Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2025 review: First Footin'

First Footin’, various venues, Edinburgh ★★★★

Even as little as a decade ago, Edinburgh on New Year’s Day felt like a place of recovery – somewhere to take a quiet walk, try and find one of the few open pubs or perhaps test your morning after stomach on the fairground rides at Edinburgh’s Christmas.

Tinderbox Orchestra | Contributed

Now, New Year’s Day in Edinburgh feels like a destination holiday in its own right, a day busy with crowds looking for tourist attractions, packing out bars and restaurants, and hunting down free live music gems scattered around the city centre as part of the multi-venue First Footin’ event. With 37 listed artists playing in 16 venues, not counting the separate Muckle Be the Light event in Portobello, it was impossible to see everything, so the choice was either to settle in for two or three artists, or – as I did – race around and catch as much as possible.

First, then, to the Rainy Hall at the New College on the Mound, where guitarist Sean Shibe and Lau violinist Aidan O’Rourke played excerpts of their new joint project Lúban, which brings their respective classical and folk styles together. These shared instrumentals were virtuosic and perfectly soothing for the day after the night afore, but they were neither twee nor predictable. In fact, the final piece of their second set took inspiration from John Cage, the least trad of possible influences.

At the Fruitmarket Gallery’s Warehouse space, meanwhile, came a very opposite experience, as Edinburgh electronic producer Neil Landstrumm played live sets of pleasingly dark and crunchy techno amid the sculptures of Jamie Cooper’s Levelling Up exhibition. The latter works feature the logo of a popular running brand repurposed into sets of eyes, a playful critique of the ubiquity of corporate branding in our lives, and Landstrumm’s music perfectly complemented their fantasy cityscape.

READ MORE: Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2025 review: The Concert in the Gardens

First Footin’s definitive venue over the years has been St Giles’ Cathedral on the Royal Mile, and while its vaulted devotional space would have been perfect for singer-songwriters like Rachel Sermanni and Kathryn Joseph, the event’s headlining curators Tinderbox Orchestra brought a new and unusual energy. The large group stood and danced as they played, blending brassy sounds with elements of funk, jazz, rap and indie songwriting, for a noise which echoed around the space.

Valtos | Cameron Brisbane

Likely the most in-demand set of the day was young Scots folk stars Valtos at Greyfriars Kirk. Playing trad instruments, but knowing the benefit of a warmly modern sustained synthesiser bed, their rousing Gaelic club/ceilidh hybrid was added to by the presence of three guest Basque vocalists – Mikel Urdangarin, Olaia Intzirate and Maren – who the Skye band have recently shared a residency exchange with.

READ MORE: Arts Preview 2026: The year ahead in pop

The Cold Town House bar on the Grassmarket played host to Johnny ‘Pictish Trail’ Lynch’s solo acoustic unveiling of some of his forthcoming Life’s Line album, as well as inventive acoustic takes on usually well-orchestrated songs like Dead Connection. A natural comedic presence, his music and voice are stark and affecting, and make you wonder why his quirky brilliance hasn’t yet made him a big star.

Finally, there was just time to see the end of Alice Faye’s cocktail bar jazz vocal set at Copper Blossom on George Street, and it was the perfect end to a fine day – just one great artist among many, yet one with boundless talent and one of the finest voices in the country. No wonder people wanted to get out of the house and experience the riches on offer.

The Scotsman’s arts newsletter is now sent twice a week - subscribe today

Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp channel here.