A Festive Clubbing Guide

The Dear Green Place sees its already busy club night calendar become positively rammed towards the end of December, with all manner of Christmas and New Year debauchery taking place across the city. In the seasonal spirit of goodwill, Chakra (11pm-3am, £7/£10) are donating all their proceeds to Yorkhill Children’s Hospital. Taking place at the Art School on 20 December the night spans three rooms and promises house, chilled and tribal sounds throughout the evening. Expect the Art School to be tarted up with decorations, a snow machine, Santa’s grotto, carol singers and lashings of mulled wine.

The boys at Pressure (10pm-4am, £20) host a Boxing Day Slam special for anyone who hasn’t stuffed themselves so full of trimmings that they are unable to move. Audio delights come in the form of Slam, Optimo, Fergie and Silicon Soul. Open until 4am so that everyone can ensure there isn’t a drop of sherry left behind the bar.

There isn’t a venue left empty on 31 December as every single club night you’ve ever attended puts on an end-of-year spectacular. Optimo (10pm-3am, £28) returns to the Old Fruitmarket again this year, guests have yet to be announced but when have they ever failed to deliver? Club Noir (10pm-4am) makes its New Year debut in the intimate surroundings of The Winchester Club, whilst the ABC (10pm, £12.50) showcases one of Glasgow’s best bands Dananananaykroyd, with support coming from We Were Promised Jetpacks.

Huntleys and Palmers (9pm-4am, £15) have an extremely promising line up in Stereo this New Year with guests Errors, Congregation, Ben Butler and Mousepad and, of course, David Barbarossa. The nucleus of the Glasgow music scene that is Nice ‘n’ Sleazy (9pm-3am, free before 11pm) have the Hot Club DJs spinning records at a free Hogmanay party, provided you get there before eleven. Down the road at The Admiral the Melting Pot (9pm-4am) regulars Simon Cordiner and Andrew Pirie play house, techno, funk and soul. Guests come in the form of Mark E, Deportivo Street Team, Johnny Whoop, Jamie Thomson and So Videl Castro. At Woodside Social Club the Superfly Hogmanay Party (10pm-3am) gets into full swing with a run down of fifty years of Motown. And in the West End Oran Mor (10.30pm-3am) invite guests to see in the New Year with live entertainment and music from DJ Bobby Bluebell.

Over in Edinburgh the street party seems to smother all other attempts at celebrating the dawn of 2009. Glasvegas, Attic Lights, Peatbog Faeries and Hot Chip are just some of the acts appearing over the four stages. The official street party afterparty takes place at Cabaret Voltaire with a wave of déjà vu as Hot Chip DJ with Ultragroove. Down in The Caves Departure Lounge (10pm-5am) throw an alternative Hogmanay hootenanny with guests Orkestra del Sol and Edinburgh Samba School.

Up north in Aberdeen, Deep End (11pm-3am) continues on Saturdays at Snafu with Funky Transport curating the night. At The Tunnels Euan Williamson, Calum Stuart and kidProquo DJ at Everything Else Sucks (11pm-3am).

In Dundee on 27 December The Reading Rooms has Back To Our Roots (8pm-3am), expect breakbeat sounds with Chad Jackson, Hometown HiFi and Pills, Thrills & Jaffa Cakes. On the same night London Nightclub opens its doors for White Xmas Glam Ball (10pm-3am, £10), expect some post-Christmas extra overindulgence with Judge Jules, Marcel Woods and Dogzilla.