FAIRPORT Convention, who are celebrating their 45th anniversary on the live music scene, are appearing at the Alban Arena next Tuesday, February 14.

The folk-rock band are stopping off in St Albans as part of this year’s Winter Tour which will feature songs from their most recent studio album, Festival Bell.

But the band have a vast repertoire to draw on and the concert, which starts at 7.30pm, will include favourites chosen by audiences as well as the new material.

There will also be an opening set from singer-songwriter Kieron Goss.

Fairport Convention features Simon Nicol on guitar and lead vocals, Dave Pegg on bass and backing vocals, Chris Leslie on fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki and lead vocals, Ric Sanders on violin and Gerry Conway on drums and percussion.

Tickets are available from the box office on 01727 844488 or go to www.alban-arena.co.uk

A one-man show based on John Gray’s self-help book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, is being performed at the Arena next Saturday, February 18.

The show has already been seen by over 700,000 people in Europe and is aimed at everyone who has been confronted with or irritated by incomprehensible behaviour on the part of the opposite sex.

It gets underway at 7.30pm.

n The Arena has revamped its cinema system with the aim of showing more films more often.

To demonstrate the new digital projector, bigger screen and Dolby surround, tickets for both films which are being shown next Thursday, February 16, are just �1.

They are Hugo at 11am and The Iron Lady at 2.30pm and 7.30pm,

The same two films are also being shown next Friday, February 17, when evening tickets are �6 with concessions �4 and matinee tickets are �4 including tea and coffee.

Movie-goers are being asked to leave their feedback either on forms in the foyer or online at facebook/albanarena with the chance of winning two tickets to every film for a year.