The Allotment is one of London’s newest and charming gigs nights around. Meet Anika and Lynn and learn some more about these lovely people and their adoration of cake!

What does 2010 hold for you?

Anika: Exciting things!

Lynn: A She Keeps Bees gig for one, that’s on the 27th January at a new venue called The Black Heart in Camden, which is a bit bigger than The Betsey Trotwood, where we’ve been ’til now. And we’ve got another very very exciting gig coming up in February. Apart from those we don’t know yet, but I really really want to get Mechanical Bride to play sometime because I think she’s magical.

Where did the idea for The Allotment come from, and what about the name?

Anika: I can’t remember where the idea for The Allotment came from, or even how Lynn and I got to be friends. I remember that we did something in Wetherspoons after the Au Revoir Simone instore at Pure Groove and decided that Martha Wainwright is allowed to play if she wants to. From that point, I have no idea how it actually came to be. Lynn came up with the name after a long think in her old house in Acton.

Lynn: I can’t really remember either. I think Anika and I just saw each other around at gigs quite a lot and started chatting about putting our own one on. We wanted the name to be welcoming and something we could have fun with. I also work on a magazine called Horticulture Week so I spose that might’ve had something to do with it. It got into my brain.

Tell us about your dream line-up for TA?

Anika: Mine would be an all-dayer at Union Chapel, featuring: Wildbirds & Peacedrums, The Antlers, Scary Mansion, Sharon Van Etten, Forest Fire, Cryptacize, Parenthetical Girls, St. Vincent, She Keeps Bees, Alessi and Beach House. Aaaaand Rilo Kiley circa 2002.

Lynn: Since it’s a dream I’m going big and saying the Southbank Centre. Or the Royal Albert Hall. I’d like The Mountain Goats, Jeffrey Lewis, Laura Marling, Mechanical Bride, Blitzen Trapper, the Leisure Society, Alela Diane, Willy Mason, Peggy Sue, Emmy the Great, The Eels, Diane Cluck, She Keeps Bees and St Vincent. If we’re allowed people from the past I’d like The Band please. Oh… and Dolly Parton.

There are plenty of smaller event organisers in London – what makes The Allotment different?

Anika: I don’t know. We’re only going to put great acts on, and, the same with all the stuff I do, I hope it comes across just how much I love the music and that other people can love it too. I am literally besides myself with joy that She Keeps Bees are playing at the next one, because I love their music so much and think they are a brilliant live band. We want to make the show really special for them. We want all our shows to be really special for everyone involved- punters and artists alike.

Lynn: Our shows so far have had a really great atmosphere, I think. Everyone’s stayed quiet for the acts and it’s been really friendly. Also we make tiffin and there’s tons of free cake – provided by Helen from For Folk’s Sake and our friend Arabella.

What other nights do you recommend?

Anika: Oh! So many. I recommend my lovely friends over at The Local, because they put on some amazing shows with truly wonderful artists. HungaMunga because everyone likes to make stuff. I’m a big fan of getting glue all over my hands then peeling it off. My friend Emil runs Witches Hat, I’ve not yet been to one but I’m going to go soon and it sounds super lovely. Also, The Moonshine Jamboree is wonderful, as is ILL FIT, run by The Line of Best Fit man Rich Thane. I also think Platforms Live put on some of the best shows in London.

Lynn: I second Platforms in a big way. It’s brilliant. Also Rockfeedback, which sounds like it’d be noisy but also puts on some great folk nights too. They’ve got one coming up with Peggy Sue and Tristram on the Tamesis. Also Oh Inverted World puts on some fantastic acts.

What’s your best gig so far?

Anika: Best Allotment show? I think the last one with Caitlin Rose was really lovely, but I did also really enjoy Alessi’s performance at the one before.

Lynn: Mine was the Caitlin Rose show too. Every act was just perfect. And because we’d done it a few times by then it seemed a bit less daunting.

Anika and Lynn – how did you both meet?

Anika: I can’t remember. We met at Bandstand Busking but I can’t remember why. DESTINY!

Lynn: Yeah, we first spoke at Bandstand Busking, but I’d been reading Anika’s blog for ages before that. And we’d emailed each other a couple of times I think. Also she’d fainted on my sister’s friend at a Laura Marling/Mumford and Sons/Cherbourg/Peggy Sue gig at Cargo.

Tell us about your other projects?

Anika: I write this blog here: http://anikainlondon.wordpress.com/ Soon to be .com. Yeah! Moving up in the world! I do lots of drawings and comics and make videos and stuff too. It’s fun.

Lynn: I run For Folk’s Sake with my friend Helen, who I’ve known since 6th form. We bonded over a shared love of The Eels and Kings of Convenience, I think, and have been best friends ever since. The site covers music we think is good. We have news, album and live reviews, and band recommendations and interviews. We’ve got a team of about 20 regular contributors who are great and write most of our reviews and Helen and I mainly write news, interview bands and do behind-the-scenes stuff.

What are your recommendations for acts in 2010?

Anika: I’d like to recommend lots of people because I love so much stuff. Firstly: SHE KEEPS BEES! I’d like to recommend this amazing duo from the bottom of my heart, because not only do they make such brilliant music, they are two of the warmest, loveliest people you could ever hope to meet. I love them hugely. The Antlers , because ‘Hospice’ is the most amazing record I’ve heard this year. They are such a genuine, sincere, powerful band with so much passion and such heartfelt, heart-breaking songs. They play Union Chapel on March 3rd- it will be incredible. Scary Mansion because Leah Hayes is one of the most creatively talented folk about, she is an amazing illustrator as well as musician. Her voice is beautiful. Forest Fire because their music is brilliant. Lulu & The Lampshades because they are so fun live, and I think 2010 will be a good year for them- the same for the wonderful Tristram. Alessi because everything she does in her life is beautiful. Ema and the Ghosts because I thinks she’s amazing and I don’t understand why everyone hasn’t fallen in love with her yet. Best Friends Forever because they are super fun. Sharon Van Etten because her voice will touch your soul. There’s so much beautiful music out there.

Lynn: Gosh, there’s no way I can top Anika’s but I’ll think of some people she’s not mentioned who I’m really looking forward to hearing stuff from. Peggy Sue and Laura Marling’s albums are both due out next year and I’m really looking forward to both of them I think Mechanical Bride’s will hopefully be out next year too. If you’ve not heard her seek out her EP, though, because it’s amazing. The new Wilkommen act The Climbers has Nick and Christian from The Leisure Society in it and what I’ve heard so far sounds really good. A new-ish band I really love is I Said Yes, who opened our first Allotment show. They must have a terrible time getting together to practice and play gigs because they come from all over the country, but when they do it’s brill. An artist who isn’t new but is new to me is Nancy Elizabeth. Anika and I saw her a few weeks ago at the Borderline and I thought she was wonderful, and really funny and charming. I highly recommend her album Wrought Iron. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Justin Hayward-Young (once Jay Jay Pistolet)’s new incarnation is like. I loved his stuff as JJP. Also Andrew Davie from Cherbourg is a really excellent songwriter, so it’ll be good to see what he comes up with now he’s gone solo.

Thanks guys!!

The next Allotment show is on January 27th with She Keeps Bees. Tickets here. And if you have Twitter you can be our Twitter friend . And hold February 28th, we have an amazing show to announce soon… but we can’t tell you who just yet! Shhh!