Have a wild New Year

Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble raises a glass to everything from the best folky pubs in Edinburgh to watching the Northern Lights with Iceland's party animals as he reveals some of his top Hogmanay hangouts.

EDINBURGH, HOGMANAY STREET PARTY

We've never played Hogmanay before, which is quite unusual considering we're a band that's been around for 12 years. So we're looking forward to doing it this year. We'll play our set, watch the fireworks and then go back to our hotel with friends and family of the band.

We're an Edinburgh band. It's the city where we met and around that time I spent three Hogmanays in Edinburgh from 1995. We all lived in a huge student house and basically got drunk, and most of us fell asleep before the bells. Most people who go to the street party aren't from the city so it's a real international party, which is what feels so great about it. And the fireworks are amazing.

Otherwise, I'd recommend Sandy Bell's pub on Forrest Road or The Royal Oak on Infirmary Street. Both are great folky pubs where there's always a session on and you're guaranteed a good time.

GLASGOW, PUB CRAWL

I live in Glasgow and all my friends are in the city, so it's the best place for me to spend Hogmanay. My advice is to avoid George Square and all the street party activities – not because I'm a Scrooge who doesn't like to see people enjoy themselves, but if you seek out people who know the city you'll find the good places. There are some great pubs, like the Lismore on Dumbarton Road, which always has good music and interesting people. If you're more into indie rock, head for Nice 'n' Sleazys on Sauchiehall Street and Mono on King Street.

M8, HARTHILL SERVICES

Last year I went to the ABC to see my wife's band Sons And Daughters, and it was really good. I'd never been to a gig at New Year before, and this year The Errors and Bis are playing. Actually, the year before last I went to see Sons And Daughters as well, but in Edinburgh. We drove home to Glasgow but didn't make it back in time for the bells. We ended up celebrating at the Harthill services.

LOCH NESS

I spent the millennium up in Loch Ness in Whitebridge, which is on the Clyde side of the loch, near where Aleister Crowley used to live. About six of us went up and spent the start of the Noughties sitting around a fire listening to records. In the Highlands there's no light pollution so when we went outside in the freezing cold we could see the firework displays in Inverness in the distance.

NEW YORK

In 2004-05 I spent Hogmanay in New York. I was living there at the time and my sister and a few friends from Scotland came over, thinking we were going to have a wild time. Unfortunately, I had eaten a sandwich that gave me food poisoning. I ended up violently ill and lay groaning in bed listening to people celebrating in the street outside. I felt really bad because everyone wanted to go out, but they decided to stay and sat in the living room with a bottle of champagne, watching television.

REYKJAVIK

If I could choose to be anywhere for Hogmanay it would be Iceland. I'd go with my wife and we'd watch the Northern Lights. It's such a great small city and the people are so friendly. I've only been once, years ago, but some places you just love and immediately feel at home in. Icelandic people are fairly wild too, so I'm sure you'd have a good time going to parties. But I'd like to go out of the city and see the Northern Lights. They're incredible. It's like watching nature's own firework display.

LONDON

I spent a New Year there once and it was rubbish. I was living in London at the time and though all my friends were in Scotland I decided it would be a good idea. There was a pub on the corner of the street I lived on in Holborn, but they charged us £15 to get in and we sat in this pub we thought we knew, but even the bar staff, who would talk to us the rest of the time, didn't say anything. Nothing happened at the bells, people just looked at their watches. Then we went home and one of my flatmates was sick on the Yellow Pages. I ended up at a party in a warehouse in east London with some of the Ozric Tentacles. I just thought, what am I doing here?

HEBRIDES, ISLE OF COLL, THE COLL HOTEL

This is my favourite place in Scotland. All the islands are like their own wee worlds. The pub in the Coll Hotel is great, and the people are brilliant. As far as I'm concerned it's the best pub in Scotland. The atmosphere is great and it's all about the people.

LAPLAND

I'd love a New Year where it was really snowing, so it would be good to go to Finland, hire a car and then drive up to Lapland. Without wanting to sound like an idealist, I'd love to spend Hogmanay in a log cabin covered in snow. Next year I'm going to get my cross-country skis and do it. I'd have silence at the bells, or maybe a bit of Bing Crosby and a glass of champagne.

SKYE, THE THREE CHIMNEYS

It was my mother's 60th in September and six of us went up to the Three Chimneys and stayed over. They have rooms now in the little croft buildings behind the restaurant. It's one of the best restaurants in the world. At Hogmanay it would be phenomenal to eat there and then stay overnight in these crofts. Then on New Year's Day you would get breakfast in the restaurant and go for a walk.

Idlewild play Edinburgh Hogmanay tomorrow night from 10pmwww.myspace.com/idlewild, www.edinburghshogmanay.org