The fifth annual MusicCity is expected to attract thousands of people to the area and is bigger than ever with 80 events in 40 venues over nine days.

Founder and organiser Grae Wall says: “There’s very few places that have the number of venues per square mile that St Albans does.

“We’re celebrating more than 50 years of music at The Pioneer Club,where I played as a young man, and it’s great to see young bands start there and then grow and perform at The Horn.

“We’ve got the Steampunk Ball at the museum and the launch event with Jim Rodford, and we’re very aware pubs have been going through a tough time but they’re putting on special events and we have a thriving independent record shop and we want to celebrate that.”

Highlights include:

-John Beeson and John Horlick from Chameleon Boy; James Kirby and the ‘beer money’ band, in a special celebration of the best of 2013 at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, Abbey Mill Lane, St Albans, 8.30-10.30pm.

-Sambuka will be performing at the Clock Tower in St Albans on March 15 from noon to 2pm.

-Guitar workshops with Clive Batkin on March 22 and 23 in the Old School Room, Church End, Redbourn.

-Swamp Blues band Finger Choppers at Empire Records on March 15 from 1pm, with Two Beats Apart at 1.45pm and The Shallows at 2.30pm

-Nick Stephenson performing with his band at Empire Records on March 15 and 22 and hosting open mic nights on March 18 and 19.

-Rap workshop with Adisa, March 22, 11am-1pm at The Pioneer Youth Centre, Heathlands Drive, St Albans.

See our interview with Jim Rodford, bassist with The Kinks, Argent and The Zombies here.

Full MusicCity programme here.