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Christmas weekend starts here
24.12.08
Holiday on ice: take the family to the rink at Somerset House, where children are taught the basics of skating at the Penguin Club
You could say London is like a ghost town at this time of year — why go out at all? You won't be saying it when mincemeat fatigue kicks in at the weekend and Auntie Marjorie starts ranting into her sherry.
Escape the clutches of home and a night on the town around Christmas time is a real treat: no crowds, everyone in a friendly, festive mood, the lights of the big city ... So here's our guide to the best of what's on tonight and over the Christmas weekend — or how best to shirk your family duties. Check availability before turning up.
London Community Gospel Choir
Tonight 7.30pm, Jazz Café, NW1
(020 7485 6834). £25
The capital's premier gospel choir is a rousing ensemble, equally at home performing Christmas carols as appearing on records by the likes of Blur, Mariah Carey and Spiritualized. Tonight they conclude their annual jaunt at the Jazz Café.
Ray Gelato Jazz Giants
Saturday 6pm, Ronnie Scott's, W1 (020 7439 0747). Until New Year's Eve.
£20-£36 (NYE £150)
Another festive stalwart and surefire crowd-pleaser, louche singer Ray Gelato takes inspiration from those wacky Thirties jazz rabble rousers Cab Calloway and Louis Jordan to deliver a highly entertaining, cleverly put together stage show.
The Puppini Sisters' Christmas
Sunday 7.30pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall, SE1 (0871 663 2501). £20
A cult treasure, the three sisters perform popular hits in the style of a twee Forties harmony group. The Smiths' Panic and Kate Bush's classic Wuthering Heights are among their delightful reworkings, and they're performed with real spirit and charm.
Lost and Found Orchestra
Today 2.30pm, Saturday 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Sunday 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Festival Hall, SE1 (0871 663 2501). Until 11 January. £13.70-£53.85
From the creators of Stomp, one of the West End's longest running entertainments, comes this trash-can circus symphony. The inventive players turn household objects into instruments, from bellows and hair dryers to vacuum cleaners and kettles, to create surprisingly convincing grooves, and throw some acrobatics in the mix too.
Carols by Candlelight
Today 2.30pm and 7pm, Albert Hall, SW7
(020 7589 8212). £11.50-£41.50
The Albert Hall's atmospheric winter concert includes Zadok the Priest (or Theme from the Champions League), Vivaldi's Gloria and Bach's Messiah — and you can join in for the carols. Don't worry, the hall is fully fire proof...
The Brandenburg Concertos
Saturday 7.30pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields, WC2 (020 7766 1100). £6-£25
Bach's famous series of concertos are just the ticket for a family concert when In the Bleak Midwinter starts to grate. They are performed here by the London Octave under Dietrich Bethge.
Opera Gala Night
Sunday 7.30pm, Barbican Hall, EC2
(0845 120 7500). £15.50-£35
Classical impresario Raymond Gubbay leads the Barbican programme with a series of concerts until 4 January, including The Sound of Musicals (Saturday 3pm) and Mozart by Candlelight (Sunday 3pm). Pick of the weekend is an Opera Gala Night, featuring arias from Verdi, Puccini and Mozart without the boring bits in between. The Crouch End Festival Chorus, mezzo soprano Louise Poole and tenor Gwyn Hughes are among the singers.
