Electro-disco trio Zkeletonz launch their debut albumn OUT! at The Camden Club

CELEBRATE Christmas Soca-style accompanied by a 16-piece live orchestra, by candlelight, with Motown vibes, to the sounds of a gospel choir, in the midst of an ancient folk wassail, wear your voices out in a mass singalong, the possibilities are endless – take your pick below.

And, if you want to avoid Christmas altogether, there’s the usual round-up – Babyshambles, Tom Hingley, a new supergroup featuring members of REM, QOTSA, Screaming Trees and more, Dublin Castle hosting two book clubs, a new vinyl bar and café in Islington, and plenty more…

• In some positive news for the vinyl revival, an Islington resident’s crowdfunding campaign is in its final days as he plans to open a new venue in Holloway Road this week. Rod “Spin Doctor” Gilmore, a promoter behind The Doctor’s Orders, plans to make One Eighty One, which is  kitted out with vintage Tannoy Cheviot speakers first used as studio monitors at Abbey Road, into a record shop and café by day and DJ bar for collectors, artists and residents by night. It opens to the public on Dec 12.

• Guitar-based electro-disco trio Zkeletonz have moved the launch party for their debut album OUT! to The Camden Club on Dec 12. The energetic outfit have recently released new single Shut Up (Don’t Talk About It) while second single Marmalade is out on Dec 12. Support from Seven Pound Halo + Away Fans.

• New supergroup Drink The Sea, which unites members and former members of REM, Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, play Jazz Café on Dec 17. The band, which is made up of REM’s Peter Buck, Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, Mad Season), Alain Johannes (Eleven, QOTSA), Duke Garwood (Mark Lanegan Band), percussionist Lisette Garcia, and bassist Abbey Blackwell, will play material from its two forthcoming debut albums, along with select classics from its respective members’ former bands.

• French producer/multi-instrumentalist Thylacine, who recently composed the entire soundtrack for new Netflix series Winter Palace, plays Koko on Dec 12. Support from Grégoire Jokic.

• Fans of music books could do worse than head to The Dublin Castle, which has two book clubs coming up; first, on Dec 16, there is a Coldplay Special with Debs Wild, author of Life In Technicolor: A Celebration of Coldplay in conversation with Fierce Panda’s Simon Williams, who was once responsible for booking the band to play The Dublin Castle back in the day. There will also be live music and DJ sets from Paul Yellow and DJ Sue. Then, on Dec 18, it’s the launch party for Marc Burrows’ new book Mistletoe and Vinyl: The Story of the Christmas No.1, with a set of Christmas classics featuring Three Wise Men + Personality Crisis + Marc Burrows  and special guest appearances from Jamie Mykaela and Eva Menon.

• The Amy Winehouse Band, led by Amy’s long-time musical director and bassist, Dale Davis, reunites the original musicians who stood alongside her on stage and in the studio in a fitting tribute, to perform an emotional review of her greatest hits. See them at The Roundhouse on Dec 19.

• Cross a gift off your shopping list and help a good cause by picking up Together For Palestine’s charity single Lullaby – Together for Palestine (out Dec 12), which is aiming for Christmas No 1 and features vocals from Amena, Brian Eno, Celeste, Dan Smith (Bastille), Kieran Brunt (Shards), Lana Lubany, Leigh-Anne, London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC), Mabel, Nadine Shah, Nai Barghouti, Neneh Cherry, Sura Abdo, TYSON, Yasmeen Ayyashi and Ysee.

With such a variety of Christmas events, there is something for everyone:

• Dec 12 – Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden’s Wassail is inspired by the old traditions of revellers going house to house exchanging songs for money, food and ale. The duo bring their own wassail to the Union Chapel reviving some of the oldest songs in the English canon, spreading good cheer and lighting up the darkest days of the year;
• Dec 16 – Irish folk singer Cara Dillon brings her annual Christmas tour, Upon A Winter’s Night,to the Union Chapel;
• Dec 17 – Pixie Lott, who stars in new festive movie Christmas Karma, plays a selection of her own hits, some new tunes and some festive favourite at the Union Chapel; Chamber folk quartet Winter Wonderband ft Saul Rose, Beth Porter, Jennifer Crook and Maclaine Colston play winter- and festive-themed music and songs, traditional, modern and original, at Cecil Sharp House, following the release of their debut album Joy Illimited last month;
• Dec 18 – London’s famous seven-piece all-singing, all-cello-playing band Massive Violins return with their Christmas Concert 2025 to play festive favourites, pop classics and promises of a Christmas carol or two at Cecil Sharp House;
• Dec 19 – Massaoke: Christmas Live, The Forum – sing your hearts out in a mass sing-along accompanied by a love band with confetti, pyrotechnics and big screen lyrics;
• Dec 20 – Christmas Carol Singalong, The Barbican Hall with Jonathan Cohen, West End star Louise Dearman, and the voices of the London Concert Choir and the London Concert Orchestra for an afternoon of festive favourites;
• Dec 21 – Carols By Candlelight, Union Chapel – The Union Chapel’s celebrated carol service included traditional and more modern carols, choral music, music from the venue’s historic pipe organ plus two brand new compositions written specifically for the event by Anthony Fort and music from Union Chapel Voices and Union Chapel Community Singers.

Festivities continue in the bar after the service where the in-house band will be playing Christmas classics; Christmas with King’s College Choir, Barbican Hall – the world-renowned choir returns to the hall for a special performance of carols and festive favourites joined by the City of London Choir.

For a completely different change of pace, head to Going to Granny’s for Christmas at HERE at Outernet, where a 16-piece live orchestra will be playing soca, reggae and dancehall anthems that have filled family functions over the years; If gospel is more your thing, Jazz Cafe’s Gospel Christmas adds gospel voices to the mix, with Stevie, Mariah and more on the playlist;
• Dec 22 – Candlelit Carols ft Harriet Eyley, Mozart Festival Orchestra and Coro Spezzato, Barbican Hall;
• Dec 23 – Christmas with Sir Karl Jenkins, Barbican Hall;
• Dec 24 – Jazz Cafe’s Motown Christmas ushers in Christmas with Atlantic Soul Orchestra playing soul classics from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

More upcoming gigs:

• Dec 12 –  The Covids, Hope & Anchor; Old Dirty Brasstards Xmas Bash, The Garage; Patch & The Giant, Green Note; Jadu Heart + Thredd + Wing!, 100 Club; Skinny Lister + The Vandoliers + Claudia Kate, Scala; Big Country + The Cuza, 229;
• Dec 13 – Ute Lemper: Rendezvous with Marlene, Barbican; Sham 69, 229; The Magic Numbers, The Forum; Victor and the Bully presents The Naughty List Riot ft Victor and the Bully, the rum-soaked pirates The Captains Beard, and the foul-mouthed Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq; The Black Heart; Ross from Friends presents Bubble Love, HERE at Outernet; Lauren Rose + Finn Flood + Kitty Bella + flat number two, The Fiddler’s Elbow;
• Dec 14 – Lost Cherees, Islington Academy; Doves, The Forum; Big Country, Islington Assembly Hall;
Dec 15 – Brubeck Plays Brubeck, Union Chapel; Babyshambles, Koko; Villanelle + Black Gloss Wardrobe + untitled26, The Lexington; Badflower, HERE at Outernet; Ditz + CTL DRP, 100 Club;
• Dec 16 – A night of reunion, with Rumi, Cecil Sharp House; Laurie Wright + Lucca Mae + Sweet Unrest + Super Swamp Jellyfish +Rudi + musical compere Tom MCQ, Electric Ballroom; A night of reunion, with Rumi, Cecil Sharp House; kennyhoopla x girlfriends, The Dome;
• Dec 17 – Orange Goblin: End Of Transmission Tour, The Forum; Conan, Scala; Warmduscher + Y + Mount Palomar, 100 Club;
• Dec 18 – Bad Manners, The Forum; Young Knives + White Magic for Lovers + Thank, Scala; The Allergies + DJ Prime Cuts, Jazz Cafe; Iraina Mancini, The Social; The Big Bang Love Christmas Party with Hollie Rogers, Daisy Chute and Ed Blunt, The Camden Club;
• Dec 18-20 – Speedvark, World’s End; Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People, Kings Place; Old Dirty Brasstards Xmas Bash, The Garage;
• Dec 19 – Tom Hingley, The Camden Assembly; Soul II Soul + Aitch B + Jazzie Q, Koko; The Blockheads, Dingwalls; Bell X1, Union Chapel; Disco Tehran Winter party + special guests, Jazz Cafe; The Rizz + Small Talk + Flo Wilkes, The Dublin Castle; Meaka Monroe, The Fiddler’s Elbow; High Fade, Islington Assembly Hall;
• Dec 20 – Martin McAloon (Prefab Sprout) – Steve McQueen 40th Anniversary, Jazz Cafe; Black Eyed Sons + The Dirty Strangers, The Underworld; David Devant and his Spirit Wife, The Water Rats; The Wave Pictures, The Lexington; Ben Barnes, Union Chapel; Clutch + 1000mods & Bokassa, Roundhouse; IQ, Islington Assembly Hall;
• Dec 21 – Imminence + Ne Obliviscaris, Roundhouse;
• Dec 22 – Jon Cleary + Big Joe Louis, Jazz Cafe;
• Dec 23 – Lethal Bizzle, 100 Club; Rock N Roll Rescue Xmas Party + Knox and Band + Healthy Junkies + Ese and the Vooduu People + Flesh Tetris, The Dublin Castle.