A LIVE soundtrack by Mark Ronson will accompany fireworks at Edinburgh Castle as crowds welcome the start of 2020.

Ronson will perform the exclusive mix as the “midnight moment” is live-streamed across the world for the first time in the history of the famous Hogmanay event.

Marc Almond, Rudimental, Idlewild, Shooglenifty, The Snuts and The Ninth Wave will also keep revellers entertained as Edinburgh’s Hogmanay transforms the city centre into the world’s biggest New Year party. Love Island stars The Mac Twins will host the broadcast for the party’s entire five and a half hours, including the fireworks.

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A 19-strong team from Titanium Fireworks is spending five days setting up the eight-minute display after months of development and off-site preparation. It’s been a blast, says director Toby Alloway.

The National: Fireworks

“As someone who’s been a fan of Mark Ronson’s work for so any years, the thought of doing a show designed to his best tracks is a bit of a dream come true,” says Alloway, who worked on displays for the London 2012 and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The party remains a highlight for his international firm, he says.

“I’m always thinking of new ways to make it work every year, of making this centuries-old castle spring to life,” Alloway says. “Mark Ronson obviously has an incredible back catalogue, but there’s a difference between good music full stop and the sort of music that works for fireworks. It’s all about the interplay with the fireworks, about them working together.”

“If you’re going to have a live DJ doing a soundtrack to fireworks at midnight, to have Mark Ronson is pretty spectacular,” says Haitham Ridha, associate producer with Underbelly, who is running Edinburgh’s Hogmanay for the third time since being awarded the contract in 2017. Underbelly and the council have reassured residents they can still access homes within the area to be closed off for the party. No changes had been made to arrangements in previous years whereby residents were automatically entitled to six passes per property, they said, with a council spokesman urging those who wished additional passes to contact 0131 526 3797 or community@edinburghshogmanay.com.

December 31, Princes Street, Edinburgh, 7.30pm-1am, £30.50. Tel: 0131 510 0395.

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