Hogmanay double date for Paolo’s garden gigs

PAOLO Nutini fans who missed out on tickets to see him perform at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations will be relieved to hear a second concert will now be held.

In September, the Paisley singer was announced along with The Charlatans as the top acts for the Concert in the Gardens on December 31 as part of the capital’s New Year extravaganza.

But the concert sold out in a record three hours, with revellers around the world snapping up tickets to see Nutini make his only festival appearance of 2016.

Due to ‘overwhelming demand’, organisers have created a second gig for the first time in the festival’s history. The ‘Night Afore Concert with Paolo Nutini’ will take place in West Princes Street Gardens on December 30. Tickets go on sale on Friday for £65.

Reacting to the news, Nutini said he was ‘incredibly grateful’ for the support’. He added: ‘I’m up for it and I hope that we get to play to as many as we can that weekend. It will be a time to make some music, have a dance and celebrate a lot of the good that’s been done this year.’

Al Thomson, director of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said: ‘To have Paolo Nutini headline one show at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is an incredible achievement. To be adding a second show is just phenomenal for the festival, the city and most importantly for the thousands of fans who missed out on tickets for Concert in the Gardens on Hogmanay itself.’

About 75,000 people are expected to attend the celebrations in Edinburgh city centre, with entertainment across seven open-air stages. The event will be rounded off with the famous fireworks display from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle.