A YORK singer songwriter is celebrating not one but two successful Christmas concerts in the city.
Alistair Griffin's Ignite Concerts organised two festive music events this year: The Big Christmas Concert and Fairytale at York Minster, both curated and produced by the York-based singer-songwriter.
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Across December, the shows offered contrasting but complementary ways to celebrate Christmas through live music — one bold, playful and communal, the other intimate, reflective and atmospheric — with both building to rousing, joy-filled finales.
Fairytale at York Minster transformed the iconic cathedral into a candlelit concert space, pairing Griffin’s vocals with the rich string arrangements of the Ebor Quartet. The programme blended traditional carols with contemporary Christmas favourites, including Fairytale of New York, Last Christmas and Mistletoe & Wine, allowing the scale and beauty of the Minster to frame the atmospheric experience. One audience member described the concert simply as “magical.” The Minster event was sponsored by local businesses, The Grand and new jewellery shop Olivia Green.
Meanwhile, The Big Christmas Concert, staged at Q York on Priory Street, leaned fully into festive fun. Featuring East Cleveland Brass, guest vocalist Maggie Wakeling, and a live band, the show mixed classic carols with high-energy Christmas anthems from Slade and Wizzard, alongside games, audience sing-alongs and moments of light-hearted chaos. A highlight of the night saw a full brass band join Alistair on stage for a rousing performance of Stop the Cavalry, bringing the evening to a celebratory, feet-stomping close.
He said: “What I love is that they offer completely different ways to experience Christmas. One is big, joyful and slightly chaotic in the best possible way; the other is a bit more intimate but in a majestic building like the Minster. But both are about bringing people together and finishing on a real high.”
Back in 2022 Alistair, who shot to fame on the BBC talent show Fame Academy in 2002, scored a number 5 hit with a track co-penned with his former mentor, BeeGee Robin Gibb.
And Alistair's growing association with Christmas programming in York has not gone unnoticed.
Ben Fry, York’s Town Crier, summed it up succinctly, describing Griffin as “the king of Christmas" — a label that reflects how firmly his festive shows have embedded themselves in the city’s cultural calendar.
“I think that says more about how much York embraces Christmas than anything else,” Alistair said.
“These shows are a huge team effort — from the musicians to the production team — and I’m just grateful to be part of something that brings a bit of Christmas magic, fun and celebration to the city at this time of year.”
Both concerts were produced through Ignite Concerts, Alistair’s York-based events company, which specialises in live music experiences in distinctive and historic venues.
With each passing year, he said his Christmas shows continue to evolve, but their core appeal remains the same: great music, bags of atmosphere and community at the heart of York’s festive celebrations.
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