Billy Bragg

Union Chapel

Train: Highbury (4 mins)

Tube: Highbury & Islington (4 mins)

Union Chapel is a Grade II* listed building, just south of Highbury Corner in Compton Terrace, on the east side of Upper Street. It is one of Islington's most important buildings. It was designed by James Cubitt and completed in 1877, the 170 ft tower being completed some years later. The congregation first gathered in 1799 in a house in Highbury Grove as a Union of evangelical Anglicans and non-conformists, and moved to the previous building on the present site in 1806.

The present building is a magnificent example of Victorian gothic architecture and displays many features which were at the cutting edge of technological advance in their day, including a fine "Father Willis" organ, still in its original condition. It is also notable for its adventurous auditorium design on an octagonal ground plan, in accordance with its architect's ideas set out in his book Church Design for Congregations.

As well as the magnificent Chapel, the Union Chapel complex includes a beautiful galleried Sunday School, a lecture hall with two smaller halls below it, a lovely bright Committee Room, and other ancillary spaces. All these premises are in use and available for hire.»

Billy Bragg

The singer/songwriter Billy Bragg is probably best-known for his highly politicised lyrics and for his contribution to the now infamous Red Wedge lobby group of the 1980's. Apart from his own releases, he has collaborated on two albums of Woody Guthrie songs with the band Wilco (1998's Mermaid Avenue and 2000's Mermaid Avenue Volume 2). His own albums are; Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy (1983), Brewing Up (1984), Talking With The Taxman About Poetry (1986), Worker's Playtime (1988), Don't Try This At Home (1991), William Bloke (1996) and England Half English (2002).

»

Kate Nash

There's nothing to warm the cockles quite like a good bit of self-deprecation. Kate Nash has got it down to a fine art, as she tells people that despite writing for the past four years, she's only been good for the last two, and most of that good writing has been in the last eight months. Honesty, the best policy. Unless you're a politician or something.»

The Ting Tings

"The Ting Tings sound like Beth Ditto slipping into an elasticated polka-dot number and bumping one of the Pipettes off stage mid-handclap."