24 Aug 2026
Alex Assadian takes a deep dive into the music scene in St Albans and how it has become an intrinsic part of the city’s arts and culture…
If like me, you are a local resident who came for the transport links, schools and prettiness of the city and are now a full fledged convert, but feel you’ve barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer, we’re here to offer a look at the past, present and future of St Albans’ rich music scene…
A cursory glance on Google might reveal the obvious venues of the Alban Arena and The Horn, but you might be surprised to know how many other places champion local artists and host travelling acts. With music lovers managing venues dotted around the city, you could in fact be spoilt for choice for live music.
Local venues for music acts include The Old Toll House pub (formerly the Rat’s Castle), the Mad Squirrel, The Blacksmith’s Arms, The White Swan, The Mermaid, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, The Garibaldi, Saint and Sinner, The Goat Inn, The Boot, The Beehive, Hub on Verulam, Peahen, The Farmer’s Boy and The County Club…
For the nearest thing to a proper dance-fest, the Havana club and Club Veeda are where to go at the weekend. Festivals are regularly hosted in Verulamium Park and at Oaklands College, and live jazz music can be heard on summer Sundays in Clarence Park.
Local churches such as St Peter’s, St Saviour’s, Verso Vineyard church and St Paul’s all host religious and classical concerts or even fully fledged festivals like Beer and Fizz, where live music forms an intrinsic part of the event.
OVO present musicals at the Roman Theatre Festival throughout the summer and even the Abbey Theatre has occasional concerts. For something more niche, look no further than the St Albans Organ Theatre which continues to host organ recitals in between the bi-annual International Organ Festival. Keep an eye out for ad hoc performances at the Sandpit Theatre which include occasional concerts, and the Trestle Theatre Company runs shows for and by ‘All About Me’ which include choir performers with learning difficulties.
In its heyday, the much-missed Club Batchwood hosted none other than Kanye West, Sean Paul and Tinchy Stryder.
Older residents will remember when the Town Hall used to have dances and formal balls in the Assembly Rooms, and when the Alban Arena was the St Albans City Hall (which opened in 1968) it hosted such acts as AC/DC, Dire Straits and U2. The Waterend Barn used to be the place to be on a Saturday night for a boogie and the Blacksmith’s Arms was where you’d go to see bands such as The Zombies live during the 1960s.
The Zombies played a lot locally during this period, often at the Old Verulamium RFC in Cotlandswick or at Beech Bottom.
Further back in time, the dance halls of yesteryear were popular haunts for youngsters hitting the dating scene and included The Victoria Dancehall (also known as The Victoria Ballroom) on the corner of Victoria Street and Lattimore Road opposite the Acorn pub.
Others included Falkner Hall, Central Hall above the Co-op at the top of Victoria Street with its Saturday night dances and a trusty old record player, Culver Hall in Culver Road, Market Hall and The Spot where the splash park is now in London Colney.
Then there was the Ballito social club (the hosiery factory on the site of what is now Morrisons), the Drill Hall (the old Territorial Army base on Bernards Heath) in Harpenden Road, and the Adult School (later the Conservative Club in Stanhope Road).
The Odyssey cinema was originally an Odeon and hosted pop and rock acts in the 1960s including Billy Fury and the Rolling Stones on their first ever tour! The St Albans Folk Club used to tour and perform at venues like The Peahen and The Goat. The St Albans City Band were blessed to have one regular place and would rehearse and put on concerts at their Bandroom on Sopwell Lane.
The Pioneer Club has been a treasure trove and safehaven for music lovers since its doors opened 1941. Since the 1960s it has been championing local and travelling music acts. It regularly hosted The Zombies, as they rehearsed their work-in-progress early material.
Past performers have included Motorhead, Rudimental, Seth Lakeman, Judge Jules and Declan McKenna. In modern times, their Glastonbury weekender is a joyous celebration for those who didn’t snap up tickets for the festival itself; they show the acts live on the big screen, with a well-stocked bar, activities for the kids and a fab atmosphere. The Pioneer often host open mic set-ups such as the U18s open band night, as well as themed days/nights – perhaps a Youphoria Ecstatic Day Rave or a Northern Soul night? Phil Hartnoll from Orbital is a familiar face, back regularly for a DJ set at the ‘Retired Ravers’ club night.
The Horn really deserves its own section. It’s a bonafide institution for music, past, present and future. Keep an eye on its listings – you never know who’ll pop up, from stars in the making to cherished bands of yesteryear (Ash played in June this year). The Horn offers live music six nights a week, featuring a mix of original bands, cover bands, tribute bands, and even comedy acts. It’s known as a grassroots music venue and has been recognised for its support of up-and-coming artists, even being named a Musicians Union ‘Fair Play’ venue.
Founded in 1974 as a pub (The Railway Hotel) it became music venue The Horn of Plenty in the ‘90s. Now just ‘The Horn’, it’s a place of urban legends… John Peel was a frequent customer. Kim Wilde used to work behind the bar. Vinnie Jones’ mum was the manager for a while. Singer Paul Young of such hits as ‘Everytime you Go Away’ and ‘Don’t Dream it’s Over’ started there playing every Monday with his band.
Over the decades, it’s had great success and still puts on 100 acts a month, a staggering feat in this day and age, especially having survived the lockdowns that were the death knell for so many other independent music venues.
The Horn has played a key role in getting artists out there in their early days of touring and becoming known, from U2 to Yungblud, Motorhead to Chrissie Hynde.
As venue programmer Luke Hinton told the St Albans Times: “We’re not just focusing on the last 50 years, we’re still supporting new and emerging artists. After all, without places like The Horn you won’t have the acts to eventually headline Glastonbury.”
They’ve proven just that, by championing and providing a stage for local emerging artists such as Tom Grennan, Friendly Fires, The Subways and Enter Shikari, all of whom cut their teeth at The Horn and did indeed, make it to the stages of Glastonbury.
In a digital age and with the pull of London and its plethora of music venues on the doorstep, does St Albans still have what it takes to put on nights that surprise and enthral, and entice locals along? It certainly seems so. The Alban Arena seems to be packed to the rafters month after month, The Pioneer Club is ever-evolving with a varied range of music events and he Horn doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere and is quite the juggernaut when it comes to new talent. The summer schedule looks jam-packed with music nights at local pubs and the theatres have plenty of gigs and musicals for fans of all genres.
Looking to the future, the Cathedral is ever-inventive, embracing the splendour of the site and some impressive acoustics, with modern and creative ways to enjoy it.
Silent disco or gigs by candlelight in the evenings within the nave of the cathedral are truly immersive and magical. Likewise, audio-visual light shows with music take you away into the midst of an experiential spectacle, whilst lunchtime concerts allow people to pop by for a quick fix that transports you.
And the very latest to grace the St Albans music scene? 1111AM Club led by DJ Lauren is popping up on ad hoc basis around town with morning DJ sets in cafés and coffee shops creating quite the stir with some epic tunes alongside your mid-morning caffeine fix. Follow her on Instagram to see where she’ll pop up next (most recently, she was at The Pioneer Club, see picture special later in this week’s issue).
And bagel/coffee hub and all round hipster hotspot Brad and Dills puts on Friday and Saturday nights with wine, cheese and beats that bring out the cool cats. Dinner with a vibe is now the thing also and you can enjoy DJs spinning vinyl at Hazels, or live jazz at the Ivy Brasserie alongside cocktails. Ayo’s grill and restaurant have live music every Friday and Saturday evening and Fade to Black in Marshalswick have Sunday Songwriter Session where you can enjoy acoustic sets with a drink.
On hot nights where you’re feeling lethargic, or cold nights when you’re all cosy, do make sure you drag yourself out of your living rooms to support these local venues. It would be a sore loss indeed to see the music scene in St Albans fizzle out in any way and it is the support of local audiences that ensure we’ll see the city and its many artists, bands and amateur groups go from strength to strength.
