Franz Ferdinand to lead Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations

Edinburgh's Hogmanay has made its first programme announcement for 2018 with the news that Scottish indie legends Franz Ferdinand will headline this year's New Year party.

Ably supported by Metronomy and Free Love, Franz Ferdinand will top the bill at the Concert in the Gardens, Edinburgh's Hogmanay's showpiece event taking place on 31 December. 

Having famously missed out on performing as support for Erasure due to bad weather in 2003/04, this will be Franz Ferdinand's first appearance at Edinburgh's Hogmanay, and lead singer Alex Kapranos said:

Hogmanay is the greatest party of the year and there is nowhere in the world like Scotland to celebrate it. Just thinking about bringing in the bells in Edinburgh gets me excited. It’s going to be some night!

With new album Always Ascending gathering widespread plaudits and nominated for the 2018 Scottish Album of the Year award, and a back catalogue of some of the most infectious anthems of recent times, the band are sure to leave revellers thrilled as the old year becomes the new.

And to get the crowd jumping beforehand, great support comes in the form of English quartet Metronomy (above, left) and Scottish dance-pop due Free Love (above, right).

Metronomy's blend of funk, electro and rock has earned them a loyal fanbase and they are regulars on the global festival scene. Their 2011 album The English Riviera was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, losing out to the legendary PJ Harvey.  

Free Love are Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook (formerly known as Happy Meals), who bring energy, chaos and sensuality to their live shows which have taken them across Europe as well as to the USA and Bangalore

Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said

We’re super excited with the line-up for the Concert in the Gardens at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. It’s going to quite a party! Franz Ferdinand has had a fantastic year with Always Ascending and, in this, their first appearance at Hogmanay, they’re our top choice to get the crowd going into the midnight moment! Great support too from top Scottish talent Free Love and dance-floor and festival favourites Metronomy. Edinburgh once more proves itself the best place to be for New Year!

The full 3-day programme for Edinburgh's Hogmanay is expected to be announced soon, and tickets for many events are already on sale, including:

• Torchlight Procession (30 Dec)
• Bairns Afore (31 Dec)
• Street Party (31 Dec)
• Ceilidh under the Castle (31 Dec)
• Candlelit Concert (31 Dec)
• Loony Dook (1 Jan)

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