Christof van der Ven

Holland born, London based Christof van der Ven splits his time between working as a chef, playing as a touring musician with <a href="spotify:artist:0nJaMZM8paoA5HEUTUXPqi" data-name="Bear's Den">Bear's Den</a> and releasing and touring his own music. His debut album &#39;Empty Handed&#39; (2018) arrived shortly after supporting <a href="spotify:artist:4LEiUm1SRbFMgfqnQTwUbQ" data-name="Bon Iver">Bon Iver</a> at the Hammersmith Apollo and ahead of joining <a href="spotify:artist:6PBv8t9YTLggA9ZMwpeoqj" data-name="Joan As Police Woman">Joan As Police Woman</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3x8FbPjh2Qz55XMdE2Yalj" data-name="Nick Mulvey">Nick Mulvey</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0z7Yuv7DuDQ5SaVn4VSlLt" data-name="Lisa Hannigan">Lisa Hannigan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5pdzKTGQAcRcxDOfN4mXSc" data-name="Talos">Talos</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2uYZJqMXH5Q6xvPU6BPySL" data-name="Willy Mason">Willy Mason</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2LSJrlndCuTpdEluvYHc2E" data-name="S. Carey">S. Carey</a> and Mikaela Davis as main support on selected UK and EU dates in 2018.

His sophomore album, ‘You Were The Place’ was recorded, produced and mixed by <a href="spotify:artist:6uu9fqNJvpOAgFRAwvOPYB" data-name="Marcus Hamblett">Marcus Hamblett</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:2m1l9MLSslzup4vvokKgvQ" data-name="Villagers">Villagers</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:15e0X6NuMsVuHi7AZhcfyI" data-name="James Holden">James Holden</a> &amp; The Animal Spirits, Bear&#39;s Den) The album features instrumentation contributions from good friends: Tommy Heap (<a href="spotify:artist:0lSENl3bteP8p2NbiSP7RM" data-name="Matthew And The Atlas">Matthew And The Atlas</a>), Jools Owen (Bear&#39;s Den), Tommy Sheen, <a href="spotify:artist:5nbBhF4r4oHQCLb26mCeVn" data-name="Emma Gatrill">Emma Gatrill</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:0lSENl3bteP8p2NbiSP7RM" data-name="Matthew And The Atlas">Matthew And The Atlas</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0ZUyFEafMwocvApBjTXvdo" data-name="This Is The Kit">This Is The Kit</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2plHc7V92yXf40BD8lQl2x" data-name="Rozi Plain">Rozi Plain</a>) and Andrew Stuart-Buttle (<a href="spotify:artist:2uvY5pgdD9t1CZ5zMNw1rl" data-name="Lucy Rose">Lucy Rose</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3uHCTHxtg3IVAvhyrYsZvI" data-name="Rolo Tomassi">Rolo Tomassi</a>).

Christof uses ‘You Were The Place’ as a vehicle to examine his confusion and frustration around an evolving heartache, as well as the pain and humour that comes from shared vulnerability. The album tracks are written from a mixture of perspectives, including friends, family, colleagues as well as his own.

‘You Were The Place’ was released on September 6 2019 on Planet Zog Records