What's On Scotland 13-20 Dec: Christmas Parties

It's Christmas party central across Scotland this weekend, but nowhere has embraced the festivities more than Edinburgh's Summerhall.

404 Ink & Neu! Reekie! team up once again, this time for The Big Ten For Christmas tomorrow night. Music-wise, Honeyblood's Stina Tweeddale, Siobhan Wilson and CRYSTAL are all set to perform, with spoken word and readings from Helen McClory, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Chris McQueer and Margaret Atwood, with the latter beaming in live from Canada for a reading and Q&A. And the Christmas fun continues on Saturday at Kid Canaveral's Christmas Baubles IX. The annual party this year includes live music from The Spook School, Big Joanie and Happy Spendy, to name a few.

There's plenty of other fun to be had outside of the capital though. In Glasgow, community radio station Subcity Radio host their own Christmas shindig with Deck the Halls: A Subcity Radio Christmas at G-town institution Rubadub tomorrow. While, in Dundee tonight, Oh Hello Vintage host their OH HELLO Christmas Party, with festive treats and pop ups from some of Scotland’s best indie brands.

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Nile Rodgers & CHIC
SSE Hydro, Glasgow. 13 Dec, 6.30pm
With more hits than you can shake a disco ball at, Nile Rodgers & CHIC embark on a massive arena tour of the UK this month. Rodgers was recently appointed the Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Chief Creative Advisor for Abbey Road Studios; we’re not entirely sure what either entail, but they sound pretty important. Image: Iain Scott

MGMT
SWG3, Glasgow. 15 Dec, 7pm
It's hard to believe it's been 11 years since MGMT's Oracular Spectacular brought us such hits as Electric Feel, Time to Pretend and Kids, but the Connecticut duo finally returned earlier this year with their fourth album, Little Dark Age. If their reputation precedes them, this will surely be a night of indie-electro bangers and utter madness.

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The Pitt’s Christmas Market Extravaganza
The Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh. 15-16 Dec, 11am
Prepare your stomach for the mammoth food fest that is Christmas at The Pitt's Christmas Market Extravaganza this weekend, where there will be a festive edition of The Food + Flea Market until 7pm, as well as over 30 food and drink stalls all the way up until midnight, over two days. Eat, drink, be merry and maybe fit in some Christmas shopping while you’re at it, maybe. Image: Kat Hänninen

Festive Sconefest
Tasty Buns Bakery, Edinburgh. 14 Dec, 8.30am
If you haven’t been to one of Tasty Buns’ previous Sconefests, then you’ve sadly missed the likes of Sake-soaked hot smoked salmon, wasabi and seaweed scones, and buffalo blue cheese chicken scones – yep, that’s right. We expect Festive Sconefest to live up to the high standards of past events and are hoping for some Christmas-y flavours. Mulled wine scones anyone? Image: @futuredeadpoet

A Night of Jeff Goldblum
Flying Duck, Glasgow. 16 Dec, 4pm
Whether you sit on the creepy or cool side of the Jeff Goldblum fence, it’s impossible to deny his status as a cult icon. In honour of the man, the myth and the legend, the always brilliant Burnt Church Film Club bring you A Night of Jeff Goldblum, with movie screenings and even a quiz. Whatever your Sunday plans were, make them gold(blum).

Out at the Cameo Presents: Carol
Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh. 13 Dec, 6pm
A wonderful and welcome addition to the Christmas film canon is Carol, Todd Haynes' 2015 lesbian romance starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Screening as part of the Cameo's Out at the Cameo series of current and classic films, chosen by a team of young LGBTQ+ programmers, shedding a tear at this beautiful adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel The Price of Salt won't be hard.

Palidrone 005: Solid Blake b2b Mama Snake
The Mash House, Edinburgh. 15 Dec, 11pm
Solid Blake (pictured), the DJ and producer from Glasgow operating via Copenhagen, and Copenhagen native Mama Snake champion the Danish capital's 'fast techno' across two nights this weekend. On Friday night, they'll get the party started at Queen Street rave cave La Cheetah Club, before heading to Edinburgh on Saturday to do it all over again at The Mash House.

Return To Mono w/ SLAM + FJAAK
Sub Club, Glasgow. 14 Dec, 11pm
Off the back of releasing their new experimental album, Athenæum 101, Glasgow techno duo Slam get back in the DJ game this weekend, joining Return To Mono for their Christmas party at the one and only Subbie. Also joining in the festivities are Berlin-based trio FJAAK, who too recently released a new album, Havel, on their eponymous label.

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