Idles on parade at Ally Pally [Daniel Topete]

THERE’S something magical about the Union Chapel at Christmas and next month, the venue has put on a whole selection of festive events to choose from. Starting with one of the most popular events and the closest to Christmas, Carols by Candlelight (Dec 22), will set the stage for a packed congregation singing well-known Christmas carols while the nativity story will be told in spoken word, payer and music from Union Chapel Voices, Union Chapel singers and more, all amid the enchanting candlelit chapel. Six-time Grammy winner Jacob Collier will play a cosy, improvised solo show with audience choir participation (Dec 12); experience Christmas songs with a country twist as Jade Helliwell and Nashville’s Lars Pluto lead a cast of multi-award-winning musicians and singers for the Country Hits live Christmas Special (Dec 14); and, on Dec 15, world-renowned tenor Adrian Thompson joins baritone Jonathan Eyers, Eclectic Voices and Highbury Youth Choir for a night of Britten and Bach at Christmas.

• East London rapper Jimmy, a key member of Hackney 98s collective, brings his hard-hitting drill to The Old Blue Last on Nov 30.

• Enjoy one last raucous party before the chaos of December begins as Idles play two nights at Ally Pally on Nov 29-30 with support from Oxfordshire’s Willie J Healey. Then, head down to The Garage for an exclusive after show DJ set with support from Bruiser and special guest DJs playing a selection of post-punk and indie rock, to the unexpected electro, hyperpop and hip-hop.

• Can it really be 18 years since the cheesiest night in town, Club de Fromage was born? Setting up in Islington in the early days as “the worst club in Europe”, the wacky night’s festivities and people pleasing playlists has kept it going. Having evolved to now be an over-30s (ID required) daytime party at Scala, expect the same sing-along, balloons, hula, dance-offs and silly goings on, to a soundtrack of pop, rock, disco, indie and some dance tracks. Join the 18th birthday fun at Scala on Nov 30 from 3pm to 7pm and be home in time for dinner!

• On to another big birthday, grime mastermind Lethal Bizzle marks the 20th anniversary of his debut single Pow! with a talent-packed show at the Roundhouse on December 1. Support comes from Roll Deep, Flowdan, D Double E, Fumin, Ozzie B, Neeko, Forcer, Napper, Jamakabi and Hotshot, and DJ sets from Masterstepz and DJ Maximum, with more special guests.

• Collaborators and friends join a star-studded line-up including Josh Homme, Dave Gahan, Chrissie Hynde, Bobby Gillespie, Greg Dulli, Alison Mosshart, and Soulsavers as the house band, for a celebration of what would have been Mark Lanegan’s birthday at the site of his final London performance – the Roundhouse – on Dec 5.

• You know the drill when it comes to Massaoke – a live band, confetti, inflatables, pyrotechnics, big-screen lyrics and a mass full-crowd sing-along. Massaoke: Christmas live features the big Christmas faves so, if you haven’t had an overdose of them by December 6 or 20, head to Electric Ballroom.

• Bill Ryder-Jones’s Iechyd Da is The Social’s New Cue Album of the Year and, in honour of the accolade, Bill will be playing a special acoustic show on Dec 10 where he will be answering their Life & Times questionnaire live and taking audience requests. With just 100 tickets available, this is going to be one exclusive event.

• One for house aficionados; influential DJ David Morales brings his soulful vibes and Grammy-winning remixes to Jazz Café on Dec 6.

• Pick up an unusual Christmas gift at The Black Heart’s Winter Market on Dec 7.

• Yorkshire folk duo and authors of the theme tune to the BBC’s Gentleman Jack series Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow celebrate winter in all its forms with a collection of cold weather tunes and Christmas compositions at Cecil Sharp House on December 12.

More upcoming gigs

Nov 29: Stone Foundation, Koko; Fania Records, 229;

Nov 29: Moodymann (extended set), Jazz Cafe; Newton Faulkner, Islington Assembly Hall; King Creosote + Emily Barker, Union Chapel;

Nov 30: Hard-Fi + The Velvet Hands, Roundhouse; Buzzcocks, 100 Club; William The Conqueror, The Garage; Konkolo Orchestra + Chisara, Jazz Cafe; horsegiirL, HERE @ Outernet; Big Special, The Forum; Vishwa Mohan Bhatt + Desert Slide, Barbican Hall;

Dec 1: Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason, Koko; 42Percent Noir, Green Note; David Fonseca, Jazz Cafe; Dec 2: Sylvie Kreusch, The Lexington;

Dec 3: Ginger Root, Koko; Ida Mae, Green Note;

Dec 4: Eddie 9V, The Black Heart; Goblin Band + Craven, Cecil Sharp House; Gun: The Hombres Tour, Scala; Philip Sayce + Troy Redfern, Islington Assembly Hall;

Dec 5: The Bluebells + DJ Gary Crowley, 229; Thea Gilmore, The Union Chapel; The Rattlebacks, The Black Heart; The Sheepdogs,  Islington Assembly Hall; Azymuth, Islington Academy; Dur Dur Band, Barbican;

Dec 6: Space, Islington Academy; Digable Planets, Koko; Aidan O’Rourke & Sean Shibe, Kings Place; Cherie Currie of The Runaways, Dingwalls; The House of Love + The Primitives, 229;

Dec 7: Crawlers, The Dome; Dec 7: The Orb + Ozric Tentacles, The Forum; Electric Six + Vanity Fairy, Islington Academy;

Dec 8: Festive Gathering, Cecil Sharp House; The Herbaliser Band, 229; The Vapors + Sweet Unrest, Dingwalls; Gao The Arsonist, Camden Assembly; Attila The Stockbroker Barnstormer 30th Anniversary + Robin Ince + Martin Newell. The Dublin Castle; Boris Grebenshikov, Lafayette; Sundara Karma – farewell shows, The Forum;

Dec 9: Aqualung, Islington Assembly Hall; Ayo, Jazz Cafe; Brad Cox, Camden Assembly;

Dec 10: Lola Young, The Forum; Niko B, Scala; Panda Bear, The Lexington;

Dec 10-12: TV On The Radio, Islington Assembly Hall; Dec 10-15: Carlos Acosta’s Nutcracker in Havana;

Dec 11: Dylan John Thomas, Scala; King Promise, Here @ Outernet; Apollo Brown & friends, Jazz Cafe; Samuel Ashton & The Instincts + Chaïni, The Camden Club; Sylvie Kreusch, The Lexington;

Dec 12: The Lovely Eggs, 100 Club; White City Vultures + Tricky Susan + Carousel + Lee Michael Stevens + DJs, The Dublin Castle; The Camden Club Festive Party ft The Mighty Heartache + Babs Savage + The Dave Stark Five + Steve Morano, The Camden Club.