Another recording of Toyah with Rock Choir, at Birmingham Symphony Hall last weekend… A little less “Somewhere in the distance…” than the previous one. (Thanks to Janine)
Toyah performing at yesterday’s Rock Choir event in Birmingham Symphony Hall. ‘It’s A Mystery’, ‘Angel In You’ and ‘Sensational’. Sounding great with the choir.
Rock Choir 2014 takes place today and this evening at Birmingham Symphony Hall.
Toyah has been tweeting about the event over the last couple of days.
“RockChoir Choir sounds absolutely mega. Sensational, Angel In You, Mystery….WOW, i cant wait“, “Just rehearsed Rock Choir B’ham Symphony hall. Moved me to tears. Crimson Queen songs are Sensational“.
• Browse all of Dreamscape’s Rock Choir related news here.
Stourbridge Rock Choir set to rub shoulders with singing star Toyah Willcox
Members of Stourbridge Rock Choir will be rubbing shoulders with singing star Toyah Willcox this Saturday (July 19) at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.
They will be forming part of the Midlands Rock Choir who will be giving a concert at the Birmingham venue starting at 8pm.
• Continue reading at Stourbridge News.
Toyah appeared on BBC Midlands Today last week, talking about being part of Rock Choir.
Great photo of Toyah’s first rehearsal with the Rock Choir on Tuesday. She performs with them on 19th July at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. This will include a version of ‘Sensational’. View the full photo at Toyah’s Official Twitter or Instagram. Click on the photo to visit the Rock Choir website. (Photo © Toyah Willcox Ltd)
Punk icon Toyah Willcox will become an honorary member of the UK’s largest contemporary choir next week.
The actress and singer will visit a Rock Choir session at Pitmaston Primary School, Malvern Road, Worcester, on Tuesday, June 24 at 8pm ahead of joining the choir for a special performance at the Birmingham Symphony Hall on Saturday, July 19.
The Birmingham show will be used to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust after the choir was inspired by the multi-million charity efforts of Stephen Sutton.
• Continue reading at Worcester News. Toyah also tweeted earlier: “Learning Rock Choir arrangement of Sensational 4 B’ham Symphony Hall 19th july. pure joy. Had Wild nite @ Pinewood Studios“.
A famous face known to millions across the country joined members of Great Malvern Rock Choir in performing a grand concert at one of the nation’s finest settings.
Singer and actress Toyah Willcox joined the Malvern group and other Rock Choirs across the West Midlands for two very special performances on Saturday, July 19 at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.
Audience members were treated to Toyah’s classic hit ‘Mystery’ as well as Rock Choir’s performance of uplifting songs such as ‘Livin On A Prayer’, ‘Proud’ and ‘True Colours’.
• Continue reading at the Malvern Observer.
Stourbridge choir members join Toyah at fundraising concert
Stourbridge Rock Choir members joined forces with punk legend Toyah Willcox at a concert in Birmingham.
Singers from the town group formed part of the Midlands Rock Choir who took to the stage for a fundraising concert at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Saturday July 19.
Choir leader, Christa Hugo, who runs weekly Rock Choir sessions in Stourbridge, was thrilled with her choir members’ performance.
• Continue reading at Stourbridge News.
Toyah Willcox is joining the Midland members of Rock Choir for two performances at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.
Toyah Willcox is taking to the stage in her home city – along with a 1,000-strong choir.
The actress and singer, who grew up in Kings Heath, is joining the Midland members of Rock Choir for two performances at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. She is taking on the gig after making friends with Caroline Redman Lusher, the founder of Rock Choir which featured on the ITV series The Choir That Rocks.
The pair were introduced by Simon Darlow, chairman of BASCA – the British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. All three of them have written a new song which will be unveiled at the Symphony Hall gigs.
• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.
A city choir has hit the right note after recruiting an 80s music icon ahead of one of its biggest ever shows.
Toyah Willcox will get on stage with Worcester Rock Choir at a roof-raising concert on Saturday, July 19 in the spectacular surroundings of Birmingham Symphony Hall.
The choir will be performing a number of Toyah’s hits at the event, which will include a collection for the Teenage Cancer Trust as members were inspired by teenager Stephen Sutton who died last month after raising millions for the cause.
• Continue reading at the Worcester Observer.
• ITV Press Centre: Confirmed: Through The Keyhole returns Saturday 30th August at 9.25pm on ITV.
• The Big Issue: Biographer Graeme Thomson: “Kate Bush changed perceptions”: We can trace that line down through everyone from Toyah to people like Florence and the Machine and other modern women. But it goes much deeper than that – Continue reading…
• BBC Radio 4 Extra: A Good Read: Tom Sutcliffe, Mavis Nicholson and Toyah Willcox discuss books by Anne Tyler, Ben Okri and F Scott Fitzgerald. From March 1998. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Famished Road by Ben Okri, Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler. Listen to the programme, which originally aired in March 1998, at BBC iPlayer…
• The Shuttle: Rock Choir concert is ‘literally electrifying’: Members of Kifferminster Rock Choir joined singer and actress Toyah Willcox for two special performances in Birmingham – Continue reading…
• This Is The West Country: ‘Best and biggest’ Falmouth Week draws in 100,000 people: The party nights at Events Square also drew thousands of people across the week with many adopting fancy dress to add to the atmosphere. Performances by East 17, Toyah Willcox, Fleetwood Bac, Bon Giovi, Joey and the Lips, Company B and Cornwall’s own Rudi’s Message and Kernow King went down a storm – Continue reading…
• Sugar Rush: Fan Of The Month: I’ve received some really lovely responses to the interview I gave to Sugar Rush in the week since it was made available – Thanks to those who got in touch and thanks again to Paul for asking – Read it here…
• Essential Ephemera: Trees and Flowers #2, 1980: Is the future going to be a Nightmare? – Rare fanzine which includes a review of ‘The Blue Meaning’, download, via Mediafire, at this blog…
• The Shuttle: Toyah Willcox to join with Kidderminster Rock Choir at show: Singer and actress Toyah Willcox is joining members of Kidderminster Rock Choir for a special performance in Birmingham next Saturday (July 19) – Continue reading…
• Loughborough Echo: Toyah joins rock choir: Toyah Willcox, who has had a career spanning 30 years, joined Rock Choir founder, Caroline Redman Lusher and more than a hundred Midlands Rock Choir members for a very special rehearsal in Worcester ahead of the performances on Saturday July, 19 in Birmingham – Continue reading…
• The Gazette: X-Factor and BGT stars set for free resort gig: Five-piece boy band Kingsland Road, who came ninth in the last series of The X-Factor, will open the show at St John’s Square on Saturday. Black Lace and N-Trace are among those who will take to the stage before the former first lady of punk, Toyah Willcox, closes the show – Continue reading…
• An Evening With Toyah Willcox: Watch Toyah’s appearance/talk at Say What?, Waterstones, Deansgate in Manchester on Tuesday 10th June at You Tube… (Thanks Paul)
• An Evening With Toyah Willcox: Tickets for Toyah’s appearance/talk at Say What?, Waterstones, Deansgate in Manchester on Tuesday 10th June are now on sale (via telephone booking or at the venue) – Official Page…
• SohoCreate: Toyah is also guesting at the first SohoCreate festival/event in early June – Further info here…
• Independent.ie: This Week’s Birthdays: Toyah Willcox, singer and TV presenter, is 56 – Continue reading…
• Salisbury and Stonehenge: This week in Salisbury history: 18th – 25th May: •18th May 1958 – birthday of Toyah. Toyah lived in Reddish House in Broadchalke for some time – Continue reading…
• Lechlade Music Festival: 2014 Programme: Toyah headlines the first night of this festival, at the Riverside venue, on Friday 23rd May (this Friday!) – Visit website…
• Namechecking!: Mentions for Toyah in a couple of recent online press articles: NME: Happy Mondays to perform at Bez’s ‘Frack-Free Sunday’ event next month – Toyah Willcox and Bad Manners also confirmed for all-day event at Fleetwood FC’s Highbury Stadium – Continue reading… Stourbridge News: Stourbridge Rock Choir raises £800 for cancer sufferers – They have a summer concert coming up at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on July 19 when celebrity guest Toyah Wilcox will join them – Continue reading…
• The Humans in America #1: The Humans’ first West Coast USA live date is tonight!! At the Triple Door Club, Seattle – Wishing the band a great, sold out, gig!
• The Humans in America #2: Toyah has been tweeting over the last few days about The Humans: “THE HUMANS r sounding awesome….really excited as TRIPLE DOOR is a sell out“… “THE HUMANS are sounding fab. it’s a five piece presently….sax added“… “I love THE HUMANS so much! STRANGE TALES material is rocking“.
• Willamette Week: Slow Music, the Humans: It’s In The Name – Over four-plus decades, visionary prog-rock legend Robert Fripp has founded and maintained King Crimson, performed in other ensembles like the League of Crafty Guitarists and appeared on literally hundreds of releases, including celebrated albums with Brian Eno, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, David Sylvian and many others – Continue reading…
• Seattle KEXP 90.3FM: Track #7 was included in Larry Mizell Jr’s show playlist: The Slow Music Project is directed by Bill Rieflin and features Peter Buck, Fred Chalenor, Matt Chamberlain, and Robert Fripp. You can catch them at the Triple Door on April 14 and 15 – View here…
• Official Toyah: Toyah Joins Rock Choir This July…: Toyah will be joining Caroline Redman Lusher and 1,000 Midlands Rock Choir members for a very special performance this July at Birmingham Symphony Hall which include a new song written by Toyah, Simon Darlow and Caroline – Continue reading…
• Chester Chronicle: Spend this summer travelling back to the Eighties: Rewind The 80s Music Festival cwill take place in the beautiful surroundings of Capethorne Hall, situated between Maccesfield and Wilmslow, on Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 31 – Continue reading…
• Somer Valley 97.5FM: Read a full transcript of Toyah’s recent interview at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive…
• Rainbow Hair Colour: Pink Hair – It’s A Love Affair: In the past the music industry has had it’s share of pink haired divas, Cyndi Lauper and Toyah Willcox are some of the earliest… 1980′s Toyah Willcox trend-setter with her paintbox pink locks – Continue reading…
• Live 2014: It’s a busy weekend of gigs for Toyah. Tonight she plays the Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne and tomorrow night the Jazz Cafe, Camden. Both of these are Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits…Live! dates. On Sunday Toyah plays The Great British Alternative Music Festival in Minehead. Further info on that here.
• Plymouth Herald: Here’s Johnny!: Razorlight, The Feeling, Boomtown Rats, Toyah, Heaven 17, The Real Thing and Hayseed Dixie are set to make this year’s Volksfest the biggest and best yet – Continue reading…
• Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits…Live! – Neon Womb, at The Apex on Saturday – View at You Tube.
• 11 Polaroids: Derek Jarman: 21 photographs: It’s 20 years since Derek Jarman‘s (1942-1994) death, but his films continue to inspire audiences with his romantic and subversive imagery – Continue reading…
• Rock Choir: Rock Choir Live at the Birmingham Symphony Hall: Over 1,000 Rock Choir members from across The Midlands present two unique performances of uplifting, feel-good songs, featuring special guests Toyah Willcox and Caroline Redman Lusher – Continue reading…
• Electric Sheep Magazine: Jubilee: To mark the BFI’s two-month season on the work of Derek Jarman, which runs until the end of March at BFI Southbank, Lee Christien takes an illustrated look at one of Jarman’s best and most original films, Jubilee – Continue reading…
The latest Breaking Through, Toyah’s Official Newsletter, was mailed out to subscribers at the weekend. As always it was packed with Toyah news.
This included updates on Toyah’s live dates for 2014, Vintage TV, BBC Radio 2’s Sound Of The Eighties, The Tempest @ BFI, 3 Sides Of The Coin, Dun Punkin, One Voice at Rotherham, Rock Choir at Birmingham, The Humans and Dreamchild.
• Subscribe: For full info on all of the above, and to receive future issues of the newsletter, sign up to ‘Breaking Through: The Official Toyah Mailing List’ here.
As mentioned on Sunday, the latest Breaking Through, Toyah’s Official Newsletter, has been mailed out to subscribers. The ‘Winter 2013’ issue contains a veritable feast of Toyah news and info. Here’s a summary of what’s included:
• Toyah Live 2014: Numerous dates announced for throughout next year, including Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! (see our seperate news post on this); Acoustic, Up Close & Personal; plus other dates, including PAs and festivals, and a performance at Rock Choir at Birmingham Symphony Hall in July. View the full itinerary at Toyah’s Official Gigs page.
• Festivals 2014: Toyah will play a number of festivals and multi-artist concerts next year, including the Great British Alternative Music Festival; Whitby Gothic Weekend; Let’s Rock The Moor, and Chilfest.
• The Humans: Will be touring the West Coast of America between the 9th and 16th April 2014. Venues and further details on this are to be confirmed at a later date.
• Music News: Toyah, Chris Wong & Tim Rose are to record two acoustic songs in January 2014 for future broadcast by the music channel ‘Vintage TV’; Toyah and Simon Darlow have begun writing the follow up to Toyah’s most recent album In The Court Of The Crimson Queen.
• Official News: Following the great response last Christmas, Toyah’s Official Website will be bringing visitors another advent calendar this December; and expect another significant announcement about Toyah in the New Year.
• Subscribe: For full info on all of the above, and to receive future issues of the newsletter, sign up to ‘Breaking Through: The Official Toyah Mailing List’ here. (Photo by Dean Stockings © Toyah Willcox Ltd)
Toyah Willcox kicks off Christmas at Millennium Point with lights switch on
Millennium Point’s Christmas lights were officially switched on by Birmingham-born music icon, Toyah Willcox, at the award-winning conference and events venue last week (08 November).
On 08 November, over 200 people filled Millennium Point’s atrium for the official light switch on and an evening of entertainment and networking. The 39ft Christmas tree was officially illuminated by musical icon Toyah Wilcox, famed for hits such as It’s a Mystery and I Want to Be Free, and her husband Robert Fripp, legendary musician of rock band King Crimson, alongside Millennium Point’s CEO, Abbie Vlahakis.
Alongside the festive lights switch on, which marked the beginning of Christmas in the city, the evening also included a special performance from Gospel Choir of the Year Award winners, the Birmingham Community Gospel Choir, who have recently appeared on The One Show and BBC Sports Personality Of The Year.
• Continue reading at Grapevine Birmingham.
• Club To Catwalk: Caryn Franklin, Toyah Willcox & Brix Start-Smith: In Conversation: It looks like this V&A event, taking place at The Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre this Friday evening, has sold out – View details here…
• Club To Catwalk: Browse all of Dreamscape’s Club to Catwalk news here…
• Toyah Live 2013: Here and Now Mediterranean Cruise: A selection of excellent photos from one of Toyah’s two shows onboard the Oceana, while sailing from Barcelona to Gibraltar, on 29th October (she later tweeted: “Gibraltar port. NOISY! 2 great shows. 2 standing ovations. Fab time“) – View here…
• Official Instagram: Toyah tweeted on Monday: “Darlow, Caroline Redman Lusher & myself in studio writing 4 @TheRockChoir“. View the photo at Instagram…
• 991 Sleevenotes: Wednesday’s Top Three including Toyah, Duran Duran & Weather Report: TOYAH Sheep Farming In Barnet Rare 1979 UK AUTOGRAPHED Safari 11-track vinyl LP, glossy picture sleeve. The vinyl and sleeve remain in excellent condition, plus the front of the sleeve has been signed and dedicated ‘To Harry Love Toyah’ in gold marker pen 1C064 – View here…
