Christmas with Hertfordshire Big Band

The Hertfordshire Big Band return to The Maltings Theatre on Saturday 5 December for their annual Christmas concert. It's become a popular fixture on the local calendar, and this year's set follows their usual festive formula: big band jazz paired with Christmas carols. If you're after a night of brass and reeds to kick off the December run, this is the one.

The venue itself has been part of St Albans' cultural scene for thirty years. Over that time, its stage has carried a wide range of names, from comedians like Eddie Izzard and Steven Berkoff to jazz figures like Jackie Dankworth and Stan Tracey. It's a space that's seen plenty of different styles pass through, and the Big Band's Christmas return is one of the more regular arrivals.

There was a period when the theatre was temporarily closed, but OVO took over the management in 2011 and has since re-established it as both a performance venue and an arts education space for children and young people. That second side—the teaching and youth work—runs alongside the public programme, so the building does more than just host gigs.

The concert is on 5 December at The Maltings Theatre in St Albans, with the Hertfordshire Big Band on the bill.