Six years ago tonight Toyah launched The Changeling Resurrection UK Tour at The Concorde 2 in Brighton. The six-date tour took in Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, London, Wolverhampton and Manchester. Below is one of Dreamscape’s many fan tour promo images from that time – Please click on it to visit the tour gallery to view numerous photos of Toyah.
There’s so much happens in Toyahland each year it’s virtually impossible to whittle down the releases, events, appearances etc. to just ten, but somehow we manage it anyway.
Here are Dreamscape’s 10 most interesting Toyah happenings of 2012 (as I say every year, I’m sure yours will be different).
1. The Changeling Resurrection and The Changeling Resurrection II: Two UK tours, 17 dates in total, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Toyah’s incredible 1982 album ‘The Changeling’.
2. King’s Heath Walk of Fame: Toyah became the first inductee in July, received her star/plaque from ELP’s Bev Bevan and played a homecoming gig, her first ever, in King’s Heath, at the Hare & Hounds.
3. I Believe In Father Christmas: Marking the 30th anniversary of the song Toyah recorded for Pop Goes Christmas, and released as a single, Toyah’s 26th in the UK, in December.
4. Twenty Four From Toyah: Toyah’s Christmas gift to fans, a digital album of 24 rare live recordings from various gigs and tours spanning 1993 to 2012.
5. Toyah Live 2012: Let’s Rock The Moor, Decades Festival, Mylor Sessions, Birmingham Pride, Blackpool Pride, Manchester Pride, Newcastle Pride, Audley End, Here & Now Glasgow, Lytham Proms.
6. Toyah on Vintage TV: A variety of appearances on the music channel for Toyah in 2012: My Vintage, Pat Sharp’s Top Ten, The Janice Long Review Show and Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo.
7. Sleeping Beauty: Almost 100 performances at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury alongside Gareth Gates, with numerous positive reviews. Definitely one of Toyah’s biggest, and longest running, pantomimes!
8. Toyah in Doctor Who (almost!): Toyah contributes to Behind The Sofa, a charity book of DW related memories. Toyah guests on four BBC America DW documentary specials. More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS is announced for DVD release.
9. Cover Star: More magazine covers for Toyah in 2012: Lifestyle and National Trust.
10. Sensational: The opening song on Toyah’s 2008 album ‘In The Court Of The Crimson Queen’ is the soundtrack to a new Weight Watchers televsion as campaign in commercials starring Patsy Kensit.
(Main photo & photo 1 © PAC Photography, photo 4 © Ray Sears)
Toyah is getting set to run wild, run free again over the next seven weeks as ‘The Changeling Resurrection II’ begins tonight. The first gig of the 11-date UK Tour is at The Middlesbrough Theatre. Have a great night to all who are going (especially you, Gareth, with all that travelling :)). Check out our pre-tour news, the Spring ‘Changeling Resurrection’ news and visit the Gigs and ‘The Changeling Resurrection’ page at Toyah’s Official website.
A few newsy bits on Toyah’s Manchester Pride PA. There was a very large crowd for Toyah headlining the Women’s Stage at Sackville Gardens (Alison Moyet was the Main Stage headliner) and after the gig Toyah chatted to, and was photographed with, fans at the artist’s gate.
• Toyah tweeted: “Manchester Pride was excellent. Great crowd & so friendly & welcoming. I Loved it.”
• A lot of footage from Toyah’s set have been uploaded to You Tube. Highlights include, the previously mentioned, Thunder In The Mountains, It’s A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Echo Beach.
• There’s also a 17 minute upload of Toyah’s performance. View here.
• The photos I’ve posted here over the last few days will be added to Dreamscape’s Gallery soon. View all of our Toyah at Manchester Pride news.
Thanks to Paul Lomas and Paul Cable for the photos, videos and info!!
Great photos of Toyah onstage, and off, at Manchester Pride on Sunday night. Toyah is with Paul Cable and Paul Lomas. Please click below to view larger. (Thanks to Paul Cable)
A great clip of a fantastic looking Toyah performing Thunder In The Mountains at ‘Manchester Pride’. It’s A Mystery has also been uploaded. (Thanks to Paul Lomas)
Toyah headlined the Women’s Stage yesterday at ‘Manchester Pride 2012′. The set list was: Echo Beach, Thunder In The Mountains, Rebel Yell, It’s A Mystery, I Love Rock N’ Roll, I Want To Be Free, Sweet Child O Mine. (Thanks to Paul Lomas for the photos & info)
Excellent photos of Toyah and, my good friend, Brian backstage at the ‘Here and Now’ concert at Glasgow Green on Saturday 21st July. These photos and more have also been added to Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Brian Green)
Toyah played at the three-day ‘Audley End Concerts 2012’ festival on Saturday night. She opened the evening of live music and her mini-set was It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free.
• Watch Toyah performing It’s A Mystery (clip), Thunder In The Mountains and I Want To Be Free.
• Read an overview of Saturday’s ‘The Greatest 80′s Party…Ever!’ concert, and some great onstage photos of Toyah, at Lisa’s Life.
• Read all of our Audley End Concerts 2012 news. Click below to view larger.
More photos from Toyah’s ‘Walk Of Fame’ day in King’s Heath last month. A great shot of Toyah with her framed star and pictures from the Hare & Hounds gig later in the evening. All have now been added to Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Paul at PAC Photography for these)
Two weekends ago Toyah played the ‘Here & Now’ show at Glasgow Green and ‘Newcastle Pride 2012’. The Glasgow concert took place on Saturday 21st July and was a huge event, with Toyah opening the show at 7.30pm. She also tweeted a photo, saying: “Glasgow was fantastic. Truly great people“. At ‘Newcastle Pride’, the following night, Toyah played a Live PA at Easy Street, part of the Northern Pride Afterparty.
Hot on the heels of last night’s huge ‘Here and Now’ concert at ‘Lytham Proms 2012’, Toyah plays another Eighties-fest today, The Greatest 80′s Party…Ever! at Audley End Concerts 2012.
Saturday 4th August it’s time to relive your youth. Rick Astley, Jimmy Somerville, Midge Ure, Nik Kershaw, T’Pau, Toyah, Wang Chung and Dr and the Medics will wow the crowd into a party frenzy with their famous hit songs.
Toyah: From punk princess to high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer. Toyah is going to rock Audley End with some of her 80′s classics.
The first photo of Toyah from this evening’s ‘Lytham Proms 2012’ concert. Toyah opened the three-day festival as the first artist of the ‘Here and Now’ show.
Tweeted by Lytham Proms: Toyah sings her hit It’s A Mystery as she opens the 80s night at Lytham Proms. A great photo of the huge crowd was also tweeted by Pat Sharp.
• View the full photo here. (Photo © Lytham Proms)
Toyah plays the Lytham Proms 2012 Festival this evening. She has been soundchecking this afternoon at Lytham Green. This is a huge ‘Here and Now’ concert and there has been lots of recent press reports on it. Here are a few:
• ITV News: 80s pop stars to perform at Lytham Proms: 80s pop stars including Rick Astley and Bananarama will perform at this weekend’s Lytham Proms. Pegged as the region’s biggest seaside music festival of the summer, the event kicks off with performances from The Real Thing, Belinda Carlisle, Toyah, Curiosity Killed the Cat, and T’Pau.
• Blackpool Gazette: What’s On Friday 3rd August: Here and Now. The launch of the latest Lytham Proms with a retro night featuring Bananarama, Rick Astley, The Real Thing, Belinda Carlisle, Toyah, Curiosity Killed the Cat and T’Pau. Lytham Green, Lytham. Gates open 5pm.
• Lancashire One: Lytham Proms 2012: A selection of iconic 80’s popstars will headline the opening night of Lytham Proms Festival Weekend 2012 on Friday 3rd August 2012. “Here and Now, The Very Best of the 80’s” will feature stars: Bananarama, Rick Astley, The Real Thing, Belinda Carlisle, Toyah, Curiosity Killed the Cat and T’Pau in what is dubbed as being the Fylde Coast’s biggest party EVER!
• View all of our Lytham Proms Festival Weekend 2012 news.
More excellent Hare & Hounds gig photos have now been added to Dreamscape’s Gallery. Click below to view. (Thanks again to Ray Sears, Chris Cox and Angus Turner)
I’m off on my Summer hols so this is the last update for now. Have a great rest of July!!
Toyah plays the ‘Here and Now: The Very Best Of The 80′s’ show at Glasgow Green this Saturday. The concert is part of the hugely popular ‘Glasgow Show’ two-day event (though tickets are seperate).
The Biggest Party On The Green This Summer. Join Rick Astley, Belinda Carlisle, Paul Young, Toyah, The Real Thing, Curiosity Killed The Cat and T’Pau at Glasgow Green on Saturday 21st July.
Just uploaded to You Tube. The incredible ‘Blue Meanings’ from last night’s Hare & Hounds gig.
More Toyah, live at Hare & Hounds, photos. Please click below to view the full versions at Dreamscape’s Gallery. More soon! (Thanks to Ray Sears for these great shots)
Our second batch of Toyah, live at Hare & Hounds, photos. Please click below to view the full versions at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Chris Cox for these great shots)
Great photos of Toyah onstage at last night’s, post-‘Walk Of Fame’, Hare & Hounds gig in King’s Heath. There’s already been lots of positive feedback about the gig. Click below to view these, and more, at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (A huge thank you to Angus Turner)
The ‘Walk Of Fame’ Hare & Hounds, King’s Heath set list(s):
Setlist #1: Good Morning Universe; Warrior Rock; Bird in Flight; Rebel Run; Little Tears Of Love; Brave New World; Blue Meanings; Jungles Of Jupiter; Thunder In The Mountains; We Are.
Setlist #2: Echo Beach; These Boots Are Made For Walkin’; Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel In You); Angel & Me; The Packt; Victims Of The Riddle; Danced; Neon Womb; It’s A Mystery; I Want To Be Free.
Encore: Elusive Stranger; Ieya.
An incredible selection of songs! (News Source: Official Toyah Facebook)
