."

Peter Simpson Deputy Editor, Food & Drink Editor "Eating between three and six full Christmas dinners in 36 hours."

Rho Chung Theatre Editor "My family gets Chinese food and sees a film with way too much violence for my mother."

George Sully Sales and Brand Strategist "My family does this weird thing where we give each other gifts."

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Christmas & Hogmanay Guide

Meet the team We asked Do you have a favourite Christmas tradition?

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CHAT

Contents 8

Heads Up: Christmas events highlights

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The Directory: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee & beyond Profile: Parveen’s, the excellent Pakistani canteen in North Glasgow 15 Food – where to eat this Xmas, whether it’s fancy, casual or on-the-go 19 Profile: Newbarns Taproom, one of our favourite Edinburgh pubs 21 Drinks – a collection of places to be fancy, feel lively or get cosy 26 Profile: Unorthodox Roasters, an outpost of great coffee in Perthshire 27 A guide to Scotland’s best coffee shops 30 Shop local – our independent shopping directory 33 Profile: Scarlet Knitwear, Fife-based accessory designer 38 Some of our favourite record stores, and their albums of the year 41 The books of the year from a few of our favourite bookshops 44 It’s giving… sustainability at Christmas 49 Out and About 50 Festive theatre round-up 54 58

Our pick of Hogmanay nights out Christmas for kids: if you’re looking for Santa, we’ve found him

60 Listings 66

A snowflake-shaped crossword!

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Illustration

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Lauren Morsley is an illustrator and printmaker from Scotland. She specialises in bold and colourful designs which create other worlds to explore. Her work is often inspired by intriguing stories, places, and people.

Alongside her commission work for various clients, she makes and sells her own prints and products, full of wiggly-armed and long-legged characters. laurenmorsley.com @laurenmorsley

CHAT

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide

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HEADS UP

Here are a few of our top tips for celebrating the season, featuring maker markets, Christmas movies and racing around the city dressed as Santa Claus

Wasps Winter Market

Photo: Rosie Sco

TEA GREEN FESTIVE MARKETS V&A Dundee, 24-26 Nov; Kelvingrove, Glasgow, 2-3 Dec Pop-up event specialists Tea Green are curating design markets in Dundee and Glasgow this festive season. Starting at the V&A, they’ll platform some of the country’s finest designers and makers, including recent DJCAD graduates, before heading to Kelvingrove to champion Scottish creative talent all over again.

Photo: Martin Shields

WASPS WINTER MARKET Briggait, Glasgow, 2-3 Dec, 10am-4pm Wasps promise a lineup of 90 stallholders setting up shop in the extremely well-ventilated surrounds of the city’s glass-roofed old fishmarket. Featuring artists, designers and makers, one of a kind work will include ceramics, textiles, jewellery, homewares and much more besides.

Cloth for First Footin'

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JUPITER CHRISTMAS FAIR Jupiter Artland, 9-10 Dec, 10am-4pm For one weekend only Edinburgh’s nearby art park is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with snow, elves, festive donkeys and even the big man himself (Santa). Add in stalls from local businesses and a mug of mulled wine, and it all feels very Christmassy indeed.

Image: courtesy Jupiter Artland

Photo: Dylan Drummond, ceramics by Sarah Kotesier Tea Green Festive Markets

Jupiter Christmas Fair

ImageL croutesy of Summerhall Summerhall Big Christmas Weekend

SUMMERHALL BIG CHRISTMAS WEEKEND Summerhall, Edinburgh, 2-3 Dec This year’s weekender features the much-loved Christmas Market ft. a stellar lineup of Scottish small businesses from chocolatiers to gin makers via candlemakers and artists. There’s also a Christmas ceilidh from Edinburgh Ceilidh Club, a wreath-making workshop and a performance of A Very Crypto Christmas from Glasgow-based street theatre company Adrenalism.

HEADS UP

FIRST FOOTIN' Various venues, Edinburgh, 1 Jan Greet the new year with a day of free gigs in attractions, pubs and venues across Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns. A bunch of our favourite Scottish artists are performing, including Kathryn Joseph, Bemz and Cloth, as well as a DJ set from Hot Chip.

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA SEC Armadillo Glasgow, 26 Nov; Usher Hall Edinburgh, 27 Nov Unquestionably the world’s greatest Christmas film, screened in the gilded surrounds of the Usher Hall or the errrrr armoured surrounds of the Armadillo, with accompanying live orchestra.

Photo: David Dibert The Muppet Christmas Carol with Live Orchestra Night Markets

Edinburgh City Guide

MIDNIGHT LUNAR MARKET Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, THE NIGHT MARKET 18 Dec, 5pm-12am Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh, 1 A night market with a spookier Dec, 6-11pm; Cottiers, Glasgow, vibe, this regular event runs at 7-8 Dec, 5.30-10.30pm night, offering an inclusive space The Glasgow event extends to two nights for those who can't make the usuthis year, with a different lineup of 30+ al day markets. With a focus on altraders on each night. With DJs, a bar and ternative traders, you’ll find all street food vendors, the Night Market your magickal needs met under the turns the craft fair into a big night out. moonlight.

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Dundee’s Christmas Craft & Flea Photo: Mark Gillies

HEADS UP

SANTA DASH Glasgow Green, 10 Dec, 10am This annual race sees 6000 people, many dressed as Santa, run around Glasgow’s East End in the name of charity.

Photo: Vladimir Gladkov

SPOT WINTER MARKET Pollokshaws Burgh Hall, Glasgow, 25-26 Nov, 11am-4pm SPOT specialise in curating design-led events featuring work at a slightly higher price point than your standard craft fair. The makers list is yet to be revealed, but exciting surprises are promised by the SPOT team.

DUNDEE’S CHRISTMAS CRAFT & FLEA Bonar Hall, Dundee, 2 Dec, 11am-5pm A cross between a craft fair and a flea market, as the name might suggest, the UK-touring event arrives in Dundee with a packed lineup of local traders.

SPOT Winter Market

Photo: Jay Dawson

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Endless Love Creative Makers Market

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ENDLESS LOVE CREATIVE MAKERS MARKET Fruitmarket, Edinburgh, 3 Dec, 10am-5pm More than 30contemporary art, design and craft makers from across the UK will congregate in the Fruitmarket’s Warehouse space. Work including ceramics, jewellery, textiles, print, illustration and homeware will be on sale, while workshops on embroidery and wreath-making run in the adjoining Studio.

The Stand

THE STAND CHRISTMAS SPECIALS The Stand, Edinburgh & Glasgow, 14-16 Dec Get in your festive cheer with some of the funniest stand-ups from across the UK. Lineup vary but feature top comics and local favourites including Susie McCabe, Sam Lake and Marjolein Robertson.

Photo: Marinel DIzon

Photo: Jay Dawson Christmas at the Movies

CHRISTMAS MARKET WITH LOCAL ARTISTS Agitate, Edinburgh, 16-17 Dec Details remain obscure at time of writing, but Agitate photography gallery, shop and creative space have recently relocated to the cobbly environs of William Street and their community is sure to present something special.

Christmas Market with local artists at Agitate

HEADS UP

CHRISTMAS AT THE MOVIES City Halls & Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 17 Dec, 3pm; Usher Halls, Edinburgh, 18 Dec, 7pm BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra return to the stage with their annual celebration of musical numbers ranging from Hollywood’s Golden Age through John Williams blockbusters and Disney favourites.

STUDIO SHOP Mount Florida Studios, every weekend, until 17 Dec or by appointment Featuring work by some of their super-talented tenants, expect art, ceramics, jewellery, metalwork, prints and much more besides.

Find out more or book a visit @studio_shop_mfs

Photo: Rachael Hood

Photo: Caro Weiss

Bowhouse Market

Studio Shop, Mount Florida Studios

Edinburgh City Guide

BOWHOUSE MARKET St Monan’s, 9-10 Dec, 10am-4pm Crafted Festive Market Leave the city and escape into the East CRAFTED FESTIVE MARKET Neuk countryside for the Bowhouse DCA, Dundee, 25-26 Nov, Christmas edition. The monthly market 11am-5.30pm features a selection of Scotland’s finest It’s another stellar lineup of local food and drink producers, and the Dedesigners, artists and makers, this cember edition has creative stallholders time in Dundee! Free drop-in to curated by Tea Green events, as well as the airy galleries of Dundee Confamily-friendly drop-in workshops and a temporary Arts. herd of… alpacas?

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DIRECTORY This year’s Christmas guide offers an easy to use directory of places to eat, drink and be merry this festive season. The food venues are broken down into Fancy, Casual and Onthe-go recommendations to be consulted depending on the occasion. Drinks recs are similarly divided into three groups depending on how you’re feeling – Fancy, Lively or Cosy vibes.

After that, we’ve got a rundown of some of the independent shops we love in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee. They’re broken down by city and genre. Record shops across the country have sent us their favourite albums of the year, and bookshops have also contributed their top reads of 2023.

Interspersed with the directory, we’ve profiled a few of the people who’ve had a notable 2023, looking back on the year that was, and forward to 2024.

Words: Peter Simpson, Jamie Dunn & Rosamund West

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FOOD

PROFILE:

PARVEEN’S Fariya and Sahar Sharif of the fantastic Parveen’s share their 2023 highlights Image: courtesy of Parveens

PARVEEN’S

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his past year has been an absolute whirlwind. We’ve just had our first birthday as Parveen’s at Civic House and it’s gone better than we could have hoped for. That’s 100% down to the community we’ve built around the canteen, and the support we’ve received from our regulars. It’s a constant highlight to see the same faces eat lunch with us every week and to have formed friendships with them.

Our desire to create a space for the South Asian community through music and food has truly come to life through our Nights at Parveen’s and a huge highlight for us was our first event back in April when we

Based at the Civic House arts block in north Glasgow, Parveen’s serve up delicious, hearty lunches loaded with exciting Pakistani flavours, as well as excellent and innovative baking. It’s super-affordable, it’s all vegan, and there’s a disco ball in the middle of the dining space.

packed out Civic House on a Friday night showcasing some incredible local South Asian artists and DJs. Seeing so many like-minded brown people in one space supporting creativity and the arts was very uplifting.

26 Civic St, Glasgow; Tue-Fri, Our monthly dinner 9am-4pm clubs have been some of our favourite food events too. We get to experiment a food and culture with people little more with our dishes in Glasgow, especially and finesse details we don’t through the hardship we are quite get to with our lunches. seeing happening across the Seeing groups of people come world. It’s important to be together, share our food and building spaces in which leave having made friends is different communities can a pure joy! come together. We hope the We’re really grateful to new year brings with it peace have been able to share our and togetherness.

FOOD

Photo: Abi Radford

FANCY Celentano’s 28-32 Cathedral Sq, Glasgow Italian-inspired dining in a beautifully restored 19thcentury landmark, with herbs grown in the restaurant garden and an amazing Sunday lunch.

Eleanore 30-31 Albert Pl, Edinburgh A favourite of The Skinny team, and the pared-back sibling of The Little Chartroom. The Christmas menu looks ace; expect big smoky flavours in refined packages.

Five March 140 Elderslie St, Glasgow This spot offers us a selection of sharing plates with influences from all over the map, all in a pared-back and v v trendy setting.

Gloriosa 1321 Argyle St, Glasgow Mediterranean-inspired dishes in a buzzy and super-cool dining room.

If the weather’s getting you down, Gloriosa will perk you up instantly.

Jute @ DCA 152 Nethergate, Dundee The excellent restaurant and bar at the heart of Dundee Contemporary Arts – wellbalanced menu, plenty of art nearby, and lovely big windows.

Noto 47a Thistle St, Edinburgh The middle child of the AizleNoto-Tipo trio from chef Stuart Ralston, Noto serves up small plates and exciting drinks. Get the crab butter, it’s grrrreat.

Skua 49 St Stephen St, Edinburgh We loved Skua when it was a high-end drinks-and-nibbles spot; it’s shifting to a full restaurant with a tasting menu. Count us in.

Ox and Finch 920 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow It’s a Finnieston mainstay, and with good reason. Ox and Finch serve up brilliant and varied sharing dishes in trendy surroundings.

Sylvan 20 Woodlands Rd, Glasgow Sylvan offers a daily-changing menu of vegetarian and vegan treats, with a frankly enormous list of natural wines to pair with whatever’s coming out of the kitchen.

The Palmerston 1 Palmerston Pl, Edinburgh Set in a former bank, The Palmerston offers excellent pastries in the morning, and well-considered and homely dishes the rest of the time.

Timberyard 10 Lady Lawson St, Edinburgh Michelin-starred, so you know it’s good. A beautiful dining room, refined seasonal cooking and a refreshingly chilled vibe.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

Inver Strathlachlan, Argyll and Bute A delightful restaurant in stunning surroundings, Inver is also home to some spectacularly chic bothies.

Get a visit on your Christmas wish list.

Timberyard

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FOOD

CASUAL The Bach 31 Meadowside, Dundee A slice of Antipodean cafe culture in the heart of Dundee; excellent lunch options, top-notch coffee, plus imported Australian and New Zealand treats.

Big Counter 76 Victoria Rd, Glasgow The Victoria Road ‘dinner house’ offers a constantly changing menu of sharing plates. Big steaks, whole fish, party time.

Chennai’s Marina 192 Dalry Rd and 54 Clerk St, Edinburgh Fantastic Indian and Sri Lankan food in a casual setting, with flavours that do not muck about. When the menu says ‘two chillies’, take heed.

Edinburgh Street Food Leith St, Edinburgh Lots of space, loads of choice, an order-to-table system that actually works – Edinburgh Street Food is a great city centre option.

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Hakataya 122 Rose St S Ln Edinburgh Christmas means December, and December means it’s cold and damp. Warm up with a piping, meaty bowl of ramen, right in the heart of town.

Lucky Yu 53-55 Broughton St, Edinburgh A bit of everything from across the pantheon of Southeast Asian cuisine, with exciting takes on gyoza, bao, and karaage amongst others.

Mother India’s Cafe 3-5 Infirmary St, Edinburgh & 1355 Argyle St, Glasgow The tapas-style small dishes at Mother India have long been a favourite; grab your pals, order a bunch of stuff, let the sharing begin.

Ranjit’s Kitchen 607 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow A Southside institution, this family-run spot serves up excellent and surprisingly massive portions of Panjabi cuisine.

Pickles 60 Broughton St, Edinburgh Wine! Wine and cheese!

Pickles is ideal for a quick catch-up with pals over a nice glass and some nibbles – and if you stay all night, so be it.

San Ciro’s 148 Leith Walk, Edinburgh Top-drawer Neapolitan pizza with some exciting, experimental touches, served at lightning speed. Oh, and it smells amazing.

Taco Libre 3 Shandwick Pl, Edinburgh Edinburgh’s finest taqueria is a riot of neon and colour, with simple, classic, delicious tacos and punchy margaritas. te Seba 393-395 Great Western Rd, Glasgow Beautiful pasta and incredibly warm hospitality – a trip to te Seba is not unlike going to a pal’s for dinner, if your pal was a great cook with an enormous chandelier.

Image: Hanoi Bike Shop

GaGa 566 Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow The new spot from Julie Lin (from the much-missed Julie’s Kopitiam) pairs Malaysian-inspired plates with brilliant cocktails.

Hanoi Bike Shop 8 Ruthven Ln, Glasgow Excellent pho awaits at this charming, low-key favourite.

Beyoncé once ate here, and there aren’t many Glaswegian Vietnamese places that can say that.

Hanoi Bike Shop

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

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FOOD

ON-THE-GO Alby’s 8 Portland Pl and 94 Buccleuch St, Edinburgh Big. Hot. Sandwiches. These things are enormous, packed with exciting and unexpected flavour combos, served on salty, spongy focaccia.

Chix 25 Dalry Rd and inside Edinburgh Street Food, Edinburgh High-end fried chicken with no faffing about – just well-made, craggily, crunchy bits of the good stuff. The dip selection is fittingly enormous.

Clark’s Bakery 3 Annfield St and 3 Crichton St, Dundee Helicopter squad assemble.

Clark’s is a bona fide Dundee institution, serving up pies, cakes and all manner of filled rolls day and night.

Cottonrake 497 Great Western Rd, Glasgow One of Glasgow’s finest bakeries; you’ll need to be quick to get their pastries, cakes and sandwiches, but the rewards are worth it.

Photo: @darciebakes

Ho Lee Fook 1 McFarlane St, Glasgow This new hole-in-thewall spot opposite the Barrowlands serves up impressive noodle dishes, homemade spring rolls and outrageous sandwiches.

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Kimchi Cult 14 Chancellor St, Glasgow Impressive Koreaninspired fast food – bulgogi fries, kimchi burgers, things of this nature – served from a tiny spot in the heart of the West End.

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Lannan Bakery

La Gelatessa 38 Nithsdale Rd, Glasgow I scream, you scream, etc etc. A brilliantly modern ice cream shop with fantastic 60s-inspired design and great flavours aplenty.

Lannan Bakery 29-35 Hamilton Pl, Edinburgh Brave the queues on this quiet Stockbridge corner and you just might get your hands on some of Scotland’s best patisserie. Bring gloves.

And a book.

Little Hoi An 26 Allison St, Glasgow Excellent Vietnamese food to sit in or takeaway; ideal for the festive nights when you want your dinner to warm you up *and* slap you in the face.

Mary’s Milk Bar 19 Grassmarket, Edinburgh An essential stop for any Edinburgh visitor, Mary’s serves up eclectic, experimental and exceptional gelato in the shadow of the Castle.

Newport Bakery 54 West Port, Dundee Fancy cakes! Tasty bread!

Good coffee! All these things and more can be found here, or at Newport Bakery’s shops across Angus and Fife.

Paesano 94 Miller St and 471 Great Western Rd, Glasgow If you’re in a rush – shopping to do, folk to meet, etc – Paesano’s the pick. Massive dining rooms, rapid service, delicious pizza, small bill at the end.

Sicilian Pastry Shop 14-16 Albert St, Edinburgh If you’re in need of a cream cake or a lunchtime treat this Christmas, the Sicilian Pastry Shop has you covered.

Great baking from some Leith legends.

DRINKS

PROFILE:

NEWBARNS TAPROOM Our Food and Drink editor shouts out the fantastic Newbarns Taproom, ideal for your Christmas catch-ups

NEWBARNS TAPROOM

Image: courtesy of Newbarns

festive beer or two will not bankrupt you, with most pints around the £5 mark. Is it sometimes a bit chilly? Yes. Is it sometimes very busy? Of

course. Will you see us at the bar, scarf on, enormous bag of dill crisps in one hand and a cold pint in the other?

Mmm-hmm.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

he best pub in Scotland is in a weird triangular void between two buildings in an industrial estate off Leith Walk. OK, the ‘best pub’ bit is up for debate, but Newbarns Taproom has stolen our hearts since it opened last November, because it has everything you could want from a pub.

A friendly, homely vibe, and a layout that gives the place a host of nooks and cosy spots for a catch-up.

Accessible toilets that aren’t down a death-defying staircase. A brilliant monthly pub quiz (it’s on a Sunday afternoon!). Inscrutable bar games; if anyone knows how to play the billiards thing, do let us know. An impressive and eclectic snack selection.

A lovely beer garden for those crisp, bright winter days when you think ‘it can’t be that cold outside’; you’ll make it through one pint, we believe in you.

As for those pints, it’s eight to ten lines of Newbarns’ fantastic ales, lagers and stouts, fresh from the brewery next door.

Crucially, a few hours of chatting with pals over a

Image: courtesy of Newbarns

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13 Jane St, Edinburgh; Thu 5-10pm, Fri 3-10pm, Sat 12-10pm, Sun 12-8pm

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DRINKS

Image: Courtesy of Nauticus Nauticus

FANCY Bramble 16A Queen St, Edinburgh Low-lit basement cocktail joint serving up inspired concoctions, with terrific DJs bringing the atmosphere.

Charlie Brown’s 441 Victoria Rd, Glasgow This relative newcomer on Victoria Road is hidden away, as many of the best cocktail places are – find it above ramen spot Daku.

Koelschip Yard 686-688 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better selection of indie beers anywhere in Glasgow. One for craft beer connoisseurs.

Lucky Liquor Co. 39A Queen St, Edinburgh Another of Edinburgh’s tucked-away cocktail joints serving up an ever-changing menu of libations pushing the cocktail boundaries.

Lunar 72 Nithsdale Rd, Glasgow Natural wines, fantastic cocktails, a terrific shade of green on the walls – a delightful Southside cocktail bar.

Hey Palu 49 Bread St, Edinburgh A fantastic Italian cocktail bar Mistral that regularly makes ‘best 10-12 Bonnington Rd, bars in the country’ lists; Edinburgh

Achingly cool and expertlystocked independent wine bar, with great bottles from all over the place and some excellent food to match.

Nauticus 142 Duke St, Edinburgh A crackerjack cocktail joint with a neat twist: every one of its tasty concoctions has a link to Leith’s rich history as a trading hub.

Port of Leith Distillery 11 Whisky Quay, Edinburgh On the top floor of this newly built nine-storey distillery is a nifty bar with a well-crafted cocktail list, small plates and panoramic views.

St Andrews Brewing Co 2-3 Shore Ter, Dundee Great beers from the eponymous brewery, an excellent and varied food menu, and some fantastic lighting and interior architecture.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

Devil’s Advocate 9 Advocate’s Cl, Edinburgh Situated halfway up one of Edinburgh’s Escher-esque stairwells, this classy bar boasts excellent food and a 300-strong whisky shelf.

expert bartenders, amazing nibbles and a lovely vibe.

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LIVELY Allison Arms 720 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow The Southside’s liveliest pub – expect an enviable selection of malts and beers, a cracking atmosphere and at least one dog.

Banana Moon 360 Great Western Rd, Glasgow A wee slice of Brooklyn cool on Great Western Road, this sharply styled bar offers an intimate atmosphere, eclectic music and outstanding cocktails.

Bonjour 37-45 Saltmarket, Glasgow A co-op bar that’s at the very heart of Glasgow’s queer community. Drag, club nights and queer joy are its bread and butter.

The Dog House 18-24 Clerk St, Edinburgh Funky decor and tasty cocktails with regular DJ sets and live music. And that name isn’t a misnomer: expect lots of doggos!

Inn Deep 445 Great Western Rd, Glasgow A buzzy craft ale pub with a knockout riverside view, Inn Deep, nestled under Kelvinbridge, is a West End favourite.

The Flying Duck 142 Renfield St, Glasgow A beloved basement bar with tonnes of atmosphere and some of the most fun gigs and club nights in town.

Top-notch vegan grub too.

Leith Depot 138-142 Leith Walk, Edinburgh Live music is just one reason to seek out this Leith gem; others include its welcoming atmosphere and outstanding pub grub.

The Hug and Pint 171 Great Western Rd, Glasgow As well as being among Glasgow’s finest gig venues, this is a prime spot for chilling with a beer and delicious vegan food.

Mono 12 Kings Court, King St, Glasgow The beating heart of Trongate’s creative hub, Mono offers a chill atmosphere, ace vegan food, and the occasional gig – plus record shop Monorail Music.

Image: Courtesy of Paradise Palms

The Old Toll Bar 1 Paisley Rd W, Glasgow This gorgeous Victorian pub – we dig the dark wood – has something happening every night, from open mics to its monthly comedy club.

Paradise Palms 41 Lothian St, Edinburgh With varied DJ and cabaret nights, plus decor that suggests a gay disco on a neon-lit desert island, Palms is a firm favourite.

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Stereo 22-28 Renfield Ln, Glasgow Situated inside a Mackintosh masterwork, this bright, lively bar is a must for lovers of veggie food, tidy beers and live music.

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Paradise Palms

DRINKS

Image: Athletic Arms

The Sparkle Horse 16 Dowanhill St, Glasgow Part-owned by members of Belle and Sebastian, this Partick gem offers a laid-back atmosphere and a tasty drinks selection.

Speedwell Bar 165-167 Perth Rd, Dundee A beautifully-preserved Edwardian pub with doilies on the tables, great beers on the bar, and legitimately historic toilets.

Starbar 1 Northumberland Pl, Edinburgh Lovely New York dive bar vibes here. The best jukebox in Edinburgh – no question – and a smart wee beer garden at the back.

Athletic Arms

Bennets Bar 8 Leven St, Edinburgh One of Edinburgh’s prettiest ‘old man pubs’, this historic venue features gorgeous original features, maps in the tables (!) and a knockout malt selection.

Athletic Arms 1-3 Angle Park Terr, Edinburgh Aka ‘the Diggers’, this is a smashing, wedge-shaped bar with a cosy lounge in the back. We highly recommend the pies.

The Laurieston 58 Bridge St, Glasgow From outside: an uninspiring beer den. From inside: a 60s time capsule and one of the cosiest pubs in town.

The Belle 617 Great Western Rd, Glasgow Like a country pub airdropped into Glasgow’s West End, The Belle offers cosy vibes and the best pub snacks known to humankind.

Phoenix Bar 103 Nethergate, Dundee An excellent pub with classic features and some fun idiosyncrasies (massive stained glass windows, pint mugs filled with chips).

The State 148-148A Holland St, Glasgow Huge bar to prop up, no faff like food, just a lovely place to hang out. The platonic ideal of a pub.

Teuchters Bar & Bunker 26 William St, Edinburgh A laid-back bar with a ‘make-yourself-feel-at-home’ vibe. The beer selection is good, and there’s tonnes of Scottish scran on the menu.

The Tinsmith 11-13 Old Hawkhill, Dundee All-day gastropub with everything you need. Food, drinks deals, live music, sports, dog-friendliness, a beer garden – it’s got it all.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

COSY The Arlington 130 Woodlands Rd, Glasgow Ignore the lump of sandstone rumoured to be the Stone of Destiny and enjoy The Arlington’s cool vibes and excellent music.

Star & Garter 42 Union Street, Dundee A recently-revamped pub with a wonderful racing green exterior, and all its original fixtures, fittings and signs reinstated.

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DRINKS

PROFILE:

UNORTHODOX ROASTERS We talk coffee, cafes and Christmas gifts with Chris Bode from the excellent Unorthodox Roasters Image: courtesy of Unorthodox

UNORTHODOX ROASTERS If you’re heading north from Edinburgh this Christmas, you must – must! – stop at Unorthodox in Kinross. It’s a brilliant, buzzing outpost of top-tier speciality coffee, with great food and seemingly endless knowledge. Their spot in Stirling is also excellent if you’re heading that-a-way.

129 High St, Kinross, open daily 9.30am-5pm; 12 Friars St, Stirling, open daily 9.30am-4.30pm best customers out of any business in the world, truly!

That helps us to tailor an incredible experience for everyone – because, let’s face it, it’s not just about the coffee or the latte art. It’s the whole package.

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t has been a thoroughly enjoyable year and the best for Unorthodox so far! In 2023 we upgraded the food menus in both our cafes. Win! On the coffee front we expanded our range of single origins, bringing in more lots from small farms. Currently our offering is better than it has ever been! Win #2! We have also been expanding our supply to cafes, shops and restaurants where, if we can, we deliver espresso in 7.5kg

reusable tins, saving a large quantity of plastic being discarded. Win #3!

What makes Unorthodox special...

It’s not necessarily Unorthodox that is special but it’s the interplay between our people, their approach and intangible elements like atmosphere or the way we speak to our customers.

However, we are extremely lucky because we have the

Chris’s ideal Christmas Gift...

The Ultimate Hygge Christmas Hamper. For the coffee fans it comes with two bags of Unorthodox Roasters coffee and a glass server and Japanese serving cups which will be perfect for anyone that likes, or is even just getting into, coffee. We throw in a bag of Unorthodox Chai Harder, which is caffeine free.

Our spice blend is best served with oat milk and it’s almost impossible to stop drinking it.

Cairngorm Coffee 1 Melville Pl, Edinburgh A bright corner cafe serving killer toasties and knockout coffee with their own roasted beans.

Dundee Cycle Hub Waterfront Pl, Dundee An excellent flat white for your walk past the Discovery and V&A *and* they’ll fix your bike. The dream!

Outlier 38 London Rd, Glasgow Extremely cool exposed-brick cafe and bakery. With a busy open kitchen, it’s always got a lively atmosphere.

EH9 Espresso 248 Perth Rd, Dundee Super-trendy and strippedback cafe space with great coffee and a community vibe.

Papercup 603 Great Western Rd, Glasgow A nifty cafe and roaster with delicious, ethically sourced coffee. A fave for brunch in the West End.

Fortitude 66 Hamilton Pl, Edinburgh Caora Dhubh Your best place for a caffeine Carbost, Isle of Skye hit in Stockbridge. Expect Excellent espresso from a tiny superb single-origin coffees wood-panelled spot opposite and tasty baked goods. the Talisker distillery.

Laboratorio Espresso Cashel Coffee & Dry Goods 93 W Nile St, Glasgow 40-42 Woodlands Rd, The best option for great Glasgow coffee in Glasgow city centre, This bright coffee shop has this cute espresso bar offers banging coffee, delicious a minimalist aesthetic and soups and sarnies, and a super-skilled baristas. selection of locally sourced dry goods.

Lovecrumbs 155 West Port, Edinburgh Cult Espresso Gorgeous cafe with great 104 Buccleuch St, Edinburgh homemade cakes and In a converted alleyway, Cult pastries and an adorably showcases an evolving range quirky decor. of speciality coffee from their own roastery and beyond.

DRINKS

COFFEE Brew’d 4 Spittal St, Edinburgh This tiny cafe and roaster with exciting, funky, small-batch espresso is a favourite of The Skinny team.

Spitfire Espresso 127 Candleriggs, Glasgow Speciality coffee shop in the Merchant City with knowledgeable baristas and a compact menu with delicious grub.

Steampunk Coffee 49A Kirk Prts, North Berwick A huge cafe space with a lovely garden and a record shop upstairs, Steampunk is well worth a detour from the beach.

Williams & Johnson 1 Customs Wharf, Edinburgh It’s all sleek concrete and streamlined furnishings, but there’s nothing simple about the rich and delicious coffee.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

Photo: Richard Gaston Outlier

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

This December the RSNO and RSNC bring music from the movies to life with an evening celebrating the classical soundtracks of John Williams and Hans Zimmer Words: Tallah Brash

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Image: courtesy of Raymond Gubbay

MOVIE MAGIC

hose in-between Christmas and New Year days are some of the best of the year; you rarely have any idea what day of the week it is – which doesn’t matter – and you get to spend most of your time with loved ones on the couch watching classic films made for days like these; films like Star Wars, The Lion King, Batman Begins and timeless Steven Spielberg greats like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park (insert Alan Partridge air punch here, iykyk).

But those films would be nothing without their classical soundtracks, scored by two of the greatest film composers of all time – John Williams and Hans Zimmer.

It’s actually impossible to think about those films

without recalling the music, and we guarantee that right about now you’re either singing the theme from George Lucas’s iconic space opera, or Spielberg’s prehistoric masterpiece. Giving us a reason to get out the house this festive season, on Friday 29 December, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) and the Royal Scottish National Chorus (RSNC) are going to be bringing those very songs to life, with an epic concert – The Music of Zimmer vs. Williams – at the Usher Hall.

Led by conductor Michael Bawtree, the RSNO and RSNC will expertly manoeuvre their way through a beautifully curated programme of musical movie highlights from the pair. Music on the night from

Williams will include pieces from the aforementioned Star Wars, Jurassic Park, E.T. and Raiders of the Lost Ark, as well as Saving Private Ryan, while Zimmer’s will take you on an aural deep-dive through his work on emotional scenes in The Lion King and Batman Begins, as well as orchestral beauties from Pearl Harbour, Top Gun: Maverick and The Da Vinci Code, some of which was filmed just down the road in Roslin. So head to the Usher Hall this winter for what is sure to be a night of classical music like no other.

The Music of Zimmer vs. Williams takes place at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 29 Dec, 7.30pm. Tickets start at £21.49 (including booking fee), available from usherhall.co.uk

INDEPENDENT SHOPS

EDINBURGH DESIGN, HOMEWARES & GIFTS An Independent Zebra 88-92 Raeburn Pl, A hub of independent designer-makers of homewares, prints, furniture and gifts from across the UK. anindependentzebra.com Handsel 336 Leith Walk An independent one-stopshop for art, homewares, jewellery, cards and zero-waste products. handsel.uk

Flamingosaurus Rex 22 Bruntsfield Pl A dynamic, multifunctional gallery, shop and art space. flamingosaurusrex.com

FOOD & DRINK George Mewes 3 Dean Park St, Edinburgh; 106 Byres Road, Glasgow For all your cheese-related needs. They sometimes (at least once) give away samples and mulled wine when the Christmas queue is too long. georgemewescheese.co.uk Beerhive 24 Rodney St A carefully-chosen selection of beers, wines and spirits with a local emphasis. thebeerhive.co.uk

Winekraft 6 Brandon Ter Organic, biodynamic and natural wine shop, also stocks the crisps and olives you’ll remember from lockdown Instagram. winekraft.co I.J. Mellis 30 Victoria St; 6 Bakers Pl; 330 Morningside Rd, Edinburgh; 492 Great Western Rd, Glasgow The OG of Edinburgh cheesemongers, Mellis focus on small scale farmhouse producers alongside a range of wines and artisanal foodstuffs. mellischeese.net

Image: courtesy of I.J. Mellis

Logan Malloch 13 Leith Walk Art, books, ceramics, greeting cards, plants, stationery and gifts mostly sourced in Leith, Edinburgh and wider Scotland. loganmalloch.com

they’re hosting a Christmas market of local artists 16-17 December. agitate.gallery

Red Door Gallery 42 Victoria St Long-standing hub for local artists’ prints, artworks, crafts and jewellery in prime sight-seeing location. edinburghart.com

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Curiouser & Curiouser 93 Broughton St; 106 Bruntsfield Pl Art, framing and gift shop with two locations in the city. curiouserandcuriouser.com

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Agitate 6 William St Recently relocated photography gallery and shop,

I.J. Mellis

The Beer Cave 43 Dalry Rd Well stocked local favourite with a focus on European craft beer. @thebeercavescotland

INDEPENDENT SHOPS

Image: courtesy of Locavore

Great Grog 2 Dalkeith Rd Specialist in local and international craft beers and wines. greatgrog.co.uk

PLANTS Grow Urban 92 Grove St; 8B St Vincent St A leafy haven for all your plant gifts inc. hand-painted pots, cards by local artists and terrariums for your low maintenance plant gifting. growurban.uk

Locavore

Cork and Cask 136 Marchmont Rd Thoughtfully sourced wine, beer and whisky. corkandcask.co.uk

Salt Horse 57 Blackfriars St Centrally-located craft beer shop and bar for all your beer fan gifting. salthorse.beer

Locavore 118-126 Dalry Rd, Edinburgh, 349 Victoria Rd, Glasgow, 449 Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow A social enterprise selling a wide variety of local organic produce at affordable prices. locavore.scot

Rose and Ammi Flowers 2 Gillespie Cres Bespoke wreaths and beautiful pots. roseandammiflowers.com Green Meadows 137 Buccleuch St A modern take on a tropical plant shop with social and environmental sustainability at its core. greenplantshops.co.uk Broughton St Flowers 87 Broughton St Newly opened in the old Narcissus site, with a fresh coat of yellow paint, serving all your flower and plant needs. broughtonstreetflowers.com

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

Cornelius 18 Easter Rd; 128 Leith Walk An Easter Road institution that’s also branched out to Leith Walk, Cornelius stock the very best wine, beer and spirits. corneliusbeers.com

Lupe Pintos 24 Leven St, Edinburgh, 313 Great Western Rd, Glasgow Specialist deli supplying Scotland with hard to find Mexican, American and Spanish ingredients, for all your hot sauce, bean and taco needs. lupepintos.com

Moss and Fern 84 South Clerk St Plants and gifts, including dried floral arrangements, art, prints and homewares. mossandfern.shop

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INDEPENDENT SHOPS

Photo: Rimbaud Patron

GLASGOW DESIGN, HOMEWARES & GIFTS Fat Buddha Store 81 Queen St Urban clothing, hip trainers, accessories and spray paints, in a store reflecting street culture. fatbuddhastore.com Forty Clothing 11 Royal Exchange Sq A Scottish brand dedicated to producing high quality, affordable streetwear clothing with an edge. fortyclothing.com The Blankfaces 427 Great Western Rd The UK’s first Clothing label aimed at ending homelessness – each of The Blankfaces’ designs is inspired or created by someone who is or has experienced homelessness. theblankfaces.co.uk

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The Woom Room The Barras Market, 244 Gallowgate A creative platform supporting the Glasgow art community, The Woom Room sells prints, original artworks, accessories and clothing by local artists. thewoomroom.com

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Risotto Studio The Glue Factory, 22 Farnell St Scotland’s leading risograph studio, producing vibrant stationery, calendars, prints and subscription services for the gift that keeps on giving. risottostudio.com Hoos 715 Great Western Rd

Hoos

An eclectic mix of homeware, design and lifestyle, from Nordic design houses to beautifully crafted pieces by local artisans. hoosglasgow.co.uk Welcome Home CCA, 350 Sauchiehall St The shop in the Centre for Contemporary Arts celebrates contemporary craft and design from a range of artists based in Glasgow and beyond. welcomehomestore.co.uk

Decadent Riot 11 Park Rd An alternative gift shop in Glasgow’s West End which promises to deliver ‘everything for those punks in your life.’ decadentriot.co.uk Velvet Moon 1203 Argyle St A lifestyle boutique supporting local artists specialising in cards, clothes, homewares and accessories. @velvetmoonglasgow

SCARLET KNITWEAR Venturing outwith the central belt, we meet Laura Ukstina, a knitted accessory designer based in Fife Photo: Santa Muceniece

SCARLET KNITWEAR Stockists: Visit Scotland Centre, Lerwick; Harbour Lane Studio, South Queensferry; ÒR, Portree, Skye; STRÒM, Kyle of Lochalsh; Abbot House, Dunfermline; Tayberry Gallery, Perth; SPOT, Glasgow; Flourish, Dumfries; Gairloch Museum; Cambridge Contemporary Crafts

INDEPENDENT SHOPS

PROFILE:

Find Scarlet Knitwear at Tea Green-curated Winter Market at Kelvingrove, 2-3 Dec Scotland’s Trade Fair Spring, 21-23 Jan, SEC, Glasgow scarletknitwear.co.uk

I

key element of my work and sometimes it could also be a starting point for new patterns. Scarlet Knitwear is a range of luxury knitted lambswool and cashmere accessories, including hats, socks, fingerless gloves, headbands and scarves.

In terms of inspiration, I have always loved Donna Wilson’s work as she has a similar taste in colour and pattern use and her knitted creatures are just wonderful.

2023 has been a very challenging, but also

extremely successful year.

This year I moved into a new larger studio space, which allowed me to have more space to grow my business.

Also, I started to work with three new knitting mills across Scotland and was able to increase production level.

In 2024 I’m looking forward to taking part in my first Scottish trade show in January, where I plan to present a very exciting new collection.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

.established Scarlet Knitwear in 2018 as I wanted my work to celebrate traditional knitwear history, introducing bold colour combinations and distinctive patterns.

Scarlet Knitwear is made either in my studio in Lochgelly on a hand-powered vintage knitting machine, or in small batches, knitted on state-of-art knitting machines, at specialist luxury knitwear mills across Scotland. I take inspiration from many shapes that surround us in everyday life. Fresh, bright colour is a

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INDEPENDENT SHOPS

Gallus Alice 1017 Argyle St Finnieston’s premier destination for gifts for dog toys (human presents also available). @gallusaliceglasgow Wild Gorse Pottery 684 Pollokshaws Rd Wheel-thrown, contemporary stoneware in beautiful colours made and sold in Glasgow’s Southside. wildgorsepottery.com Ruthven Mews Athole Gdns A warren of tiny antique shops and small independents in a lane behind Byres Road – a joy to explore.

Doyenne Skateboards Glasgow’s very own womenrun skateboarding brand created to celebrate and promote diversity in the determined pursuit of equality and unity. doyenne-studio.com SPOT shop 1139 Pollokshaws Rd A permanent home for the team who bring you the much-loved SPOT design markets. thespotdesignmarket.co.uk House Party 525 Victoria Rd An inclusive, welcoming

space with a focus on queer and minority-owned brands from around the world. @houseparty.gla The Cooperage 674 Pollokshaws Rd Glasgow’s sustainable retail hub or ‘Shawlands’ answer to Ashton Lane’ is home to a variety of small independent businesses, including vintage clothing, tattoos and a deli. thecooperageglasgow.co.uk Odd Dogs 1067 Cathcart Rd Serving the Southside’s dog population all the artisanal gifts and treats they could desire. odddogsstore.com Image: courtesy of Roots Fruits and Flowers

Mr Ben Unit 6, Kings Court, 101 King St A longstanding favourite for vintage fans, a treasure trove of 80s tracksuits, sequin dresses and souvenir jumpers from the Glasgow Garden Festival. mrbenretroclothing.com

old jeans to make new denim products. rejeandenim.com

Minted Kings Court, 105 King St Specialists in vintage streetwear from Stone Island to Carhartt. @mintedshop

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Orzel 678 Dumbarton Rd Menswear store specialising in brands with sustainability and quality at their core. orzel.store

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ReJean Denim Studio 3, Rogart St Based in the Barras, this gender neutral fashion label reclaims and repurposes

Roots, Fruits and Flowers

Roots, Fruits and Flowers 455 Great Western Rd Local institution serving generations of Glaswegians flowers, fruits and organic foods. rootsfruitsandflowers.com

INDEPENDENT SHOPS

Photo: Kevin Linnett

FOOD & DRINK Valhallas Goat 449 Great Western Rd Subtitled ‘liquid treasures’, you’ll find a fine selection of beers, plus wine, Cuban cigars, handmade chocolates and a range of interesting spirits. valhallasgoat.com

PLANTS Glasgow Plant Mama 70 Bell St Everything you need to grow your own urban jungle indoors. glasgowplantmama.com Blooms 182 Dumbarton Rd Serving all your botanical needs, from plants and fresh flowers to beautiful pots, seeds and dried flowers. bloomsglasgow.co.uk Plantique 286 Dumbarton Rd Newly opened, packed full of an ever-changing selection of plants, vintage homewares and work by local designers. plantique.co.uk

V&A Shop 1 Riverside Esplanade Design gifts and specifically-commissioned pieces by Scottish designers and curators engaging with exhibition themes. shop.vandadundee.org Kist 151 Perth Rd An independent with a focus on Scottish makers, quality, handmade, sustainable and beautiful design. @kistdundee

Hayley Scanlan Shop 186 Perth Road Original pieces from local fashion designer (and Netflix star) Hayley Scanlan. hayleyscanlan.com Arkive 36-40 Seagate Stockists of urban fashion, streetwear and footwear, also housing Ozzy’s skateboard and BMX shop. arkiveclothing.co.uk

SookSouk 153 Perth Rd Volk Gallery Specialists in vintage and The Keiller Centre, 3 Chapel St pre-loved clothing.

A repurposed nappy machine sooksouk.co.uk selling monthly-changing artist commissions for £3 a pop. volkgallery.com

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

DUNDEE DESIGN, HOMEWARES & GIFTS Dundee Contemporary Arts Shop 152 Nethergate A well-curated selection of design pieces, artworks, homewares and knitwear, with an emphasis on local talent. shop.dca.org.uk

V&A Shop

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RECORD SHOPS

FOR THE RECORD It’s an undeniable fact that records make for excellent Christmas presents. With that in mind, we’ve spoken to some of our favourite independent shops about their favourite albums of the year Words: Tallah Brash

Assai Records 33 Union St, Dundee; 1 Grindlay St, Edinburgh; 233 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow Staff-favourite specialists in vinyl, turntables and music merch. assai.co.uk

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Staff pick: Geese 3D Country

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3D Country is as ambitious musically as it is thematically, taking the late-night, sleazy groove of Exile on Main St. and throwing it against a wall repeatedly. The 60s blues-rock style somehow feels timeless, given new life by the contemporary production and avant-garde vocal delivery. Geese are chaotic and totally wonderful. [Aimee Douglas, Assai Edinburgh]

Le Freak Records 159 Perth Rd, Dundee Underground record shop, seller of new and used records. lefreakrecords.co.uk Staff pick: Róisín Murphy Hit Parade We love it because it’s mental.

A surreal, silly, sample-heavy, chaotic mess from two icons of dance music [Róisín Murphy and DJ Koze].

[Jack Le Feuvre, Le Freak]

Orange Moon Records Upstairs at Steampunk Coffee, 49A Kirk Prts, North Berwick A tightly-curated shop in the upstairs of a trendy coastal coffee shop.

IG: @orangemoonrecordstore Staff pick: Lil Yachty Let’s Start Here.

I’ll admit, when I heard a mumble rapper was releasing a psych-rock album I rolled my eyes pretty hard.

However, with an incredible team sheet of producers and features fused with Lil Yachty’s vocals, this album really blew me away, challenged my previous judgements and created a unique sound I can honestly say I’ve never heard before.

[Becca Ferrier-Baker, Orange Moon Records]

RECORD SHOPS

Some Great Reward Unit 2, The Cooperage, 674 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow Independent record store with a monthly residence on Radio Buena Vida. somegreatreward.scot Staff pick: corto.alto Bad With Names

Thorne Records 125 Bruntsfield Pl, Edinburgh Well organised indie with a strong devotion to local artists and customers alike. thornerecords.com

Staff pick: Sparks The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte

Staff pick: Meursault Meursault

One of my favourite bands of all time and a new album to rival their best. Add in an incendiary show that left a smile on my face for days and there can only be one winner.

[Frank Mills, Thirteen Records]

This sixth LP from the Edinburgh collective was recorded on Skye and listening to it you can feel the power of the elements of that ‘island in the mist’ seeping out of the speakers. It’s an utterly nourishing and cathartic experience until the devastating closer, Teacher, Was I Wrong To Burn, appears and knocks the utter shit out of you. [Mark Thorne, Thorne Records]

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

After a string of different singles, EPs, tonnes of live performances, not to mention guest spots with the likes of JSPYNX and Pyjaen, Glasgow’s corto.alto have hit out with their debut LP, Bad With Names. You’ll find a great mix of sounds across its 12 tracks, from broken beat to electronica to some heavier punky moments, all with a nu-jazz cherry on top. Favourite track: Slope. [Faye Woodcock, Some Great Reward]

Thirteen Records 13 Union St, Dundee New and used record shop from the staff of former Dundee mainstay Groucho’s. thirteenrecords.co.uk

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Umbrella Vinyl 20 Valleyfield St, Edinburgh Specialists in second hand world music, collectibles and rare wax. umbrellavinyl.com

Underground Solu’shn 9 Cockburn St, Edinburgh Central Edinburgh mainstay for dance music, decks and DJ equipment. undergroundsolushn.com

Staff pick: Esther Phillips Capricorn Princess

Staff pick: Lord Of The Isles & Ellen Renton My Noise Is Nothing

Umbrella Vinyl opened in August this year and we specialise in second hand records. One of our favourite records is Capricorn Princess

by Esther Phillips from 1976.

It’s a fantastic mix of jazz, disco, funk and soul and Esther’s voice is incredible.

We sell our copies as soon as we stock them; it is by far our most requested record to date, and ideal for Christmas parties! [Laura, Nick and Josh, Umbrella Vinyl]

In a strong year for homegrown produce, there was one clear stand out for us. All bias aside, this follow-up to their first collaborative EP from 2020 is everything we’d hoped for and more. Neil McDonald’s living, breathing analogue electronics once again provide the perfect sonic pairing for Ellen Renton’s astonishingly honest, earthly yet elemental poetry. [Gavin Sutherland, aka Other Lands, Underground Solu’shn]

Elsewhere in Edinburgh You’ll also find indie record shops in The Old Town (Slow Progress, 53 Blackfriars St), the New Town (Avalanche Records, Waverley Mall), Stockbridge (VoxBox Music, 21 St Stephen St), and Leith (Good Vibes Neighbourhood Store, 151-153 Constitution St) with second hand record shops similarly widespread.

Check out Elvis Shakespeare (347 Leith Walk), Backbeat Records (31 E Crosscauseway), Vinyl Villains (5 Elm Row) and Oxfam Music (64 Raeburn Pl).

Elsewhere in Glasgow In the City Centre you’ll find Love Music (34 Dundas St), and Rubadub (35 Howard St), while the Merchant City hosts Glasgow institution Monorail Music (97 King St, 12 Kings Ct). In Finnieston, you’ll find Strip Joint Records tucked in the back corner of Strip Joint Bar (956A Argyle St), as well as Music From Big Blue (1103 The Hidden Ln), the shop from local label Last Night From Glasgow, while in the West End you’ll find Mixed Up Records (18 Otago Ln). For shops specialising in second hand, seek out Otherside (724 Pollokshaws Rd) and Oxfam Music (171 Byres Rd).

We chat with some of our favourite bookshops about their books of the year, and give an overview of Scotland’s independent bookshop scene where you can buy them

BOOKS

BOOKSHOPS Words: Anahit Behrooz

Typewronger Books Mrs S by K Patrick

Runners-up: A Little Luck by Claudia Piñeiro, The Coiled Serpent

by Camilla Grudova

Category Is Enlightened Transsexual Comix by Sam Szabo

“A hit amongst our booksellers and customers, comedian Fern Brady’s Strong Female Character is our book of the year. Charting her growing up with undiagnosed autism and her journey to diagnosis, it’s a hilarious, unapologetically frank and moving memoir.”

“A fantastic, cosmic, psychedelic take on gender theory.”

Runners-up: The Fraud by Zadie Smith, In Ascension

by Martin MacInnes

Runners-up: Family Meal by Bryan Washington, Brainwyrms by Allison Rumfit, Any Other City

by Hazel Jane Plante

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

“Plunge headfirst into the thrill of hidden desires in this stunning debut novel, an exquisitely crafted exploration of love and identity.”

Portobello Bookshop Strong Female Character

by Fern Brady

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BOOKS

Argonaut Books 15-17 Leith Walk, Edinburgh Leith’s community bookshop, with a diverse stock and programme of in-person events. argonautbooks.co.uk Armchair Books 72-74 West Port, Edinburgh Family-run second hand bookshop with the city’s finest About page, ‘staffed by Edinburgh’s finest book people who brave the shop’s untraceable noises and unique microclimate.’ armchairbooks.co.uk The Book Attic 93 Perth Rd, Dundee A cosy independent book shop, with a particular focus on local writers and interests.

The Bookhouse Broughty Ferry The Turnglass

by Gareth Rubin

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“The Turnglass is chosen not only for the thrilling stories, but also for its uniqueness and the execution of the idea.

The book is a ‘tête-bêche’, two stories printed head to toe, which are set 50 years apart but are inextricably linked. You can read one then the other or read the stories chapter about. Reading the book was an experience I won’t soon forget.”

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Runners-up: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, Going Zero

by Anthony McCarten

Lighthouse Bookshop We, The Heartbroken

by Gargi Bhattacharyya “Bottomless sadness and hope are often depicted as opposites, camps to be chosen between in effort to transform our world. This is the book to completely trash that division, and I’m so grateful for it. Heartbreak is the honest place to start from in a world that broke our hearts.”

Runners-up: Mad World by Micha FrazerCarroll, The Feminist Killjoy Handbook by Sara Ahmed, The Patriarchs by Angela Saini

The Bookhouse Broughty Ferry 41 Gray St, Dundee An independent, family-run bookshop in Dundee’s Broughty Ferry, featuring everything from classic children’s literature to contemporary bestsellers. thebookhousebroughtyferry. co.uk Burning House Books 446 Cathcart Rd, Glasgow A small Southside bookshop dedicated to art and experimental writing and queer and countercultural history. burninghousebooks.com Category Is Books 34 Allison St, Glasgow This is a space for the LGBTQIA+ community to learn about, be inspired by and share in the founders’ love of queer books, art, history, activism, writing and storytelling. categoryisbooks.com

BOOKS

Photo: Nathan Ferguson Ripe Mags

Ginger and Pickles 51 St Stephen St, Edinburgh A thoughtfully selected range of kids books, with beautiful titles ranging from baby to young adult (plus a small stationery selection). gingerandpickles bookshop.com Golden Hare Books 68 St Stephen St, Edinburgh A cosy space filled with a finely chosen selection of writing, art books and children’s titles. goldenharebooks.com

engaged writing. lighthousebookshop.com Mount Florida Books 1069 Cathcart Rd, Glasgow With an aim to stock the best in literary fiction, poetry, politics, cookery and more, Mount Florida Books are dedicated to reinvesting profits into literary and literacy projects in Glasgow. mountfloridabooks.com

Tills Bookshop 1 Hope Park Cres, Edinburgh A secondhand bookshop overlooking the Meadows specialising in rare and antiquarian books. tillsbookshop.co.uk Topping & Company Edinburgh 2 Blenheim Pl, Edinburgh A veritable labyrinth of book rooms complete with book ladders and window seats, where you may be offered a complimentary tea. toppingbooks.co.uk Typewronger Books 4a Haddington Pl, Edinburgh Edinburgh’s smallest bookshop and Scotland’s only typewriter repair shop! Selling books, independent publications, zines and associated merch. typewronger.com

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

The Portobello Bookshop 46 Portobello High St, Edinburgh A gorgeously designed, Good Press gorgeously curated seaside 32 St. Andrews St, Glasgow bookshop, complete with A workers’ cooperative fiction, art books, and a dedicated to the promotion, stunning magazine collection. distribution and production of theportobellobookshop.com independent or self-published printed matter, plus bookshop Rare Birds Books and risograph printer.

13 Raeburn Pl, Edinburgh goodpress.co.uk Much-loved independent book shop championing Lighthouse Bookshop women authors – their 43-45 W Nicolson St, subscription service offers an Edinburgh ideal gift, and their advent Edinburgh’s radical calendar (inc. books) is an bookshop – the place to find annual sell-out. non-mainstream, politically rarebirdsbooks.com

Ripe Mags Barras Market, Moncur St, Glasgow A specialist in magazines and photo books based in the iconic Barras Market.

IG: @ripe_mag

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SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING

THE SEASON OF GIVING The festive season is the perfect time of year for giving – that answers the when, but what about the where? There are countless organisations across Scotland that sell sustainable products and donate all proceeds to charity. Here are some of our favourites Words: Ellie Robertson

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espite the fact that Christmas now seems to revolve around them, the big Black Friday sales don’t really do much to help the people most in need. With all the international shipping, unnecessary packaging, and reduced footfall across the high street, our local communities, and the world at large, can be worse off after a December spending spree.

The good news is there are organisations across Scotland making the perfect products for your wishlist.

The environmental and community benefits of these enterprises are just a bonus to buying their already attractive merchandise.

Check these recommendations for a truly sustainable secret Santa – and if you’ve still got a little something left over, there’re always local charities depending on your donations this time of year.

For your high-fashion friends, consider shopping at Remode Collective, an upcycling group based in

Edinburgh. Their chic line of handbags and backpacks are made from repurposed upholstery fabric. The mission of Remode Collective is to combat wasteful practices in the textile industry with these long-lasting accessories, in addition to workshops on sewing, embroidery, dressmaking and design, so that everyone has the opportunity to be less wasteful with their winterwear.

Shopping for a vintage buff? SHRUB is an Edinburgh cooperative best known for their Zero Waste Hub at 22 Bread St, where you can drop off your unwanted clothing and pick up some new, preloved threads. R:evolve in Cambuslang offers vintage, designer and second-hand clothing, as well as handmade gifts in macrame, crochet, and even stained glass, sourced from volunteers and local artists with an environmentally conscious work ethic. All their income goes to keeping their clothes

bank and swap shop available to the local community.

For the trend-savvy in your friend group, look up S’wheat, the Scottish startup offering plant-material reusable water bottles (which happen to be the official water bottle of the Aston Martin F1 team). Not only is this a great product, but each purchase results in the planting of a trackable tree to tackle deforestation.

If a special someone’s in need of a new laptop, the Edinburgh Remakery should

SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING

Image: courtesy of R:evolve R:evolve

mostly comes from packaging, Wood Shop sometimes passes this resource on to other contractors, but often remanufactures it into the products you can find on their website.

If you’re interested in bespoke furniture, their coffee tables and bar stools all have a real rustic finish, while smaller, more affordable items – like planters, bottle holders, and guitar racks – make excellent gifts.

This is more of an unusual one, but if you’re buying period products for others or yourself, consider Hey Girls, a Musselburgh enterprise offering zero waste reusables and period pants, with one hundred percent of profits going to tackling period poverty across the UK. If you’re still in a generous mood, there are myriad nonprofits around Scotland that could use your help. The Edinburgh Food Project has an online map of drop-off points, as well as a

list of the products they need the most. Also fighting food scarcity in Edinburgh is Empty Kitchens Full Hearts, and you can find their donation page on their website. There are also some community-based Glasgow institutions always in need of funding, such as the Glasgow Autonomous Centre, Ubuntu Women’s Shelter, and Glasgow Women’s Library.

And with the sustainability workshops that a lot of these places offer, you might feel empowered to make a gift this year. Look to Facebook groups like The Meadows Share or Glasgow Southside Sharing Community and you might find someone giving up the perfect resources for nothing. Check your local council website for info on how to environmentally dispose of your Christmas tree, and enjoy the New Year knowing your gifts are putting smiles on more than one face.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

be your first port of call.

These experts take in disused hardware, repair and resell, championing the circular economy not just by cutting down on e-waste, but by offering workshops and community clubs for those interested in keeping their goods running as long as possible. If you can’t find the gadget you’re looking for in-store, then it’s still worthwhile bringing in your own kit for repairs, to save on buying new. On top of all that, you can donate money to their Tech Gifting Projects and training schemes.

And maybe there’s someone in your life who's an annual pain to shop for (like your dad, for a totally random example). Wood Shop (shopwood.co.uk) is an Aberdeenshire-based organisation that appropriates an average of 1,500 tonnes of wood waste each year from other businesses. After grading and cleaning this waste, which

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

THE SKINNY

Photo: Jay Dawson

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SHOP LOCAL

The Stand When The Stand first opened, their manifesto included creating a list of genuine comedy fans to make sure they charged them the fairest possible price. The membership scheme evolved from this idea and is still strong today with over 1000+ members. It entitles the holder to advanced show announcements, discounted tickets and member exclusives for just £15 a year.

Collective Gallery Get set for a creative Christmas with Collective’s carefully curated selection of books, products, activities and limited editions inspired by the art, extraordinary buildings, people and heritage that surround us. Shop Miim handmade ceramics, Knot Unknot textiles, Dooke soap and Kate Trouw found glass jewellery as well as our fan favourite Edinburgh's Disgrace sweatshirts and t-shirts.

thestand.co.uk @standcomedyclub

@collective_edin

Monkey Barrel Scotland's Best (Chortle Awards 2023) and Edinburgh's #1-rated comedy club on Tripadvisor brings you The Big Show: Christmas and New Year specials! Book now to warm-up in the Barrel Bar before a cracking show from 13th-31st December. Tickets from £10 and gift vouchers available on the website:

DCA Find the perfect festive gifts at Dundee Contemporary Arts. Be inspired by our shop shelves full of jewellery, craft and design by Dundee and Scotland-based makers, limited edition prints created in DCA Print Studio and a wide selection of contemporary homeware, books and games. Shop in person or order online from shop.dca.org.uk.

monkeybarrelcomedy.com/gift-card

@dcadundee

Photo: Benjamin Soedira

Image: courtesy of Edinburgh International Book Festival

Alchemy Experiment The Alchemy Experiment is a creative art space, gallery & coffee shop in Glasgow that features original artwork and prints from over 100 local artists. In the run up to Christmas, the space will host its annual Festive Markets with a rotation of local artists & makers every Saturday & Sunday. The space also caters to events, workshops, talks and more. For more information please head to the website at alchemyexperiment.com or find them on socials:

Edinburgh International Book Festival The perfect gift for book lovers, for only £60.

Buy that special someone a membership to the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Friends of the Book Festival get advance booking privileges for all 2024 events, a programme brochure by post, invitations to special events and much more. Call 0131 718 5653, or email friends@edbookfest.co.uk by 14 December for Christmas delivery.

@thealchemyexperiment

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Support your local shops and venues this festive season

edbookfest.co.uk/support-us/memberships

Image: Courtesy of Fruitmarket Gallery

Fruitmarket Bookshop Fruitmarket Bookshop seeks out talented makers & design-led products, made locally and with sustainability at their core. As usual they've got books on music, architecture, fiction, art and art theory, history, and design – a slice of contemporary culture. Shop in person at Fruitmarket in Edinburgh or online

barneysbeer.co.uk/shop @barneybeer

fruitmarket.co.uk/shop @fruitmarketgallery

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

Photo: Aly Mathers

Barney's Beer Taking inspiration from the creativity of the city that surrounds the brewery, Barney’s Beer make beers they are proud to share using only the best ingredients and traditional techniques to brew a wide range of styles. All of which are available from their webshop in mixed cases and Christmas gift packs:

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Image: Courtesy of Edinburgh Art Shop

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Photo: Tommy Ga Ken Wan

Dunedin Consort What better way to start your festive season with family and friends than with an uplifting evening of Handel’s Messiah, performed by the musicians and soloists of Dunedin Consort.

There are performances at Perth Concert Hall (19 Dec), The Queen's Hall (Edinburgh, 20 Dec) and St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral (Glasgow, 21 Dec), 7pm. For younger ones, or those short on time, Children’s Messiah (4-4.45pm) features all the greatest hits and is suitable for all ages.

Edinburgh Art Shop Edinburgh Art Shop is bursting with arts and crafts supplies, from tiny wee trinkets to larger studio easels – there’s something for everyone.

Find all you need to create your own unique gifts or the team can help you choose. They have some prints and cards by local artists and, of course, Gift Vouchers – perfect for those more tricky to buy for. @edinburghartshop

Image: Courtesy of An Independent Zebra

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Image: Courtesy of Wheel of Fate

THE SKINNY

dunedin-consort.org.uk @dunedinconsortscot

Wheel of Fate Wheel Of Fate is Edinburgh’s home for folk arts and witch crafts. Visit this cosy Causewayside studio for workshops on bookbinding, broom making, wool spinning and more. Get a tarot or astrological reading or browse their selection of local art inspired by heritage crafts, the natural world, myths and folklore. The magic is in your hands!

An Independent Zebra An Independent Zebra is a furniture, homewares and gift shop in the heart of Edinburgh's glorious Stockbridge neighbourhood.

Showcasing the works of more than 250 small indie businesses from across Scotland and the rest of the UK. Their products are carefully curated to bring you inspiration and make you smile!

@wheeloffateedi

88- 92 Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, EH4 1HH @indiezeb

OUT AND ABOUT There’s lots going on this festive season. We’ve got a rundown of the best shows to catch in the theatre, from pantos by Scotland’s reigning pantomime dame, Johnny McKnight, to a Unicorn Dance Party and the Snow Queen.

We’re looking forward to Hogmanay and the days around it, with a guide to club nights from Christmas onwards.

And for the kids, we take a look at some of the light shows, funfairs and Santa meet-and-greets that should make this December extra magical.

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THEATRE

HOLIDAY THEATRE In a particularly dark winter, Scottish theatre provides a warm light Words: Rho Chung

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ately, escaping to the theatre has felt less and less possible – not because there isn’t enough theatre, but because escape itself sometimes feels counterproductive. This year, the holidays will arrive when they always do, but, speaking for myself at least, I have no idea what they will really look like.

Nevertheless, Scotland’s holiday theatre landscape offers a wide array of family-friendly fun. Whether you prefer dance, interactive family theatre, or fresh adaptations of fan favourites, Scottish theatre has something for you.

In Edinburgh, the Royal Lyceum Theatre will premiere a brand new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen by Morna Young and directed by Cora Bissett. Featuring original songs by Finn Anderson, the show follows young Gerda on her odyssey from Edinburgh to the frozen kingdom and – if she’s as lucky as she is brave – back again (23 Nov-31 Dec).

At The Studio Edinburgh, Raw Material will produce Unicorn Christmas Party (8-24 Dec) for children aged seven and under. Join Melody and Luna for a dance party to beloved Christmas hits – and, on 8 and 9 December, come along in your PJs for a slumber party, complete with

a bedtime snack and chocolate milk.

For fans of dance, Scottish Ballet brings its ambitious staging of Cinders!

(9 Dec-10 Feb), a fan favourite with an ambitious twist.

Cinders will be played by dancers of different genders on different nights – some nights, in place of the expected arrangement, Cinders will be a man who falls in love with the beautiful princess. The

production will visit Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Newcastle.

This holiday season also includes several creative adaptations of A Christmas Carol. Glasgow’s Tron Theatre will host Aganeza Scrooge by Johnny McKnight (29 Nov-7 Jan). The show is a twist on Dickens’ classic holiday tale, transplanted to Glasgow in the 90s, complete with original music.

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

THE SKINNY

L

The Snow Queen

THEATRE

Photo: Tortoise in a Nutshell Ginger

Hetherington. In this version, the Prince’s grand ball includes a singing contest – the show is a fun-filled, musical adventure for audiences over five (5-23 Dec).

At Glasgow’s Tramway, acclaimed Scottish company Tortoise in a Nutshell will stage its family show, Ginger (6-16 Dec, no show on 11 Dec). Based loosely on the story of the Gingerbread Man, Ginger is an original and creative retelling of the well-known nursery rhyme.

The interactive event is one part show, one part gingerbread decorating activity, and

it is recommended for ages three to seven.

Looking at this assortment of shows, the overarching theme seems to be play.

Engaging with theatre doesn’t have to mean sitting down in the dark for an hour or two.

So many of these shows offer creative twists on old favourites, creating a space for audiences of all ages to get into the festive spirit.

These productions are part of a rich theatrical tradition that brings people together at the darkest time of year. It doesn’t have to be an escape – let it be a celebration of joy and community.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

In association with Noisemaker, Dundee Rep will stage a musical version of A Christmas Carol, performed by a cast of eleven actor-musicians (25 Nov-30 Dec).

In Stirling, the Macrobert Arts Centre invites audiences with children aged five and under to Eric the Elf (5-31 Dec). Join Eric, the titular elf, on his music-filled adventure to save Christmas.

The run will include BSL interpreted performances and a relaxed performance.

Platform, situated in Glasgow’s East End, will stage a brand-new adaptation of Cinderella by Lewis

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ADVERTISING HOGMANAY FEATURE THE SKINNY

We provide a snapshot of some of the nights out you could be having this festive season across Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee Words: Tallah Brash

O

ne of the best traditions around the holidays, of course, is getting together with friends and/or family for a party, or as it is often referred to in Scotland – a hooley or a hootenanny!

While a lot of celebrations in Scotland revolve around the 31st, Hogmanay as a season is about so much more than that, and venues, bars, clubs and promoters across the country have loads in store for you.

In Glasgow, as soon as Christmas is done and dusted, Darkside Boxing Day return to the Classic Grand for their annual uptempo and hardcore extravaganza. So eat as much as you want on the big day, dance it all off the next. The following day brings the Missing Persons Club Xmas Party to The Berkeley Suite, while on the 29th, pick between Animal Farm’s 19th Birthday at Sub Club or Huey Morgan presents 50 Years of Hip Hop at Saint Luke’s.

In Edinburgh, we’d be remiss to leave out Pleasure Christmas Cracker on the 23rd, featuring Theo Kottis on the decks all night long at Cabaret Voltaire, while those in-between days feature Club Signal at Sneaky Pete’s (28 Dec), FLY x EZ Street at Cab Vol (29 Dec), Pulse with Blawan at The Mash House (30 Dec) and Pleasure – The

Photo: Stergios K

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PARTY STARTERS

Ashton Lane

Night Afore with Gareth Somerville back at Cab Vol (30 Dec). That same night also brings a massive Nightvision event to Fat Sam’s in Dundee.

When it comes to the big night itself, across the country you’re spoiled for choice. In Dundee, choose between The Hogmanay Hoolie at Clarks on Lindsay

Street, the Hogmanay Masquerade Ball at Club Tropicana, the Hogmanay Hootenanny at Duck Slattery’s or head for Kings, with details of their night TBC at time of writing.

In Glasgow, start your night ON! A! BOAT! at The Ferry’s Hogmanay Ceilidh. In the West End, Scottish stalwarts Big Country bring

Photo: Stergios K

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THE SKINNY

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Shack welcomes back their live and improvised groove music night for a Glitch41 Hogmanay Special, FLY take over Platform for a huge New Year’s Eve party with Denis Sulta, Kilimanjaro, Big Miz, Wheelman and more, and there’s a full complex party going on at SWG3 from 9pm with DJ Seinfeld, Eliza Rose, Testpress and more.

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

Sneaky Pete's

In the capital, try your hand at some traditional dancing early on with a ceilidh – our top picks include the HotScotch Ceilidh Band at Assembly Roxy and the Haggis Ceilidh’s Hogmanay Party at The Counting House, while later you’ll find traditional and contemporary folk at Stramash courtesy of The Mad Ferret Band’s Hogmanay Hoolie. Club nights in the capital are also plentiful, with a 5am late license in play. Some of our picks include Samedia Shebeen’s Hogmanay Tropical Soundclash at La Belle Angele, Headset’s whole venue takeover of The Mash House, Nightvision’s full complex takeover of The Liquid Room, and Summerhall’s Hogmanay “Off the Street” Party with The Soul Foundation.

Then of course there’s the massive Hogmanay Street Party on Princes Street, with live music, DJs, street food, street performers, a funfair and more helping bring a carnival vibe to the city, while the flagship Concert In the Gardens event will see britpop legends Pulp welcome in the new year in West Princes Street Gardens, with a DJ set from Hot Chip. The following day, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Celebrations continue with First Footin’, a free programme of music and live events in venues across the city centre to help shake off those hangovers. Catch the likes of SAY Award winners Kathryn Joseph and Fergus McCreadie, as well as SAY Award nominees Cloth, Becky Sikasa and Bemz, who are all set to perform.

HOGMANAY

their Hogmanay Wonderland to Oran Mor, while around the corner you’ll find much outdoor merriment at the annual Ashton Lane Hogmanay Street Party with live bands, DJs, street performers, indoor and outdoor bars, street food and more. There’s plenty going on in the city’s underground bars and nightclubs too. The Rum

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KIDS

KID CHRISTMAS There are lots of ways to make this festive season magical for the small people in your life. Scotland is dotted with light shows, funfairs, literal winter wonderlands and an almost inconceivable number of opportunities to meet Santa Claus

Words: Rosamund West

THE SKINNY

I

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n Edinburgh, Christmas at the Botanics kicks things off on 16 November and runs until 30 December. Their sound and light show transforms the gardens with giant glowing crocuses, floating seeds and even an appearance from Santa Claus (first of many).

Castle of Light (various dates, 24 Nov-3 Jan) transforms the medieval walls of Edinburgh Castle with brand new projections designed around the theme of Magic and Mystery. Down in Jedburgh, the all new Monteviot Lights show (30 Nov-10 Dec) is the first of its kind in the Borders, and promises an enchanting walk through illuminated woodland. Near Linlithgow, Beecraigs Festive Forest (1-23 Dec) is an altogether more all- encompassing affair, with an illuminated trail, funfair, festive street food, choirs, street performers and even, would you know, Santa Claus himself.

Santa will also be appearing a lot in the nearby

South Queensferry area, with residencies at both Conifox (Fri-Sun, 1-24 Dec) and Craigie’s Farm (Saturdays and Sundays, 9-23 Dec), who’ve diversified from their summer fruit picking offer to create a winter wonderland adventure entered through the North Pole passport control. Conifox also offers trips to the North Pole, as well as reindeer flying lessons, storytime with Mrs Claus and a build-ateddy workshop.

In Edinburgh, you’ll find Santa in his Grotto in St Andrew’s Square, part of Edinburgh’s Christmas, as well as in various shopping centres and Dobbies Garden Centres for some reason.

Glasgow similarly has a lot of shopping centre Santa appearances, notably Braehead and St Enoch, as well as, again, Dobbie’s.

Venturing back out of the cities, the New Lanark Christmas (Fri-Sun, 24 Nov-24 Dec) promises singing elves, an ice rink alongside

the Falls of Clyde, a visit to a Victorian mill and workers’ accommodation, and, yes, Santa!

There are funfairs aplenty popping up across the country too. In Glasgow, Winterfest arrives in George Square and St Enoch (10 Nov-7 Jan) with attractions including an ice rink, silent disco, and a load of rides. If that’s not intense enough for you, the Irn Bru Carnival (22 Dec-14 Jan) is a seasonal stalwart, bringing Europe’s largest indoor funfair to the SEC – truly an experience like no other.

Edinburgh’s Christmas (18 Nov-6 Jan) is taking over multiple spaces in the city centre, with the rainbow Big Wheel already erected next to the Scott Monument, an ice rink on George St and a Festive Family Funfair in West Princes St Gardens.

Glasgow’s Christmas kicks up a gear with the Style Mile Christmas Carnival (26 Nov, 1-5pm)

KIDS

Photo: Ross Sneddon Edinburgh's Christmas

twinkling fairy lights, with a Christmas soundtrack.

RSNO’s The Elf Games (Usher Hall, 3 Dec, Glasgow Concert Halls, 9 Dec) offers a conceptually-intriguing format whereby the Royal Scottish National Orchestra compete in games such as The Christmas Wrapping Relay, The Fairy Light-a-thon, the Bauble-andSpoon Race, all while presumably dressed as elves, before an audience of children invade the stage for a snowball fight.

In Glasgow’s Tramway, Tortoise in a Nutshell present Ginger (6-16 Dec), an interactive play for ages three to seven following the adventures of a biscuity hero as he inspires a perfect kitchen to descend into chaos. In Edinburgh, Unicorn Dance Party (4-24 Dec) arrives in The Studio, as a pair of glittering unicorns present dance and Christmas classic songs aimed at four to seven year olds.

Christmas & Hogmanay Guide 2023

with street entertainments along Buchanan Street, and in St Enoch, Buchanan Galleries and Argyle Arcade, ft. elves, Rudolph, dancing snowflakes and, of course, Santa himself. For more child-friendly shows, venture to East Lothian’s Archerfield Walled Garden, and The Christmas Tipi (15-17, 22, 23 Dec) an hour-long show featuring dance and beatboxing in the Victorian walled garden under

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LISTINGS

Listings Looking for something to do? Well you’re in the right place! Find listings below for the Christmas period across Music, Clubs, Theatre and Children's Events in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.

Glasgow Music Fri 01 Dec THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Folk punk from the UK. ADMIRAL FALLOW KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

JAMIE LAWSON SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from Plymouth.

TOM MCGUIRE AND THE BRASSHOLES SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Electronica from Glasgow.

SKIPINNISH BARROWLANDS, 7:30PM–10PM

Trad from Scotland.

VENOMWOLF (PISS BATH) THE FLYING DUCK, 7PM–11PM

Metalpunk from Glasgow.

BMX BANDITS THE HUG AND PINT, 6PM–10PM

Pop from Scotland.

UNDERSCORES ROOM 2, 7PM–10PM

Hyperpop from the US.

Sun 03 Dec

CATHOUSE, 7PM–22:30

Indie from the UK. LIL YACHTY

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from the UK. ANLY THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Pop from Japan.

JOHN BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Indie from London.

THE CORAL BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Rock from the UK. MADNESS THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

Ska from the UK. SLOW PULP THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Indie rock from Wisconsin.

Sat 02 Dec DADI FREYR O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

THE SKINNY

SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Funk soul from Glasgow.

VUKOVI (UNINVITED + LO RAYS) Rock from Scotland.

THE TWANG

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MICKEY 9S

Pop from Iceland.

STRANGE DIMENSIONS KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Indie rock from Scotland.

BILLY MITCHELL SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Dundee.

RYAN MCMULLAN ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Rap from Atlanta.

KATIE GREGSONMACLEOD KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

LORNA SHORE SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Deathcore from New Jersey.

ISAIAH DREADS SWG3, 6:30PM–10PM

Grime from the UK. COROOK THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from Nashville.

LORNA SHORE

Mon 04 Dec FLYTE ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Indie folk from London.

LAURA MISCH KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

Jazz pop from London.

FRED ARMISEN MONO, 8PM–10PM

Musical comedy from the US. SHYGIRL QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 7PM–10PM

Hip-hop from London.

GOGOL BORDELLO SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Punk from New York.

AGAINST THE CURRENT SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Pop rock from the US. BLOOD COMMAND THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Punk from Norway.

CRYWANK (THEO VANDENHOFF) BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

BORIS GREBENSHCHIKOV ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Russia.

SPEAR OF DESTINY (DEREK FORBES & THE DARK) KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Post-rock from the US. THE KATUNS THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

PET NEEDS BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Colchester.

THE ALTERED HOURS

Fri 08 Dec

BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Indie punk from London.

ICE CUBE (CYPRESS HILL + THE GAME) THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

Rap from the US.

Wed 06 Dec Country from Texas.

ASHNIKKO

Singer-songwriter from the US.

Indie from Edinburgh.

GLEN MATLOCK

Thu 07 Dec

Psych pop from Ireland.

Deathcore from New Jersey.

GARETH WILLIAMS + BEWARE OF TRAINS

THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

THE FLYING DUCK, 7PM–10PM

Alt folk.

TEN TONNES (ELLIE BLEACH)

ERIC PASLAY

Chamber pop.

DONNY OSMOND

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 7:30PM–10PM

Tue 05 Dec

Indie from the UK. GEMMA ROGERS (FRANCES GEIN)

ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Alt pop from the US. CVC KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Indie from Wales.

URNE CATHOUSE, 7PM–10PM

Heavy metal from London.

BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Rock from New York.

SHOOTING STANSFIELD

THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

HAIG

Anti-folk from Manchester.

HARRY BIRD

BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Anti-folk from Manchester.

BARROWLANDS, 6PM–10PM

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 7PM–10PM

CRYWANK (THEO VANDENHOFF)

MARTIN STEPHENSON & THE DAINTEES ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from the UK. NATHAN DAWE O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Electronica from the UK. STRAID KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Indie from Glasgow.

THE SPOOK SCHOOL SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie pop from Edinburgh.

PREGOBLIN SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Alt rock from London.

SKINNY LIVING THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie soul from Yorkshire.

SOAPBOX THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Glasgow.

THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Punk from the UK. YOKO PWNO (OSTAR SOUND) ROOM 2, 7PM–10PM

Electro-Celtic from Edinburgh.

Sat 09 Dec MILITARIE GUN MONO, 8PM–10PM

Indie from LA. SWEET QUEEN MARGARET UNION, 7PM–10PM

Glam rock from London.

RIANNE DOWNEY SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

THE BIG MOON SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from the UK. PAWS SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock.

CALUM BOWIE THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

MATT DEIGHTON BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from the UK. GUN BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Hard rock from Glasgow.

DAWNWALKER (HEALTHYLIVING + CWFEN) THE FLYING DUCK, 7PM–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

ARAB STRAP ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

HOOLIE IN THE HYDRO THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

Trad lineup.

THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from the UK. THE INSOMNIACS + THE TRIPLE A’S + THE MOCKING BYRDS + LILY GRACE N THE STRING MERCHANTS ROOM 2, 7PM–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

Sun 10 Dec THERAPY? KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

Rock from Northern Ireland.

LEWIS MCLAUGHLIN SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie folk from Scotland.

CORE. LOCAL SHOWCASE (MONI JITCHELL + KUTE + WREAKING JOY) THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

Mon 11 Dec THE FRONT BOTTOMS O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Rock from New Jersey.

MONCRIEFF (QUIET MAN) KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Pop from Waterford.

HELMET CATHOUSE, 7PM–10PM

Alt metal from New York.

THE DARKNESS BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Rock from the UK. HOZIER THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

Indie folk from Ireland.

Tue 12 Dec PIP BLOM ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Indie from the Netherlands.

THE PALE WHITE (LIZZIE ESSAU) KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

Rock from Newcastle.

WARGASM SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Electro-punk from London.

THE LATHUMS SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from Ireland.

BRUTUS Post-rock from Belgium.

LOS PACAMINOS ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Pop from the UK. FALSE HEADS THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Punk rock from London.

DANKO JONES (LOS PEPES) KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

Hard rock from Toronto.

STRFKR MONO, 8PM–10PM

Indie rock from Portland.

M24 SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Rap from Brixton.

Thu 14 Dec RUTS DC ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Punk from the UK. DMA’S O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Australia.

VOODOOS KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

Indie rock from Glasgow.

THE SAW DOCTORS BARROWLANDS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from Ireland.

MIDDLE CLASS GUILT (AUTOCAMPER + NORMAL SERVICE) THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from the Shetlands.

Fri 15 Dec DUTCH UNCLES (HEALTH & BEAUTY + PINC WAFER) KING TUT’S, 8PM–10PM

Art rock from Manchester.

FORGETTING THE FUTURE SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from Thurso.

THE SAW DOCTORS BARROWLANDS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from Ireland.

VOID OF LIGHT (IRON ALTAR + GREY STAG + PRIMITIVE VICES) THE FLYING DUCK, 7PM–10PM

Post-metal from Glasgow.

ALMOST NOTHING THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

HECATE ENTHRONED (NYCTOPIA + TYMVOS)

VLURE

CALLUM BEATTIE

SWG3, 7PM–10PM

BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Post-punk from Scotland.

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS BROADCAST, 7PM–10PM

Folk rock from Canada.

THE MARY WALLOPERS BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Folk from Ireland.

NAPPY NINA THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 8PM–10PM

Hip-hop from Brooklyn.

Sun 17 Dec ROACHFORD ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Soul from the UK. TEENAGE WRIST THE HUG AND PINT, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from LA.

Mon 18 Dec OCEAN COLOUR SCENE O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from Birmingham.

HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR SWG3, 7PM–10PM

House from London.

FOY VANCE (BONNIE BISHOP) ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Northern Ireland.

Tue 19 Dec OCEAN COLOUR SCENE O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from Birmingham.

KOHLA SWG3, 7PM–10PM

Jazz pop from Scotland.

CALLUM BEATTIE BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Scotland.

FOY VANCE (BONNIE BISHOP) ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Northern Ireland.

TOM JONES

Rock from Scotland.

FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Rap rock from New York.

NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

Britpop from the UK.

Thu 21 Dec PARLIAMO THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Underground pop from Perth.

CALLUM BEATTIE BARROWLANDS, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Scotland.

Fri 22 Dec HUMAN RENEGADE (IN CHARGE + AROUND 7) THE FLYING DUCK, 7PM–10PM

Alt rock from Glasgow.

SILENT NIGHT (REBEL FRUITION + THE FROOBZ + KEV HOWELL) THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, 7PM–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

PLAID CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, 8PM–10PM

Electronica from the UK.

Alt pop from Scotland.

THE NOTIONS KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Alt rock from Scotland.

THE LINES (FRASER MCLEAN + ALLAN PURVIS) THE FLYING DUCK, 7PM–10PM

Wed 20 Dec

Rock from Glasgow.

ORAN MOR, 7PM–10PM

Synth pop from the UK. ELEPHANT SESSIONS O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Trad from Scotland.

TIJUANA BIBLES KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Indie rock from Glasgow.

KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Country from Nashville.

Fri 29 Dec CONNOR MCGLAVE KING TUT’S, 8:30PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

Edinburgh Music Fri 01 Dec TAE SUP AT THE QUEEN’S (PHILIP SELWAY + JAMES YORKSTON & NINA PERSSON + MARJOLEIN ROBERTSON) THE QUEEN’S HALL, 8PM–10PM

Folk from Scotland.

DINOSAUR 94 SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Edinburgh.

CLAREFEST (THE THANES + SALLY SKULL + THE RAVEDIGGERS) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Sat 02 Dec

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Sat 16 Dec CHINA CRISIS

Funk and soul.

CHRIS ANDREUCCI (GARY QUINN + JORDAN HARVEY)

Garage rock.

Death metal from the UK.

BBC INTRODUCING LIVE IN SCOTLAND (HER PICTURE + NEVERFINE + LACUNA + POSTER CLUB)

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, 8PM–10PM

SAINT PHNX

Singer-songwriter from Wales.

ROOM 2, 7PM–10PM

CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL HOUSE PARTY

Sat 23 Dec

Alt rock from Glasgow.

HIPPY (HAZY SUNDAYS + CHLOE MCNEILL)

THE OVO HYDRO, 6:30PM–10PM

Thu 28 Dec

ROOM 2, 7PM–10PM

YOKO PWNO (OSTAR SOUND) THE BONGO CLUB, 7:30PM–10PM

Electro-Celtic from Edinburgh.

JOHN THE MASH HOUSE, 7PM–10PM

Indie from London.

THE ROOKS SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Alternative from Glasgow.

WOZNIAK (CANAAN BALSAM) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Wed 27 Dec

Post-rock and ambient.

PETE MACLEOD

Sun 03 Dec

ST LUKE’S, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

FLYTE THE CAVES, 7PM–10PM

Indie folk from London.

SUBHUMANS LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Punk from the UK.

Glasgow City Guide

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, 7PM–10PM

Wed 13 Dec

LISTINGS

DANNY MELLIN

61

COCKNEY REJECTS

RADIO RATZ

SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Singer-songwriter from Edinburgh.

NORTH ORBITAL (ABOLISH GOLF + KING SILVER)

Punk rock from London.

PET NEEDS

Alt punk.

WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Alt indie.

Mon 04 Dec

SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Colchester.

PAWS WEE RED BAR, 17:00–10PM

Indie rock.

BILLIE MARTEN

Sat 09 Dec

SUMMERHALL, 7PM–10PM

THE AMAZONS

Folk from the UK. THE FAT STACKS SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Edinburgh.

MONDAY JAZZ (JAZZ SOCIETY) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Jazz.

Tue 05 Dec CRYWANK (THEO VANDENHOFF) THE CAVES, 7PM–10PM

Anti-folk from Manchester.

THE DARKNESS O2 ACADEMY EDINBURGH, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from the UK. HARRY BIRD (RAIN OF ANIMALS + GAVIN MCGINTY) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Alt folk.

Wed 06 Dec THE BITES BANNERMANS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from the US. GEMMA ROGERS SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie punk from London.

Thu 07 Dec EMMA MILLER + ANNA PANCALDI LEITH DEPOT, 7:30PM–10PM

Folk from Scotland.

MIDNIGHT RODEO SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Art pop from Nottingham.

THE JIG SHOW WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Fri 08 Dec STOP STOP BANNERMANS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from the UK.

Rock from England.

AULD SPELLS WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Dream pop.

Sun 10 Dec NATI THE CAVES, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

ARAB STRAP SUMMERHALL, 7PM–10PM

Indie from Scotland.

LOS PACAMINOS LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Pop from the UK. MAHUKI THE MASH HOUSE, 6PM–10PM

Jazz fusion.

THE ILLFORDS SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Rock from Newcastle.

Mon 11 Dec JELEPHANT (EINSTEINS WARDROBE + NIAMH MACLEMAN) BANNERMANS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from Edinburgh.

Wed 13 Dec THE VIEW O2 ACADEMY EDINBURGH, 7:30PM–10PM

Indie rock from Scotland.

ALEXANDRA WHITTINGHAM LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Classical from the UK. AMPLIFI (LAMAYA + ZIGGY + CH UNSPOKEN) THE QUEEN’S HALL, 8PM–10PM

R’n’B from Scotland.

VOODOOS SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from Glasgow.

ALEXIS FFRENCH THE QUEEN’S HALL, 7PM–10PM

Classical soul from the UK. FORGETTING THE FUTURE SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from Thurso.

JORDAN PHILLIPS (URSULA JANE) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Indie folk.

Fri 15 Dec NAPPY NINA SUMMERHALL, 7PM–10PM

Hip-hop from Brooklyn.

SCARS (TAM DEAN BURN) LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Punk from Scotland.

RUTS DC THE MASH HOUSE, 7PM–10PM

Punk from the UK. EH52’S SNEAKY PETE’S, 7PM–10PM

Indie rock from West Lothian.

GRINCHMAS DANCE PARTY (LOVE WORLD ORDER + THE BLUES MOTHERS) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Disco, funk and blues.

Sat 16 Dec THE UNTHANKS USHER HALL, 7PM–10PM

Folk from the UK. ROACHFORD

BAD MANNERS

BLACKHALL RECORDS SHOWCASE (DICTATOR + MIDNIGHT AMBULANCE)

LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

THE CAVES, 7PM–10PM

UME (BLEAKS + KNIVES CHAU FAN CLUB)

Eclectic lineup.

THE MARY WALLOPERS THE LIQUID ROOM, 7PM–10PM

Folk from Ireland.

CHINA CRISIS THE QUEEN’S HALL, 6:30PM–10PM

Synth pop from the UK. PINLIGHT (DARA DUBH + AINO ELINA) WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

Ska from the UK.

Dundee Music Sat 02 Dec

CHURCH, 7PM–10PM

Punk rock from Texas.

Thu 07 Dec RUVELLAS + KNACKERED + THE TRIPLE A'S + TRANSLATION + THE NAEBODY'S CHURCH, 7PM–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

Alt pop.

Sat 09 Dec

Mon 18 Dec

CHURCH, 7PM–10PM

BURNING BRIDGES (FUKTIVANO + CHRIS NORRIS) BANNERMANS, 7:30PM–10PM

Rock from Canada.

Wed 20 Dec BLUE CHRISTMAS WITH JED POTTS LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Blues.

Thu 21 Dec GINGER WILDHEART BANNERMANS, 7:30PM–10PM

STEVE MASON Singer-songwriter from Scotland.

Thu 14 Dec THE MARY WALLOPERS DUCK SLATTERY’S, 7PM–10PM

Folk from Ireland.

Fri 15 Dec TALISK BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 7:30PM–10PM

Neo-trad from Scotland.

Sun 17 Dec CALLUM BEATTIE

Rock from the UK. FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS

DUCK SLATTERY’S, 7PM–10PM

LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Sat 23 Dec

Hip-hop from the US.

Fri 22 Dec THE EXPLOITED (FACE UP! + CRITIKILL)

Rock from Scotland.

SPARE SNARE BEAT GENERATOR LIVE!, 8PM–10PM

Indie rock from Dundee.

Glasgow Clubs

THE LIQUID ROOM, 7PM–10PM

LA BELLE ANGELE, 7PM–10PM

Fri 01 Dec

Soul from the UK. LOST MAP PRESENTS HUMBUG!

Punk rock from Scotland.

SWG3, 11PM–3AM

Sat 23 Dec

SUMMERHALL, 13:30–10PM

Eclectic lineup.

JOSHUA GRANT THE MASH HOUSE, 7PM–10PM

THE STUMBLE THE CAVES, 7PM–10PM

SWG3, 11PM–3AM

Hard dance.

SUBCITY RADIO

Fri 29 Dec

THE FLYING DUCK, 11PM–3AM

SKERRYVORE O2 ACADEMY EDINBURGH, 7PM–10PM

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 7PM–10PM

Sat 30 Dec

Rock from Scotland.

BARON NONESUTCH

THE LIQUID ROOM, 7PM–10PM

Alternative.

Pop. DKEN

Blues from Scotland.

Singer-songwriter from Edinburgh.

CALLUM BEATTIE

WEE RED BAR, 7PM–10PM

SWIFTOGEDDON

Trad from Scotland.

BIG COUNTRY Rock from Fife.

Club and dance.

LEZURE 070: LUKAS WIGFLEX + SLOAN + DENNIS ROSWELL LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

Techno and bass.

Glasgow City Guide

Heavy metal ceilidh.

THE QUEEN’S HALL, 7PM–10PM

Thu 14 Dec

Sun 17 Dec

LISTINGS

EVE SIMPSON

63

LISTINGS

JAIVA ( JAMZ SUPERNOVA + JOSHUA DUBE + BUTHOTHEWARRIOR)

Sun 10 Dec

Sat 23 Dec

Wed 06 Dec

TMP 2023: THE FINALE

HAPTIC

SUB CLUB, 11PM–4AM

KEEP ON WITH OOFT! & DAVID BARBAROSSA LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

Techno and afrobeats.

MISSING PERSONS CLUB // 11TH BIRTHDAY House and techno.

Sat 02 Dec

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

EZUP IS 10 LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

Thu 14 Dec

House and techno.

FLIPSIDE

Sun 03 Dec

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

KEEP ON (MARK O’RONI)

Bass and garage.

LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

Fri 15 Dec

Italo Disco.

SWG3, 11PM–3AM

Thu 07 Dec CLUB SEROTONE & HOLD ON TIGHT! PRESENTS: EVA + FEMME DM

SIKOTI Hard techno.

SENSU (TRAUMER + JUNIOR) SUB CLUB, 11PM–4AM

House and techno.

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 11PM–3AM

Sat 16 Dec

Techno and tech house.

SWG3, 11PM–3AM

Fri 08 Dec SOLARDO SWG3, 11PM–3AM

House.

ILEX: LENA WILLIKENS + SOFAY + RIBEKA LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

Sat 09 Dec HITS DIFFERENT: THE NEW WAVE OF POP SWG3, 11PM–3AM

Pop. MISFITS INDOOR FESTIVAL SWG3, 9PM–3AM

House and techno.

CHISPA (HEDO HYDR8) THE FLYING DUCK, 11PM–3AM

Bass from Copenhagen.

COOKING WITH PALMS TRAX LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

LOOSE JOINTS: SPRAY + EOIN DJ + NURSE

THE SKINNY

Tue 12 Dec RARE CLUB WITH TIBASKO: THE LADY GODIVA TOUR

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 11PM–3AM

64

Disco and balearic.

THE BERKELEY SUITE, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

VLURE AFTERPARTY House and dance.

LA CHEETAH PRESENTS: ILIAN TAPE + SKEE MASK + ZENKER BROTHERS LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

Techno and house.

SHOOT YOUR SHOT: ANGEL D’LITE THE BERKELEY SUITE, 11PM–3AM

Techno and disco.

DECEMBER DANSE MACABRE (DJ CATNIP) BONJOUR, 11PM–3AM

KEEP ON WITH DOMENIC CAPPELLO LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

House and disco.

Fri 22 Dec 6EJOU SWG3, 11PM–3AM

Underground and techno.

ARIELLE FREE SWG3, 10PM–3AM

Club and dance.

D.O.D SWG3, 11PM–3AM

House and dance.

OUTER ZONE: SURGEON + WARDY + DOM D’SYLVA LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

House.

SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

SWG3, 8PM–3AM

SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

Techno.

UK Garage.

Bass from Paris.

Tue 26 Dec

Fri 08 Dec

Fri 15 Dec

COLOURSFEST WINTER PARTY

K-POP PARTY

SWG3, 8PM–3AM

House and dance.

Wed 27 Dec A.D.S.R PRESENTS LESSER OF LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–3AM

Breakbeat and techno.

MISSING PERSONS CLUB // XMAS PARTY THE BERKELEY SUITE, 11PM–3AM

LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

K-pop.

PARABELLVM XVI W / DUELLIST, DV60, SHAUN RESIST AND RESIDENTS THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–3AM

Techno and experimental.

MISS WORLD SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

Bass.

MIGHTY OAK

Fri 29 Dec

WEE RED BAR, 11PM–3AM

ANIMAL FARM 19TH BIRTHDAY (BLAWAN + QUAIL + AISHA + DNZ + LAZLO) SUB CLUB, 11PM–4AM

Techno.

THE HAMMER HITS THE BERKELEY SUITE, 11PM–3AM

Reggae and dub.

Sat 09 Dec NSA DAY CULTURE THE BONGO CLUB, 16:00–3AM

Techno.

REGGAETON PARTY

House and disco.

LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

Sun 31 Dec

Reggaeton.

CLUB NACHT

NEW YEAR’S EVE SWG3, 9PM–5AM

House and techno.

FLYING DUCK HOGMANAY PARTY THE FLYING DUCK, 10PM–4AM

Big fucking party.

NYE 2023 (DJRUM + DETROIT IN EFFECT + NIGHTWAVE) LA CHEETAH CLUB, 11PM–5AM

House and techno.

Italo disco.

Sun 17 Dec

RED ROOM SOUND: SIMO CELL

Edinburgh Clubs Fri 01 Dec SO FETCH: 2000S XMAS PARTY LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–3AM

Electronica.

HAND-MADE

BY DEKMANTEL SOUNDSYSTEM SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

House from Amsterdam.

ASCENSION WEE RED BAR, 11PM–3AM

Goth and industrial.

Mon 11 Dec STAND B-SIDE DIXON AVENUE BASEMENT JAMS SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

Wed 13 Dec

Pop.

TIBASKO: LADY GODIVA TOUR

Sat 02 Dec

SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

SAMEDIA SHEBEEN THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–3AM

Tropical beats.

EHFM SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

House and techno.

COMPRESSION WEE RED BAR, 11PM–3AM

Trance and hard house.

House from London.

Thu 14 Dec SWIFTOGEDDON

SAVED BY THE 90’S CHRISTMAS EDITION LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

90s pop.

EDINBURGH DISCO LOVERS SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

Disco.

Sat 16 Dec DECADE LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

Pop and punk.

EPIKA THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–3AM

Electronica.

THE MIRROR DANCE: JOE DELON & SOFIE K SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–3AM

House from Lisbon.

Mon 18 Dec MILE HIGH CLUB SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

UK techno.

Wed 20 Dec MEMBRANE SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

UK techno.

Thu 21 Dec AGORA SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

UK techno.

Fri 22 Dec MEANWHILE SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

House.

Sat 23 Dec TONTO TECHNO | XX13 | PARFAIT LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

Techno and dance.

ATHENS OF THE NORTH DISCO CLUB SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

Disco.

LA BELLE ANGELE, 11PM–3AM

Wed 27 Dec

Pop. CIRCLE 14 WITH KAIROGEN

SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–3AM

Techno.

OVERGROUND Rave.

AMPLIFY PRESENTS ARMAN JOHN LA BELLE ANGELE, 10PM–5AM

Trance and techno.

CRAIGIE KNOWES SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

Electro.

Fri 29 Dec DILF EDINBURGH : FESTIVE BASH! LA BELLE ANGELE, 10PM–5AM

Pop. TELFORT’S GOOD PLACE WITH MOVE D SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

House from Germany.

Sat 30 Dec PULSE: BLAWAN THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–5AM

Techno.

4TH DIMENSION TRANCE AND HARD HOUSE PRESENTS SOUND PULSATION THE MASH HOUSE, 11PM–5AM

Trance and house.

Sun 31 Dec NIGHT TUBE HOGMANAY: BIG MIZ CABARET VOLTAIRE, 11PM–3AM

Garage and tech house.

OFF THE STREET NEW YEAR PARTY THE BONGO CLUB, 9PM–3AM

Soul and funk.

SAMEDIA HOGMANAY TROPICAL SOUNDCLASH - NYE PARTY! WITH TOM SPIRALS | SAMEDIA SHEBEEN | RAZ & ALFA LA BELLE ANGELE, 10PM–5AM

House and afrobeat.

HEADSET NYE: 4 ROOMS THE MASH HOUSE, 9PM–5AM

House.

POSTAL NEW YEAR SNEAKY PETE’S, 11PM–5AM

Bass.

Dundee Clubs Fri 01 Dec KOLEKTIV & FLOOR ABOVE PRESENT: TOMMY HOLOHAN KINGS, 11PM–3AM

Trance and techno.

Sat 02 Dec DICKY TRISCO + MR DORIS KINGS, 11PM–3AM

Disco and electronica.

Fri 08 Dec TECHNODROME ‘REVERSE BASS’ KINGS, 11PM–3AM

Techno and industrial.

Sat 09 Dec BEN GOMORI + DEE BOOGS KINGS, 11PM–3AM

House, acid and garage.

Fri 15 Dec FELT KINGS, 11PM–3AM

Indie and motown.

The King’s Theatre ELF 14-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

Gear up to the festive season with this take on the classic film.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 2 DEC-7 JAN 24, TIMES VARY

Classic panto magic starring Elaine C Smith and Johnny Mac. 2:22 A GHOST STORY 21-25 NOV, 7:30PM – 10PM

A supernatural thriller that took the West End by storm.

Theatre Royal PRETTY WOMAN THE MUSICAL 14-25 NOV, TIMES VARY

The iconic Julia Roberts romcom takes to the stage.

ROSS NOBLE: JIBBER JABBER JAMBOREE 26 NOV, 8PM – 10PM

Glasgow Theatre Oran Mor A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: FLEG 13-18 NOV, 1PM – 2PM

A new dark comedy by Meghan Tyler exploring the romanticised notion of the union, and how extreme that loyalty can become.

A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT: THE GUNS OF JOHNNY DIABLO 20-25 NOV, 1PM – 2PM

A new hilarious farce by Philip Differ about blazing bullets, oversized egos and actors behaving like arses during a radio recording.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN MAWS 28 NOV-30 DEC, TIMES VARY

Another subversive take on panto by Johnny McKnight.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland INTO THE WOODS 5-8 DEC, 7PM – 9PM

9-31 DEC, TIMES VARY

An intermittently gender-swapped take on the Prokofiev classic.

Tron Theatre AGANEZA SCROOGE 29 NOV-7 JAN 24, TIMES VARY

Another Johnny McKnight panto turns the story of A Christmas Carol on its head.

Edinburgh Theatre Festival Theatre THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN

A VERY CRYPTO CHRISTMAS

TORTOISE IN A NUTSHELL: GINGER

Part seminar, part karaoke, this piece of anarchic absurdist theatre is an excellent festive antidote.

6-16 DEC, TIMES VARY

The Edinburgh Playhouse

SEC

WICKED 7 DEC-14 JAN 24, TIMES VARY

Learn the real story behind the Wicked Witch of the West in this Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical.

DISNEY’S ALADDIN 9-18 NOV, TIMES VARY

Discover a whole new world with this magical reinterpretation of the Disney classic.

Traverse Theatre MARK THOMAS: ENGLAND & SON 5-9 DEC, 8PM – 9:30PM

A blistering examination of class and empire told through a one-man play written especially for political comedian Mark Thomas.

JAMES ROWLAND: LEARNING TO FLY 17-18 NOV, 8PM – 10PM

Master storyteller returns with a tale of unexpected friendship.

PLAY PRETEND 24-25 NOV, 8PM – 10PM

A rehearsal for a new play turns into an exploration of how historical narratives are told and reclaimed.

SAME TEAM: A STREET SOCCER STORY

22 DEC-14 JAN 2024

Europe’s largest indoor funfair returns.

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall RSNO CHILDREN’S CLASSIC CONCERTS: THE ELF GAMES 9 DEC, TIMES VARY

Scotland’s national orchestra transform into industrious elves in this Christmas classic.

Edinburgh Kids

Usher Hall

RSNO CHILDREN’S CLASSIC CONCERTS: THE ELF GAMES 3 DEC, 3:30PM

Scotland’s national orchestra transform into industrious elves in this Christmas classic.

Edinburgh Castle

CASTLE OF LIGHT: MAGIC AND MYSTERY 24 NOV-3 JAN 2024

Over a series of long weekends, Edinburgh’s castle lights up with magical projections.

The Studio

Five women come together to win the Homeless World Cup in this uplifting tale of community and teamwork.

Grab your glitter and horns and get ready for this festive boogie-along.

Dundee Rep

A festive magical adventure taking place in a frozen world.

IRN-BRU CARNIVAL

UNICORN CHRISTMAS PARTY

The Festival Theatre’s Christmas pantomine heads to Neverland.

23 NOV-31 DEC, TIMES VARY

Gingerbread antics abound in this performance and cookie-making extravaganza.

8-23 DEC, TIMES VARY

Dundee Theatre

THE SNOW QUEEN

Tramway

2 DEC, 7:30PM – 9:30PM

25 NOV-31 DEC, TIMES VARY

Royal Lyceum Theatre

Glasgow Kids

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 25 NOV-30 DEC, TIMES VARY

Dundee Rep return with their critically acclaimed staging of the Dickens classic.

8-24 DEC, TIMES VARY

St Andrew’s Square EDINBURGH’S CHRISTMAS SANTA GROTTO 18 NOV-24 DEC

Meet the big man himself.

Royal Botanic Garden

CHRISTMAS AT THE BOTANICS 16 NOV-30 DEC

A magical light trail through the gardens.

Glasgow City Guide

An epic fairytale adventure given the Sondheim treatment.

Ross Noble’s tour history is officially drinking age (almost) everywhere as he embarks on the 21st tour of his career.

SCOTTISH BALLET: CINDERS!

Summerhall

LISTINGS

Thu 28 Dec

65

Turn to page 4 for the solutions

CROSSWORD

1 2 3 5

4 6

9

12

7

8

10

11

13

14

15

16

17

18 19 20

21

22

25

23

24

26

27

28

Compiled by George Sully

ACROSS

2. Family (3) 5. Present (4) 7.

Loft (5)

8. Yearn – tree (4)

THE SKINNY

9. Kinds – writes (5)

66

DOWN 1.

Liable to be smooched underneath it (9)

3. Make a coin – cold-spicy? (4) 4. Create woollens (4) 6. (Re)fill e.g. a drink (3-2)

11. Banquet (5)

8. Flat food delivery system (5)

13. "They're behind you!", "Oh no they didn't!" etc (9)

10. Group karaoke – gals on gin (anag) (9) 11. Silly – trifling (9)

17. Trims cash (anag) (9)

12. E.g. Nicholas, Andrew, Mungo (5)

18. Buyers (9)

14. Pacifier – decoy (5)

20. Innocent – o, whom else? (anag) (9)

15. Timid (3)

22. Throw – affair (5)

16. Attempt (3)

23. Honk-shoo (5)

19. Beneficiary – nice tripe (anag) (9)

25. Blackthorn – can be made into gin (4)

20. The kind of 17 Across Bing Crosby was dreaming of (5)

26. Quick – Taylor? (5) 27. Siri (anag) (4) 28. Whichever (3)

21.

,

(5)

22. Autumn across the pond (4) 24. Leave (4)