First Footin’

New for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2022, First Footin’ presents an afternoon of FREE live music and performance taking place in various city centre attractions, pubs and venues across both Old & New Town areas.

Audiences can explore the city, discovering (and rediscovering) some of Edinburgh’s incredible venues, landmark attractions and independent pubs, enjoying Hogmanay traditions of friendship, food and drink, along with live music performances from a feast of artists from across Scotland.

See below for full artist programme and venue locations:

CALLUM BEATTIE with CONNOR FYFE & DENNIS KENNEDY

COLD TOWN HOUSE
4 Grassmarket, EH1 2JU

Edinburgh’s Callum Beattie has had a whirlwind career. His debut album ‘People Like Us’ was an astonishing breakout success on its release, hitting the top spot on the Scottish Album Charts, #7 in The Official UK Album Sales Chart and listed as BBC Radio 2’s ‘Album Of The Week.’ He has had seven BBC Radio 2 playlist singles under his belt, including ‘Salamander Street,’ which landed on BBC Radio 2 B-List for four consecutive weeks with over 13,000 radio plays.

Callum has also built huge radio support across Scotland, including an incredible 6 months play listed on Bauer’s Hits Radio Scotland network for his single ‘Salamander Street,’ which due to its popularity with listeners continues to receive plays. He has seen recent singles championed by BBC Radio Scotland and at wider radio has achieved adds on the likes of BBC Local Network, Bauer’s Wave 105 & Downtown Radio, Nation Broadcasting, Virgin Radio Chilled, Q Radio network, Time 1075, ‘The Beat’ (BBC Nottingham) and Amazing Radio to name a few.

“I can’t wait to play in Edinburgh.  We’ve had no shows there all year, and it’s just such an honour to be back in my home city. Myself and the band are all buzzing.”

CONNOR FYFE

COLD TOWN HOUSE
4 Grassmarket, EH1 2JU

A regular, not just in Scotland’s music scene but the whole of the UK, he has toured extensively throughout, including a big slot at TRNSMT last year.  Definitely one to watch for 2023.

SWIM SCHOOL

VIRGIN HOTEL – GREYFRIARS HALL access via Cowgate
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

SWIM SCHOOL are one of Scotland’s most exciting emerging new bands. Their recent single Kill You has been played frequently on BBC Radio 1 and was BBC Scotland’s track of the week. Look out for them on festival stages across the UK this summer.

“We are so excited to be playing Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, First Footin’. We always love playing in our home town and this is the perfect way to start a busy year for Swim School.”

STINA MARIE CLAIRE HONEYBLOOD Solo

VIRGIN HOTEL – GREYFRIARS HALL access via Cowgate
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

Stina Marie Claire is the newest solo moniker for the critically acclaimed indie-rock songwriter, Honeyblood. Heavily championed by press and radio alike, Stina has released three critically acclaimed albums – each Nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – and has long-time fans in BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, Q and The Guardian to name but a few. In 2021 she released a 4-track EP presenting an intimate, vulnerable and tender snapshot of her life.

DEAD PONY

VIRGIN HOTEL – GREYFRIARS HALL access via Cowgate
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

It’s hard to compare a band who don’t really sound like anyone else, but think Queens of the Stone Age, Bikini Kill, The Prodigy and Wolf Alice hurtling around in a blender and becoming something totally new. There you will find Glasgow’s Dead Pony. Their sonic aggression is matched only by a no-nonsense attitude and infectious battle ready choruses which has seen them captivate listeners on BBC Radio 1 as well as crowds at the likes of Glastonbury and tours with Twin Atlantic, Lauran Hibberd, The Maine and The Mysterines.

BERTA KENNEDY

VIRGIN HOTEL – GREYFRIARS HALL access via Cowgate
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

BERTA KENNEDY is a Producer/Singer-Songwriter from Greenock, recently signed with Enough Records and is the winner of the 2022 Sound of Young Scotland Award alongside SAY winner Fergus McCreadie.  Her most recent self-produced single was selected as track of the week on BBC Radio Scotland whom also invited her to perform live on radio and nominated Berta for BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year 2022.

Berta take’s influence from 90/00’s hip-hop/R’n’B and contemporary alt-rock and pop  and experiments with homemade pop production blending British boldness with American alt-pop aesthetic.

SIOBHAN WILSON

EVE AT VIRGIN HOTEL
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

Wilson’s work is incisively written and boldly unorthodox. Her indie-pop and acoustic-noir songs are influenced by classical training and Parisian chanson. Her live shows showcase an exceptional, ethereal voice. They are captivating and emotional experiences that reveal a unique and compelling artist.  Siobhan’s music has drawn attention from the likes of BBC6 Radio Lauren Laverne who listed her ‘album of the day’, and (NPR USA.)

“Her voice, sylphlike and airy” (Rolling Stone)

“If you’re a fan of Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and London Grammar then you’ll love this Glasgow artist.” The Scottish Sun”

BILLY GOT WAVES

EVE AT VIRGIN HOTEL
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

Edinburgh-born rapper, producer and previous SAMA nominee Billy Got Waves has cemented himself as one of the most exciting artists working within Scotland’s rap scene in recent years with his 2018 mixtape “Kill Billy”, 2019 EP “Wish You Well” and now his long-anticipated 2022 release of three-part album “Rocket Boy” – a raw and insightful linear story about his past over a range of tones and moods often with hazy ethereal and futuristic production at their core, this accompanied by Billy’s live band modifying the original songs with live elements creates something fresh and unique for the ears.

ANNIE BOOTH

EVE AT VIRGIN HOTEL
1 India Buildings, Victoria Street, EH1 2EX

Annie Booth is an Edinburgh-based artist with a gift for mood-painting and storytelling. A seasoned modern folk singer, performer and songwriter, she holds a unique voice in Scotland, bridging genre and influence.

Featured by Guy Garvey (Elbow), Gideon Coe (BBC Radio 6 Music), BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio. Longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Awards (2022) and nominated for a Scottish Alternative Music Award (2019.)

WITHERED HAND Solo-Acoustic

GREYFRIARS KIRK
26a Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QQ

Withered Hand is the creative output of Edinburgh-based musician Dan Willson.  A cult figure in the Scottish music scene since 2009, Dan has released two widely acclaimed albums, New Gods (2014) and Good News (2009) and several lo-fi EPs and has toured extensively, both solo and with his band, and with the likes of King Creosote, Kris Drever, James Yorkston, Scott Hutchison/Frightened Rabbit.

A third Withered Hand album was recorded in 2022 and is set for release via Reveal Records in early 2023.

“Killer melodies … wobbly folk grooves … tunes full of warm, woozy sing-song charm”– Artist to Watch – Rolling Stone

“Beautifully constructed lyrical frameworks … on this banjo-tinged brand of Caledonian gospel”– MOJO

KATIE GREGSON-MACLEOD

GREYFRIARS KIRK
26a Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QQ

Hailing from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands and until recently working in a coffee shop, Katie’s candid songwriting and stunning vocal abilities have quickly captured a global audience. The songs written for piano EP follows the independently released single ‘Second Single Bed’ and Katie’s 2021 debut 5 track EP Games I Play, which received support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Music Introducing and BBC Scotland, with Vic Galloway naming her one of BBC Scotland’s 25 Artists to Watch in 2022.

Prior to the release of ‘complex (demo)’ in August, the song quickly became a viral TikTok phenomenon, inspiring cover versions from the likes of Camila Cabello, King Princess, Madison Beer, Tom Walker and more, with The New York Times stating that “in just a couple days, ‘complex’ became a trigger for what felt like a global group hug”. It was named Tune of the Week by Jack Saunders on his BBC Radio 1 Future Artists show, and the Greg Kurstin produced follow up named BBC Introducing Track of the Week.

ROSEANNE REID

GREYFRIARS KIRK
26a Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QQ

When they draw the map of authentic Americana, historians may not previously have thought of using marker pins for the cities of Leith, Edinburgh and Dundee. Now they’ll have to, to record the rapid rise of Roseanne Reid. Following a couple of acclaimed EP releases, Trails — the debut album by the Scottish troubadour and eldest daughter of The Proclaimers’ Craig Reid — announces the official arrival of a singular new voice in folk-roots music.

Reid’s songs conjure more from less, exuding a quiet confidence and sparse authenticity that recalls some of the genre’s leading lights such as Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams, but with a tone that belongs to Roseanne and no one else.

AIITEE

GREYFRIARS KIRK
26a Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QQ

Originally from Nigeria and living between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, AiiTee’s style is a unique blend of Afrobeat, soul, gospel and R&B.  She was on this year’s Shortlist for the 2022 SAY Award with ‘Better Days’ She started releasing music at the start of 2020 and she released her debut EP “Love Don’t Fall” in the summer of 2020. She has featured on BBC introducing in Scotland, BBC introducing Asian Residency, and Amazing radio. She made her UK TV debut in April 2021 on ‘Tune’ on BBC Scotland called “Tune” and was on this year’s Shortlist for t he 2022 SAY Award with ‘Better Days’.