New concerts and appearances are being added to Toyah’s Official Gigs page, at toyahwillcox.com, all the time – It’s just recently been announced Toyah will play the New Mills Festival, Derbyshire in September.
Crimson Queen “Toyah” to Visit New Mills!
Tickets on sale first at New Mills Carnival on Sat 13th June, in person only. Seats will then be available online from Monday 15th June, or from the Festival Box-Office at The Studios at 12 Union Road New Mills, on Saturdays from 10-12am.
New Mills Community Festival is a 2-week annual celebration of community and cultural spirit through a diverse range of activities from talks and walks to concerts, gigs, exhibitions and an impressive lantern procession.
The overall aim is to enrich the community’s experience of and participation in different creative activities.
New Mills is situated on the borders of North West Derbyshire and Cheshire, is part of the Derbyshire Peak District and traces its history back to the 13th century. The town is set in an area of spectacular natural beauty and is a popular destination for walkers of all abilities. There are guided walks as part of the festival and even a Fungi Foray! It is easily accessible by train or bus and boasts two train stations. Services run direct from Sheffield or Manchester in less than an hour.
• Visit the New Mills Festival website. Browse Toyah’s 2015 Gig Diary.
Sad to hear the news that “Mayhem”, Toyah’s legendary warehouse in Battersea will soon be demolished – Read the plans for regeneration of the area here. (Thanks to Dan Greensmith for the info and for these photos)
Tony Banks will release a four CD restrospective box set, A Chord Too Far, on 31st July.
With a tracklist personally selected by Tony, the collection features 49 songs from his seven solo albums: A Curious Feeling (1979), The Fugitive (1983), The Wicked Lady (1983) (film score), Soundtracks (1986) (a combination of original scores Tony wrote for films Starship and Quicksilver), Bankstatement (1989), Still (1991), Strictly Inc (1995), and his orchestral albums Seven: A Suite for Orchestra (2004) and SIX Pieces for Orchestra (2012)
The great news is that the wonderful Lion Of Symmetry, Tony and Toyah’s collaboration from 1985, originally from his album Soundtracks, which also featured in the film Lorca & The Outlaws, will be included in the collection – The fourth song on CD1.
• Read further details on the release at Chipster. Click below to visit the Lion Of Symmetry page at the Official Toyah Discography.
A couple of photos from Sunday night’s Revenge Of The 80’s concert. Toyah headlined the gig, with The Christians and Jim Diamond also playing. View larger versions of these photos at the Live 2015 page at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Ian | Photos © Ian Davis)
The set-list was: Good Morning Universe / Echo Beach / Rebel Run / Thunder In The Mountains / Bird In Flight / Brave New World / These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ / Sensational / Word Up / She Sells Sanctuary / Rebel Yell / Jungles Of Jupiter / It’s A Mystery / I Want To Be Free (Thanks again to Ian)
Photos from Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal gig at the Corn Exchange, Hertford last Saturday. View larger versions of these photos at the Live 2015 page at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Angus | Photos © Angus Turner)
Toyah’s Official Website has a great new look…
Toyah’s brilliant 2003 mini-album, Velvet Lined Shell, is now available digitally…
Photos from Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal gig at Waterside Arts Centre, Sale, which took place on Friday 15th May. View larger versions of these photos, and more, at the Live 2015 page at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Paul | Photos © Paul Lomas)
Birmingham Pride kicks off 2015 summer calendar of gay prides
Birmingham Pride brought festival fever into the heart of Brum on Spring Bank Holiday with a party packed with pop stars from every decade.
Jimmy Somerville, Heather Small, Atomic Kitten, Jess Glynne, Example, Ms Dynamite, Toyah, Bucks Fizz, Limahl and a whole host of other acts performed in the Gay Village in one of the best ever line-ups for the event. Birmingham also has one of the best Pride line-ups in the UK.
• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.
More photos from April’s Telling Strange Tales UK tour by The Humans. These are from the final gig at The Britannia. Click below to view larger versions of these at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Angus | Photos © Angus Turner)
Glastonbuget, the world’s greatest tribute festival chose to celebrate their 10 year success in style over the bank holiday weekend by taking festival goers on a musical journey with performances from sensational tribute acts and independent artists.
The one of a kind festival saw artists perform tribute songs from across the 70’s, 80’s and 90s with the likes of the legendary; Kazabian, Mercury, Oasish and Fleetwood Bac all taking to the main stage. Audiences also gathered across the other 6 stages to watch sets from over a 100 independent artists including pop band TwoSixOnes, heavy metal group Sour Mash and BBC Introducing’s Esther Turner.
Eighties singing sensation, Toyah Willcox who was Glastonbudgets 10th anniversary’s special guest gave the audience a fantastic performance. The star gave a variety of her best hits including everyone’s favourite ‘It’s a Mystery’ along with songs from her most recent album, ‘Has God Ceased to Dream You.’
• Continue reading at the Derby Times.
British punk icon Toyah Willcox gained a reputation as a rebellious extrovert throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Now more mellowed but no less talented or charismatic, the much-loved singer and actress is performing at Babbacombe Theatre next month.
In a career spanning 30 years, Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums, appeared in over 40 stage plays, made 10 feature films and presented such diverse television programmes as The Good Sex Guide Late, Watchdog and Songs Of Praise.
She is now touring new show ‘Toyah Acoustic — Up Close and Personal’, described as an ‘unplugged/storyteller’s style’ performance.
The concert will comprise of an acoustic set of her hit singles and classic songs alongside recalling stories from her colourful, 35-year career with projections on to a big screen showing clips of films and videos she has appeared in.
• Continue reading at the Torquay Herald Express. Also available, as It’s no mystery why singer Toyah has staying power, at the West Morning News.
Best Of The Vintage TV Sessions: Vintage TV: Friday 5th June: 11pm
We’re so spoilt for choice when it comes to bringing a ‘best of’ sessions selection together for your live listening pleasure. With so many incredible artists passing through, including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Alvin Stardust, Toyah Willcox, Ralph McTell and Lisa Stansfield, it has felt like our own Vintage hall of fame. Here we pick more stunning performances from this treasure trove which has all the decades and genres covered.
Martin Phipps and Natalie Holt with presenter Toyah Willcox and publishers Christopher Gutch and Jonathan Channon at the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards.
• Browse more photos from the event at The IVORS. (Photo © Mark Allan/The IVORS)
The It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains and I Want to Be Free star will be appearing at Hertford Corn Exchange on Saturday night.
The acoustic gig is part of Toyah Willcox’s Up Close & Personal tour.
It will be a special night for support act Alysha Hutchings.
The 15-year-old from Roydon, Essex, was asked by organiser Joolz Addison to perform.
Alysha will be talking about the songs and what they mean to her and why she has chosen them.
This, she hopes, will be in keeping with Toyah, the night’s headline performer, and will allow the audience to relate to her experience, to inspire them and provide hope in their lives.
Alysha will be performing at 8pm, followed by Pat Crilly and then Toyah.
• Continue reading at the Welwyn Hatfield Times.
Mum’s battle inspires young Alysha to sing with Toyah
A 15-year-old girl has used her mother’s fight against a brain tumour as inspiration ahead of a landmark in her fledgling music career.
Teenage singer Alysha Hutchings has been invited to support Toyah Willcox at the Corn Exchange in Hertford this weekend. Alysha, from Roydon, was asked to perform by Joolz Addison, manager at the venue in Fore Street, after two outstanding performances at The Corn Exchange’s Sunday live sessions and a fundraiser for the Brain Tumour Charity.
Moved by Alysha’s loss of her mother to the condition in 2013, Joolz has been working with Alysha and another songwriter, Ashley Tomlin, to help Alysha develop her own style and tell her story through music.
Alysha’s dad, Paul Hutchings said: “Alysha is very aware of the privilege she has been given to perform at her age with such a famous artist and is very much looking forward to meeting her”.
• Continue reading at the Hertfordshire Mercury.
Hundreds of people descended onto Wymeswold over the Bank Holiday for one of the biggest tribute act festivals on the planet.
Festival-goers adorned their most outrageous attire with Where’s Wally, Super Mario Brothers and Lord of the Rings costumes.
And special guest Toyah Willcox tore up the main stage with her back catalogue and terrific rendition of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell.
• Continue reading at the Loughborough Echo. (Photo © Loughborough Echo/PRMedia.com)
Party in the Gardens brings Bucks Fizz, Toyah and Rick Astley to Franklin’s Gardens
Thousands of people went back to the 1980s for the Party in the Gardens concert at Franklin’s Gardens to mark the end of Northampton Saints’ season.
Some the decade’s biggest acts went on stage on Bank Holiday Monday. Nostalgic stars included Rick Astley, Hot Chocolate, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston formally of Bucks Fizz, Toyah and Katrina (ex of the Waves).
• Continue reading at the Northampton Chronicle. (Photo © Northampton Chronicle/Andy Taylor)
Toyah Willcox and more than 10,000 music lovers party at Glastonbudget
Copycat moves, shiny costumes, big wigs and even bigger puns were out in force at the annual Glastonbudget festival.
The three-day event, which took place in Wymeswold from Friday until Sunday, attracted more than 10,000 people, all eager to see their favourite music acts, past and present, reincarnated on stage in a field in Leicestershire.
Acts performing over the weekend included Antarctic Monkeys, Fleetwood Bac and the real Toyah Willcox. Music fans all said the laid-back atmosphere and spot-on mockstars made Glastonbudget one of the best events in the festival calendar.
• Continue reading at the Leicester Mercury.
Pick Of The Pops: BBC Radio Two: Saturday 6th June: 1pm
Pick Of The Pops: BBC Radio Two: Thursday 11th June: 3am
Tony Blackburn presents a selection of classic chart hits from 1960 and 1981, including tracks from George Harrison, Toyah, Anthony Newley, Kim Wilde and Vangelis.
Toyah is guesting on the Richard Green Show this afternoon on BBC Radio Devon.
Richard Green: BBC Radio Devon: Sat 23rd May: 1pm
Toyah. Nearly 40 years on, She’s STILL the feisty Princess of Punk, TOYAH, joins Richard Green on The Retro Show. Toyah’s going “Up Close and Personal” on her forthcoming summer tour which brings her to Devon, but first she’ll reveal a few things to Richard.
Plus there’s the classic album, some live recordings and a pop princess of the late 80’s provides the 12 inch mix of the week. So for a dip into the past, but with the freshness of today listen in to Richard Green’s Retro Show
• Listen live at the BBC Radio Devon website or catch up later at BBC iPlayer.
