We want your band!

IT might be a city most renowned for its rich history, but mention St Albans to any music buff and a thriving hot-bed of band talent will spring to mind.

Although relatively small compared to other cities with a strong band culture, St Albans has no shortage of acts hailing from its buzzing music scene.

In recent years both Enter Shikari and Friendly Fires, born and bred St Albans bands, have taken the UK single and album charts by storm.

Enter Shikari, who are renowned for their wild and energetic gigs, started out playing at the Pioneer youth club and The Horn in their early days before going on to conquer the rest of the UK and the world.

But rewind over 40 years and St Albans was already bringing the world massive acts.

The Zombies formed in the city in 1961 and went on to become the rock band of the moment, shooting to worldwide fame with tracks like She's Not There and Tell Her No.

The city doesn't just produce talent either - it attracts it.

Many of the biggest acts in music have played at The Horn since it was launched as a live music venue in the '70s, including U2, Paul Young, Bad Manners and The Animals, as well as The Subways, The Zutons and Newton Faulkner in more recent years.

An accolade to the pub's solid reputation for showcasing the best up and coming bands is perhaps the fact that the legendary Radio DJ John Peel was a regular customer.

Other music venues in the city include the White Lion, White Hart Tap, the Farmers Boy, the Mermaid and the Golden Lion in London Colney. On a larger scale, both The Maltings Arts Theatre and the Alban Arena host regular gigs.

New and talented bands are constantly springing up around the local area and some of them are teetering on the brink of fully-fledged stardom.

If you are a local artist and think you should be featured, then call the newsdesk on 01727 866166 or email hertsad@archant.co.uk