From low-key knees-ups to sold-out singalongs at some of the city’s finest venues, Joe Carnall’s annual yuletide bash has earned its place as a firm fixture in Sheffield’s festive calendar. With a new seasonal single and a debut musical under his belt – plus the promise of more surprise guests and raucous covers on the night – we caught up with the man himself to talk prep, pals and why this year’s show feels particularly special.
It’s almost that time of year again, Joe. We’ve now reached fifteen years of festive chaos – did you think you’d get this far?
Absolutely not. It started out as a gig upstairs at the Shakespeare, basically to have a laugh and raise a bit of beer money. I had no idea how it was going to go down, but I played a couple of tunes and people started going mental – so much so, the landlady ran upstairs to tell everyone to stop bouncing around as the ceiling was going to cave in. And it was then – that moment – I knew I was onto something special.
How’s prep going for this year’s event – any surprises in the stocking?
Regarding preparation, I’ve learned that it really helps my life out if I start doing it a little earlier, like mid to late November. So I’ve been trying to get ahead of the game – you lose a yard of pace at my age, you know? We’ve been on it, trying to make it as good as possible, especially with the 15th year tag on this one. I can’t tell you too much, obviously, but if people want to come and belt out a few tunes ranging from Milburn to Wham! and hug their mates while having a great time, they’ll enjoy it as much as me.
You’ve had some incredible surprise guests over the years – does anyone actually say no to you, or are you just very persuasive by offering a rider of Stones Bitter and mince pies?
It’s usually just a case of bumping into people earlier in the year, having a nice chat, and hitting them up later on to see if they’re up for it. As it’s got more established, people know they’re going to do a tune in front of a great crowd – Rebecca (Self Esteem), for example, knows she can come down and just have fun – there’s no journo from The Guardian there stroking his chin. It’s the same in the dressing room: no judgement, everyone letting off steam, enjoying their Christmastime. Christmas is a bit mad, isn’t it? Sends everyone a bit loopy… in a good way!
It’s been a big year for you, especially getting your debut musical How Could I Forget? off the ground. Will there be a chance for anyone who missed out to see it next year – and are there more stage projects in the pipeline?
Yeah, it’s been amazing and I’ve never done anything that’s had such an impact on people. Of course, Well Well Well still resonates and gives me an audience, but the emotional connection we’ve had with that show has been incredible – so much so, and without saying too much, we’re booking a tour for next autumn and there will be a few Sheffield dates to front it up at a very reputable theatre. It’s universal subject matter and I think it holds a mirror to a lot of people’s experiences – which good art should do!
Here’s an idea: a stage show charting the rise of Sheffield’s band scene in the early to mid-noughties, back when The Boardwalk was buzzing and the likes of Milburn, Arctic Monkeys, Reverend & The Makers et al. were all coming through. Do you reckon that’s got legs, or should we file it under ‘proper naff’?
Right, I have thought about this. But only because my old manager said I should do it. It’s got to be done right, though. If it’s done badly, it can make a situation ten times worse. Maybe a day will come where I’m feeling very nostalgic and looking back, but I’ll have to get to that space first. A stage set up as The Boardwalk would look very cool, however…
Back to the Christmas gig. What do you think keeps people coming back for more every year?
Great bloody question. It’s at Christmas – and Christmas is home, innit? It’s your mates, your local pubs and your family. I think I’ve benefited from the fact that people look for any excuse for a party and it’s snowballed (no pun intended), and I sometimes feel like I’m just there in the background. It’s not my gig, it’s their gig. That sounds proper naff, doesn’t it? But it’s true – I’m the jukebox; they’re all cuddling each other and singing. I think it’s a time of year where, especially as we get a little older, we get a bit more reflective and it brings all these emotions to the boil. That’s why I’ve written the Christmas tune.
Excellent segue opportunity! In a bit of news that falls under the ‘kind of makes sense but wasn’t exactly on our 2025 bingo card’ category, you’ve got your very own Christmas single out. Tell us about ‘All My Friends Are Coming Home (For Christmas)’?
I had the first verse rolling around in my head for a while, and this year I thought I’d finish it. For the 15-year show, I wanted something to say. I wanted something that was mine that I could play. So I thought, who better to write a song for than the people that turn up to the shows each year? Personally, I’m at a point in my life where I need an excuse to see my pals for a night out, something to book in the diary, and I’ve got mates – as we all do – who moved to London and I won’t usually see these people until Christmas. So it’s about making time for your friends at this time of year, and how special that is.
We’ve had a listen, and it’s a bit like Bernard Sumner, James Murphy and Chris Rea all started jamming after a few Snowballs. Fair comment – or has Exposed been at the mulled wine early?
Inspiration-wise, it’s kind of all those things. I started writing after watching the Dylan biopic, so it began as a bit of a Dylan tune, with an acoustic and an organ and a folky feel. But then I sent it to Ed Cosens, who suggested we go down the LCD Soundsystem lane. For me, LCD mashed with a bit of Talking Heads is right up my street – especially at Christmas, because there are a lot of bad Christmas songs. So we got rid of the sleigh bells and all of that, and just focused on writing a good tune about this time of year.
While putting the song together, where did you go for festive inspo – locked in a dark room with Bublé, or wandering round Wentworth Garden Centre with a notepad?
No, very little festive inspiration in that respect. Totally intentional because, like I said, a lot of Christmas songs are a bit rubbish, aren’t they? The inspiration for this was more ‘World in Motion’ – a tune that can hold its own any time of year. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s better during a World Cup, but you can hear it outside of a tournament and think, yeah, still a banger.
I think I’ve benefited from the fact that people look for any excuse for a party and it’s snowballed (no pun intended) and I sometimes feel like I’m just there in the background. It’s not my gig, it’s their gig.
The gigs have become just as beloved for their cover songs as they are for the surprise guests. I know the artists need to stay under wraps, but can you give us a little clue as to what you might be belting out… be as vague as you like?
I feel like this year’s more of a reflection of the 15 that have gone before. I’m not saying it’s a ‘best of’, but more of a looking at what worked well and trying it out again. Stuff that was hilarious or had a good vibe will be back. That said, it’s not all about the guests; it’s about the people who turn up. But what I will say to give you a little tidbit is that the ‘friends’ element will be emphasised with the song choice, and it’ll have a link to Sheffield. So, it’s not particularly cryptic, but if you think about it, you can find the answer there.
Joe Carnall Jnr & Friends XV heads to the Octagon Centre on Tues 23 December. Tickets (£25) available from sheffieldoctagon.com.
