Pet Shop Boys to headline Hogmanay celebrations

Pet Shop Boys are to headline Edinburgh's Hogmanay festivities this year, ahead of rising Scottish star Paolo Nutini.

The PSB's Neil Tennant commented: "It's great to be invited to play the party of the year in Edinburgh and we are really looking forward to putting on a memorable show."

The band's live album, Concrete, is out this week on Parlophone. Nutini, meanwhile, said that he was over the moon to be invited to play at the city's end-of-year celebrations.

"I'm over the moon to be asked to play at the Hogmanay festivities. It's a thrill to be playing at home on the most special night of the year. I hope that we can really pull out all the stops and make sure the crowd has a roaring good night."

Members of the crowd with fingers in their ears and scarfs over their eyes might just manage that during your set, Mr Nutini. Perhaps you should suggest such measures...