Christof van der Ven

I tell you a bit about myself cause I hate writing a biography

I grew up in a small village called Handel, near Eindhoven in the southeast of The Netherlands. I had a normal upbringing with some of the sweetest parents who have always been supportive of me playing music. My dad played the guitar and sang old sixties Dutch folk and the classics like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. My mum played classical flute and sang classical songs.

As soon as I was done with university I worked with the local gardener for a few months to save up some money to move to Ireland and so I did. Just turned 21 and not a care in the world I flew to Dublin and got the train straight to Galway city. I worked there as a waiter for a bit before I started busking out on the high street. Whilst immersing myself in the music scene I realized that making music is what I wanted to do for sure. I met some of the kindest and most honest people who I shared music with for many years and who gave me a fundament to start my career from and brought me all over the country and the world playing music. Ireland is dear to my heart.

4 years after getting off that train in Galway I decided that I needed to make a move. I moved home to catch up with my family and friends properly and worked in the nursing home where my mother had been working for a few years.

In December 2011, I moved to London to establish myself in the music scene. This proved rather difficult. I got a job as a pot-washer in a restaurant and worked my way up in the ladder as you do in the kitchen world. I’ve met some of my best friends in these next couple of years and learned how to cook.
Whilst working as a chef I also supported on tours with my friends The Staves, The Boxer Rebellion and Bear’s Den. And I’ve released several EP’s including Love’s Glory and Montréal.

Since April last year, I joined Bear’s Den as a session musician and I have the best time since….