Alright, alright, we’ve given in. We’re now officially listening to Christmas songs. We try not to – to hold off until at least December 1st each year. But the thing is, we’ve got Christmas on our minds…

Get your diaries out, folk – we’ve got something you’re not going to want to miss. Folkroom Records are teaming up with Clerkenwell-based folk night Before The Gold Rush and the terrific Patch and the Giant to bring you A FOLKY CHRISTMAS.

And boy, do we mean folky. One month today, on December 16th (a mere five days before the apocalypse, we might add), we’ll be putting on a very special all-day gig at The Gallery Café in Bethnal Green. This is A Folky Christmas. Two stages. Seven hours. SIXTEEN of London’s finest folk artists.

What’s better, is that it’s only £5 to come along, and completely and utterly free if you come before 6:30pm! That means, in theory, you could see sixteen acts play for the very reasonable price of nothing! And that’s not to mention the extra bonuses – mulled wine, toasty home-cooked food and (all things going well) our very own Christmas grotto! We’ll have it all. We might even have Santa as a compère!

But what was that mention of sixteen acts? Oh yes… we’ll be separating The Gallery Café into two stages. First, we’ll have The Chapel Stage – this will be our intimate spot for catching some of the finest acts we can gather in a unique and genuinely cosy environment (bedecked, of course, with the finest Christmas decorations Poundland has on offer!). Set to play The Chapel Stage are ceilidh band Dirty Duncan and the Herrings, Scottish border trio The Moon, The Son and The Daughters, singer-songwriters Joe Wilkes, O. Chapman, Eliza Shaddad, Sophie Jamieson and Inti Rowland and Folkroom’s favourite double act, Cannon and Ball! Worry Dolls!

In the garden we’ll be keeping ourselves cosy with candlelit carol services, whilst the main café will be known as The Café Stage – playing host to eight more terrific acts. We’ll be seeing sets from the raucous Frankie the Gambler, our old friends and frequent collaborators Dave Gerard and the Watchmen, Southern six-piece Early Ghost, Folkroom’s own Lucy Cait, Kentish folk-rockers Green Diesel, the exhuberent Freddie and the Hoares, our very own (award-winning!) Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker and, headlining, Patch and the Giant.

Anyone who was at our sell-out boat gig last month will know how big a party we put on when Patch and the Giant are involved – and with many of the acts from that gig returning for what can only be described as A RUDDY MEGA CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA, and the wonderful Before The Gold Rush onboard too, we’re expecting this to be a night to remember. We’d love to see you there!