Music

From The Jam, featuring former The Jam bassist Bruce Foxton and Russell Hastings, bring their acoustic tour to Hertford Corn Exchange on 15th March. Box Offcie 01992584322. Bruce and Russell will be performing a selection of songs from The Jam’s extensive back catalogue and songs from Bruce’s new album Back In The Room as well as handing over the microphone to the audience for a question and answer session.

Alban is a two act community opera involving over 150 performers which has been commissioned by the St. Albans Cathedral Music Trust. It will be given five performances (including a matinee) in St. Albans Cathedral between May 20-24 2009, bringing together a wealth of local talent. Singers, actors, dancers and musicians of all ages drawn principally, though not exclusively, from parish and school choirs across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire will join a core of experienced professional performers.

I've seen Think Floyd a few times now and they never disappoint. Of course playing the music of Pink Floyd means you have an amazing musical back catalogue to work through. And for the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd they did just that, playing something from each album. Personally I have little love for the very earliest and latest albums in their history, but it made for an opportunity to hear some pieces that I had long since forgotten. I could happily just have Dark Side of The Moon and Wish You Were Here back to back and go home smiling, so I suppose good to make me broaden my horizons.

Appearing at Kimpton Memorial Hall on Saturday Feb 11th 2023 is the only show in the UK dedicated to performing the great songs of American classic rock, from late 1960s through to the 1990s. From The Eagles to The Doors, Fleetwood Mac to Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd to ZZ Top, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, The Byrds and Neil Young and many points in between. American music is defined by rich harmonies and classic song-writing that evokes long open roads and small town life. During a 2+ hours show you will hear the best of American music.

Romantic Russian music comes to St Albans Abbey on Saturday June 25th with performances of some of the most colourful and passionate scores ever composed for orchestra (7.30pm).

Reviewing a tribute band will always be difficult. Do they sound as good as the original? Do they look the part? Thankfully ABBA Forever came up positive on all these points and I believe the sold-out crowd at the Radlett Centre would back me on this.

Wednesday 1st July, 2009 is a date to put in your diaries! St Michael’s Village, St Albans will be filled with music, dance and fun for all.

There was a real family affair at the Alban Arena on January 20th. Friends, family and fans of the late great rock musician Jim Rodford gathered at the theatre to pay tribute to a local hero. At the side of the stage under a spotlight was a poignant reminder of the musician who had died in St Albans 12 months earlier – his bass guitar and hat.

ABBA Forever is one of the UK’s leading International tribute shows and theatre audiences from across Great Britain and Sweden have long enjoyed this superb recreation of possibly the world‘s greatest pop band. The unique Abba sound is replicated with an incredible attention to detail, using a six-piece band featuring electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards and piano, drums and bass guitar. Two outstanding Abba girls complete the line-up, adding the essential glitz and glamour to a well-polished and gently humorous show. The superb lyrics penned by Benny and Bjorn are sung in wonderful harmony by all six performers on stage.

I never got round to seeing David Bowie live and of course I never will now, so the opportunity to see a highly-rated tribute act on my doorstep was not to be missed. The sound at the Harpenden Halls has been pretty ropey in the past, but from the first notes it was clear that this band had their own PA and had made an effort to get the sound right. The show consisted of two sets, with the first one comprising of songs from his great period in the early seventies - Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane. The costumes and sound was pretty much spot on. The band were note perfect and classic after classic followed.