Folk at The Maltings kicks off this January in style with a gig featuring three prominent local bands – St Albans-based trio Said the Maiden, St Albans regulars from Hoddesdon The Foxglove Trio, and Harpenden’s The Low Lamps. The three groups will be joined by Sue Graves, who has been singing on the Surrey folk scene since the 1970s.

Said the Maiden consists of Jess, Kathy and Hannah, whose sound comprises their own contemporary three-part vocal harmony arrangements of traditional folk songs, underlined with accompaniment on guitar, fiddle, ukulele and accordion.

Highlights of 2012 for the three included performances at the St Albans, Balstock and Bakewell music festivals, and the Redbourn, Watford, Letchworth, Leytonstone and Baldock folk clubs. They also reached third place in the 2012 St Albans Music City Unsigned competition, winning themselves a performance at the Music City Showcase at the Alban Arena on March 16.

The Foxglove Trio – Ffion, Patrick and Cathy – present a contemporary take on songs from all over the UK and they have performed all over the country too. Ffion sings in English and Welsh and plays whistle and bodhran, and was a St Albans Folk Music New Roots finalist in 2010. The trio are regular visitors to St Albans music venues.

The Low Lamps play a mixture of swinging electric Chicago blues and resonator guitar-led acoustic blues with a gospel/delta-tinged acoustic set. Ryan, on lead vocals, and Martyn, on guitar, have been playing together off and on for more than 20 years, and the Lamps were formed five years ago, with the addition of Jon on drums and Tom on bass.

  • Maltings Arts Theatre, Level 2 The Maltings, St Albans on Friday, January 11 at 8pm. Details: 0844 870 0887, www.stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk