Funky Soulful Christmas with Mwenso and the Shakes
Michael Mwenso’s Soul Assembly
| Programme to include: | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas |
|---|---|
| Santa Claus Is Coming To Town | |
| Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer | |
| The First Noel | |
| We Three Kings | |
| Winter Wonderland | |
| And original songs from Mwenso and the Shakes’ repertoire |
Returning to Kings Place this holiday season, join Michael Mwenso and his band – The Shakes – for a celebration of love and community with a soulful twist on Christmas classics.
Led by Michael Mwenso, featuring an exceptional line-up of musicians and vocalists from New York and London, this event promises to bring to life an Afro-Futuristic Winter Wonderland. This show also marks the second year of Michael’s Soulful Funky Christmas show, which premiered last year in London and showcases the work he’s been championing across the U.S. for over a decade.
Experience thrilling new arrangements of holiday favourites and some of Mwenso and the Shakes original anthemic music. In true Soul Assembly style, the evening of music will be paired with conversation, led by writer, musician and poet Ammar Kalia.
A great way to celebrate the year-end.
This event will last approximately 90 minutes, without an interval.
Concessions & Under 30s tickets
Kings Place Concessions Tickets
We want to ensure that people who may be struggling financially to purchase a ticket can still enjoy visiting Kings Place. A limited number of tickets are allocated for certain events (if the ticket type does not show in the booking pathway, it means they are not available for this event or have all been sold). Concessions tickets are accessible for people on the following criteria (for more information visit our FAQs)
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Disability Benefit
- Income Support or Job Seekers allowance
- Students
£10 ‘Under 30s’ tickets
A limited number of £10 tickets for attendees aged under 30 are available for certain shows. To purchase an ‘Under 30s’ ticket, please choose the ‘Under 30s’ price type when selecting your ticket(s). If the option does not appear, this means all ‘Under 30s’ tickets have sold out or are not available for this performance. Please note that proof of age may be requested at the venue. The £10 offer does not apply to premium price categories.
Plan your visit
Getting here
Kings Place is situated just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, one of the most connected locations in London and now the biggest transport hub in Europe.
Our address is:
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
The Venue
Our performance spaces are situated on the lower ground floor. Hall One, Hall Two and St Pancras are located in level -2, reached by stairs, escalator and lift from the ground floor entrance level.
Event Times
Door times indicate auditorium entrance times only. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the Kings Place seating areas, gallery-level art, canal-side terrace, café, restaurant and bar throughout the day and evening.
- Our events begin promptly at the advertised start time. Typically, there is no support unless otherwise stated.
- We recommend arriving in good time before the performance. The Hall doors will open 30 minutes before the performance to allow time to take your seats, or to choose a space for standing shows.
- Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance where possible
Access
We aim to make your visit to Kings Place as comfortable as possible. For more information about the accessibility of Kings Place, including details about our Access Scheme, please visit this page.
If you would like to discuss your access requirements with a member of our team, please get in touch with the Box Office team at info@kingsplace.co.uk.
Food & Drink
Rotunda Bar & Restaurant
Rotunda, situated on the ground floor of Kings Place, offers a unique dining and drinking experience alongside Regent’s Canal. The concert bar in the venue foyer will also be open for select events.
Green & Fortune Café
Recently re-furbished and now open with a new look, the Green & Fortune Café is open for selected concerts. Serving hot and cold food and drinks, including sandwiches, salads, soup, stew and a pie of the day, alongside a choice of cakes made by the on-site bakery team. See here for selected concert dates and standard opening hours.
About Michael Mwenso
Michael Mwenso is a vocalist bandleader, Emmy Award-winning creator, curator and creative artist. Mwenso’s unique lifelong geographical and spiritual journey has led him to possess a perspective unlike any other in this time.
His childhood was rooted in West Africa. As a young child in London he faced a period of personal uncertainty, where he found solace in Black music and where the greatest artists of all time, like James Brown, became his mentors and guiding stars. Years later he started his Curatorial vision by creating the now legendary “late show” at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club which he developed, built and galvanized the Jazz community in London.
By his late twenties, Mwenso was brought to New York City by famed Music icon, Wynton Marsalis, to be part of his programming team at Jazz at Lincoln Center and helm Dizzy’s Club. The influence of his arrival profoundly impacted the music and arts scene of NYC. He then built a community across the United States through his musical vehicle (Band) of love and expression, Mwenso and the Shakes. He co-founded Electric Root with Jono Gasparro in 2020 which partnered with institutions to decolonize music curriculums, reshape programming and create artist-led, anti-racist workshops.
In 2021, Michael pivoted to become a much-sought collaborator and cultural leader, creating programming, curating festivals, doing workshops and residencies at leading arts institutions, always moving the conversation forward. In 2022, he won an EMMY for the All Arts television documentary special Michael Mwenso Honors George Floyd.
He now continues to spend his energy on spreading the message of music to uplift, heal and empower individuals and communities across the world. Michael’s newest album will be released this year.