… and catch Razorlight at the Brixton Academy next year

FROM Christmas metal to carols by candlelight, Club de Fromage to Crawdaddy’s Northern Soul, there’s a Christmas party for almost everyone in this week’s column.

• Remember what Christmas is about at the Union Chapel’s Carols by Candlelight annual Christmas Service on Dec 18 – free admission, no booking required, come early to avoid disappointment. Music from the Union Chapel Voices, directed by Masashi Fujimoto, with traditional carols, a chorus from Handel’s Messiah, musical accompaniment from a string quarter and the chapel’s organist Anthony Fort.

• Enjoy the ultimate Xmas metal party at The Black Heart’s Merry Death-mass night ft Damim + Overthrow + Sewer Trench + DJs ’till late plus winter drinks and a festive food menu on Dec 23.

• At Islington Academy there’s Not Another Indie Disco Christmas Party on Dec 17; Club de Fromage’s Christmas Special with pop tunes, Christmas hits, a big fromage stage show, balloon drop, confetti, cannons games and more also on Dec 17; and a nostalgic I Love The 90s Christmas party (Dec 23).

• Over at Electric Ballroom, get lost in power ballads at Ultimate Power’s Christmas Special (Dec 16); Bingo Loco (Dec 17); Pop Juice DJs play pop hits from the noughties to now with Christmas tunes in the mix (Dec 17) and, on Dec 23 The Modfather presents Carry on Camden, The Christmas Bash ft nine-piece ska/reggae band The Dualers + Big Boss Man + DJ sets from Eddie Piller, Paul Smiler Anderson, The Point Blanc collective plus Madam Scorcher presenting female Lovers Rock, Roots and Rocksteady anthems plus skanking sounds from Darren Bennett.

• The Underworld hosts Camden Rocks’s two-night Xmas Bash on Dec 16 and 17.

• Descend into a Rockney singalong at Gertcha’s Christmas Rockney Show at The Water Rats on Dec 22 for a night of Chas & Dave’s greatest hits, Christmas songs and more with special guest Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer aka Jim Burke playing a mashups DJ set.

• Shake up your playlist with the reissue of singer-songwriter Terry Emm’s folk Christmas song Gently, which was last year features in author Jacquelyn Middleton’s bestselling Christmas novel The Certainty of Chance.

• A decade ago Razorlight were everywhere but things fell apart when the band drifted. Last year they kissed and made up, announcing they were working together again. Next year the band, which started in Camden, bring their RazorWhat? The Best of Razorlight tour – named after their newly released album – to Brixton Academy on April 29. True to their musical origins, the video to You Are Entering The Human Heart was shot in Camden.

• It’s the Crawdaddy Christmas party at The Fiddler’s Elbow on Dec 16 with guest DJ Alan Handscome and co-host Les Masco joining Gary, Lucienne and Danny playing rare 60s soul, 50s / 60s rhythm & blues plus soul, mod, Motown, two tone, ska and more, all on vinyl.

• Embrace the sense of mystery at Mermaid Café Club’s Green Note night on Dec 19. Founded by four friends aiming to recreate the northern music scene’s community vibe, the night bring up and coming acts together with established artists in intimate surroundings. Wounded Bear and another TBA will support followed by a performance from a secret headliner revealed on the day of the show.

• Strip things back to the days of the crooners with Simply Sinatra at Barbican on Dec 29 as guest singers Matt Ford and Katie Birtill accompanied by the London Concert Orchestra run through Ol’ Blue Eyes’ best-loved hits – with a special performance from a ballroom dancing duo.

• Alexander O’Neal takes up residency for four nights of soul at Jazz Café from Dec 20-23.

• Former BBC Folk Musician of the Year, fiddle player and folk singer Tom McConville is joined by guitarist David Newey for his Green Note show on Dec 18.

More upcoming gigs:

Dec 16 – The Rifles, The 100 Club; Orange Goblin + Black Spiders + Desert Storm, Electric Ballroom; Soul II Soul, Roundhouse; Martin Stephenson and the Daintees, 229

Dec 16-17 – Brother Strut, Jazz Café

Dec 17 – Johnny Moped + The Price + London Sewage + Nuffin, 100 Club; Rocky Road touring ft Adam Masterson + Evan Williams + Matt Gilmou, The Camden Club; Skinny Lister, Islington Assembly Hall; Emo Bell Ball: You Over Me + Breakfast With Bears + Keep Summer Safe + Neversaid + Spank Hair, The Fiddlers Elbow; Idlewild, The Forum; Pink Turns Blue + Dante’s Inferno + Dispel, Elektrowerkz

Dec 18 – Christmas Soul Night ft Mica Paris, Koko; Trembling Wilburys, Pizza Express, Holborn

Dec 19 – The Professionals with Paul Cooke + Alias Kid + The Molotovs + DJ Alan McGee, 229; Emma Bunton Christmas show, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Dec 20 – Marcus Bonfanti & The Delta Duo, Green Note; Cats In Space, The Garage

Dec 23 – RA (Real Artillery), Islington Academy

Dec 25 – Walt Disco, Heaven.