Christof van der Ven

Originally from the Netherlands, Christof van der Ven moved to Galway in 2007 to make music, and after his arrival kept his restaurant work under control with street music. Now based in London, he splits his time between touring and recording with Bear's Den and touring with his own music. His debut album Empty Handed (2018) was released shortly after he supported Bon Iver at the Hammersmith Apollo, and since then he's supported artists including Mighty Oaks, Joan As Police Woman, Nick Mulvey, Lisa Hannigan, Talos, Willy Mason and S. Carey, and toured the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as a headliner.

In addition to his debut album, Christof released a second album, You Were The Place (2019), as well as several EPs. His music has been played on BBC Radio 6 and Radio X and has been featured in GoldFlakePaint, The i, DIY and Clash. Previously, Christof has played at Eurosonic and People Festival and was part of The Great Escape in 2023. Most recently, he took part in Sounds From A Safe Harbour as artist in residence, performing alongside artists such as Olafur Arnalds, Alex Somers and The Staves.

Now, five years on, he is preparing to release his third album in late 2024, recorded and produced by Christof alongside legendary producer Ian Grimble (Bear's Den, Daughter, Manic Street Preachers). His music has been described as "Gorgeous" (DIY), "lush indie folk tapestries that seem to sweep you off your feet" (Clash), and a "moment of beauty" (The i).