THE HORN HISTORY
We believe our building was originally a hotel known as The Railway Hotel, with The Midland Railway Hotel located opposite, both positioned next to St Albans City Station. As early as the 1960s, the venue hosted occasional live performances, before becoming a public house called The Horn of Plenty in the early 1970s.
During the 1970s, it established itself as a respected live music venue, run by Bob Andrews and later by the mother of Vinnie Jones, a reflection of its strong local roots. While details from the 1980s and early 1990s are less documented, the venue’s reputation for live music continued throughout this period. (If you have any information from this era, we’d love to hear from you.)
In 1994, The Horn of Plenty underwent refurbishment and was renamed The Horn Reborn. A further redevelopment in 2007 saw the venue relaunched simply as The Horn, the name it proudly carries today. The venue has since won UK Music Pub of the Year (twice) and UK Entertainment Pub of the Year.
Another refurbishment followed in 2012, helping to secure the long-term future of the venue.
Juicebox Live became programming partners in 2013, introducing a consistent and ambitious live music schedule that has helped shape The Horn into one of the UK’s leading grassroots venues.
Throughout its history, The Horn has supported artists at the earliest stages of their careers, many of whom have gone on to achieve major success. These include U2, Motörhead, Bastille, Enter Shikari, Friendly Fires, Gallows, The Subways and Paul Young. More recently, the venue has hosted intimate and secret warm-up shows from globally recognised artists such as Yungblud, Tom Grennan, Chrissie Hynde, Tom Walker and Years & Years.
The Horn is proud to play an active role in the UK’s grassroots music ecosystem and works closely with Music Venue Trust.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals linked to the venue contributed to national coordination efforts supporting venues across the UK. This involvement continues today through ongoing work within the sector.
Through its partnership with Juicebox Live, all ticket purchases include the option for audiences to donate directly to Music Venue Trust, supporting the long-term sustainability of grassroots venues nationwide.
Today, The Horn continues to thrive as a dynamic live music venue, hosting hundreds of events each year and welcoming thousands of music fans through its doors. With a programme spanning emerging talent, touring artists and special events, alongside continued investment in sound, lighting and facilities, The Horn remains a cornerstone of the UK grassroots music scene.
BACK IN THE DAY
The legendary John Peel was a frequent customer.
Kym Wilde used to work behind the bar.
Paul Young started here playing every Monday with his band Street Band
WHO’S PLAYED AT THE HORN
BANDS
A
Adrian Edmundson
Albert Lee 94
Alfie Templeman
All Tvvins
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
Arcane Roots
Argent
Art Brut
Arthur Brown
Ash
Avalanche Party
Bad Manners
Bastille
Beans on Toast
Bernie Marsden
Bert Jansch
Bez (Happy Mondays)
Big Country
Big Spring
Billy Lockett
Black Honey
Black Peaks
Bleanavon
Bloxx
Bob Vylan
British Sea Power
Bull
Chas & Dave
China Crisis
Chris Difford
Chris Farlowe
Chrissie Hynde
Circa Waves
Cruz Beckham
Declan McKenna
Declan Welsh & The Decadent West
Discharge
Dodgy
Don Broco
DZ Deathrays
Echobelly
Eddie and The Hotrods
Eliza & The Bear
Emma McGrath
Enter Shikari
Everyone You Know
Fatherson
Fearless Vampire Killers
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes
Friendly Fires
From The Jam
Gallows
Gaz Coombes
Geno Washington
Girl Band
Ginger Wildhearts
Glen Tilbrook
Half Man Half Biscuit
Haunt The Woods
Hayseed Dixie
Hazel O'Connor
Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers)
Honeyblood
Ian Prowse & Amsterdam
James Taylor Quartet
JAWS
Jesus Jones
John Otway
King Creosote
Lady Bird
Lera Lynn
Life
Mallory Knox
Marillion
Metz
Mike Peters (The Alarm)
Missing Andy
Mother Earth
Motorhead
My Life Story
Newton Faulkner
Neville Staple (The Specials)
Night Beats
Nine Below Zero
October Drift
Osibisa
Paul Young
Pete Best (original Beatles drummer)
Pip Blom
Pretty Vicious
Roy Harper
Red Rum Club
Reef
Reeves Gabrels
Reverend & The Makers
Rews
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Robyn Hitchcock
Sad Night Dynamite
Sade
Sam Brown
Sea Girls
Shame
She Drew The Gun
Sikth
Slaves
Slow Club
Sonic Boom Six
Space
Spring King
Strange Bones
Sundara Karma
Teleman
Ten Tonnes
Thomas Headon
The Almighty
The Amazons
The Big Moon
The Blow Monkeys
The Bluetones
The Hamsters
The Hunna
The Hoosiers
The K’s
The Lafontaines
The Lone Bellow
The Magic Gang
The Night Cafe
The Pretty Things
The Primitives
The Professionals
The Rutles
The Selecter
The Sherlocks
The Skints
The Slow Readers Club
The Spitfires
The Subways
The Vibrators
The Wytches
The Xcerts
The Zutons
Trash Boat
Tom Grennan
Tom Meighan
Toploader
Toyah Wilcox
Turin Brakes
TV Smith
U2
UK Subs
Warmduscher
Wheatus
Wilko Johnson
Willie J Healey
Wishbone Ash
Wolfsbane
Wreckless Eric
Yak
Yonaka
Yungblud
Zebrahead
Zuzu
DJ's
Andy C
Brandon Block
Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets)
Dreadzone
Goldie
Grooverider
