Christmas Gig Guide
You can keep the faceless enormodomes like Wembley and the 02, and the less said about the sticky-floored Camden gig pubs the better. When it comes to gigs, we’d rather be watching them in a stunning, intimate setting and, ideally, for free.
Christmas Delight offers visitors just such an experience as it showcases an eclectic array of live music acts each week from the end of November until Christmas.
Better still, UVA, the same bunch of clever light surgeon types who did Covent Garden’s Christmas decorations, will also provide the visuals for every gig. It’s an all-round festive feast for the senses!
Acts include:
London Contemporary Orchestra – 17th November 6pm
The resurgence of interest in classical music continues apace, with the brightest young talent from the London Contemporary Orchestra leading the way. Their aim is to feature a broad cross-section of musical styles and genres, from Radiohead-style rock to more jazz-infused work.
Their Covent Garden performance will showcase traditional Christmas songs and champion new music by young, London-based composers from 2008.
West Stage of the South Hall in the Market Building
Modified Toy Orchestra – 4th December 6.30pm
Bear with us here, because we know this sounds weird – this unique group creates music using only repurposed 1980s electronic toys. Granted, three blokes bashing away on a toy keyboard and Speak’N’Spell machine does have the potential to be awful but it’s genuinely brilliant. They’ve played live on Radio 1 and at Barcelona’s respected Sonar festival – now you can catch their twisted electronica live in Covent Garden.
West Stage of the South Hall in the Market Building
Modified Toy Orchestra on MySpace
Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra – 11th December 6.15pm
Described by Radio 1 hip hop DJ Tim Westwood as ‘the Harry Potter of beatbox’, Shlomo’s vocal ability is such that he’s worked with artists such as Damon Albarn, Bjork and Nitin Sawhney as well as being artist in residence at the Southbank. He’s supported by the Vocal Orchestra – a choir which uses only human voice to create rich musical experiences – as they reinterpret carols and traditional Christmas songs in a modern take on the traditional choir.
West Stage of the South Hall in the Market Building
See Shlomo and the gang in action
The Choir With No Name – 19th December 6pm
What began life as an advert in London homeless magazine The Pavement (‘Can you sing? No? Oh well, come along anyway!) has now become a fully fledged choir comprising wholly of homeless people. Although only six months old, the group has already been booked for bashes all over London. Singing pop, rock, soul, gospel, reggae and songs from musicals (but no grime or death metal just yet), their weekly rehearsals always finish with a hot dinner for all choir members.
North Hall in the Market Building
Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee – 22nd December 6pm
On the face of it, it would be easy to dismiss this as a novelty act. Like those Britain’s Got Talent types who can do one-armed press-ups while playing the trombone or whatever. The truth is, though, that this former pirate radio jungle MC is breathtakingly talented, playing the flute and beatboxing at the same time. His crazy blend of sounds, which have seen him work with Prodigy and Asian Dub Foundation among others, takes in hip hop, drum ‘n’ bass and ragga on a magic carpet trip to the realms of sonic possibility. Enjoy the ride.
North Hall in the Market Building
Get your flute on (YouTube video)