St Albans MusicCity 2014

St Albans MusicCity 2014: Saturday 15 - Sunday 23 March 2014

Enjoy over 80 gigs at 40 venues in nine days packed full of music at St Albans MusicCity!

St Albans has a rich musical history and continues to enjoy a dynamic music scene. Running from Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 March, MusicCity is a celebration of that scene with live events at venues across St Albans District. There will be everything from traditional folk, blues and jazz through to rock, indie, ska and pop.

One of the highlights of this diverse and vibrant festival is the Gospel Festival Day with master classes and performances by the London Community Gospel Choir. Others include a Steampunk ball with live music from Ghostfire, an open air samba session and choral music in the cathedral.

This year, MusicCity also celebrates more than 50 years of music at The Pioneer Club. The club has played a significant role in the musical life of the city providing performance opportunities for emerging bands. It hosted The Zombies’ first gigs in the 1960s and early performances by Enter Shikari in 2003. The venue’s history will be explored in an exhibition of archive material at the Museum of St Albans. Its valued position as a platform for new talent will also be celebrated at an all-day event featuring sets by local bands.

Alongside MusicCity’s packed programme of gigs, there are opportunities to take part in workshops, open mic and jam sessions throughout the festival. There will also be the chance to hear Jim Rodford, legendary bassist of The Kinks, Argent and The Zombies discuss his career and life in the music industry.

St Albans is the hometown of internationally renowned bands The Zombies, Friendly Fires and Enter Shikari. In the 1960s, the City was also a base for folk artists Maddy Prior, Tim Hart and Donovan. Other musicians with local links include John McKay (of Siouxsie and The Banshees) who attended the local Art and Design College. The college was the venue for early gigs by The Sex Pistols, The Damned and bands featuring Tracey Thorn before her days with Everything but the Girl. Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama / Shakespears Sister) also started her music career in St Albans when she jumped on stage with a local punk band.

Cllr Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement and Localism at St Albans City and District Council, said: “St Albans has a strong music heritage and vibrant music scene that is being celebrated with a nine-day music festival at St Albans MusicCity. Come along and listen to the acts that will be playing in the many venues scattered around this attractive City. From blues and jazz to rock and classical, there will be a range of entertainment to suit all musical tastes.”

St Albans is a compact city, and MusicCity provides the perfect opportunity to go from venue to venue taking in the sounds of today’s music scene. The City is also only just a short hop on the train from St Pancras – London (18 minutes). MusicCity will showcase to festival-goers the variety and quality of local music venues and performers that make St Albans such a vibrant musical city all year round!
For further details and to download the programme please visit: http://www.enjoystalbans.com/musiccity

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For more information visit http://www.enjoystalbans.com/musiccity/