Toyah’s first Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date takes place tonight; there’s been news of the digital reissue of The Acoustic Album; a great collection of acoustic rarities has just been gifted to fans by Toyah; and there’s even an acoustic Live Track Of The Month… So there’s definitely a nice acoustic feeling in the air (I’ve been playing The Acoustic Album and the rarities collection while readying Issue Two of my fanzine for the printers).
Toyah tweeted yesterday: “Photoshoot for Mail then I head up north. Running set for Acoustic show….it sounds fresh and exciting. Guitar arrangements r so clever“. She also mentioned recently that ‘Obsolete’ was sounding “great unplugged”.
Here’s some interesting details on Acoustic, Up Close & Personal from the latest Breaking Through newsletter: Without giving the full set list away the show will feature unplugged versions for the first time ever of… Bird In Flight, Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Broken Diamonds, Love Is The Law, Dawn Chorus, Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel In You) and Sensational, amongst others.
The show is acoustic but is intentionally very lively and uptempo! The set list for this show is likely to also alternate throughout the year. It’s a show not to be missed so do try and make it along to hear these unique versions of classics from Sheep Farming, Love Is The Law, Anthem, Crimson Queen, The Changeling and more.
• News Source: Breaking Through: The Official Toyah Newsletter. (Image by Dreamscape, inspired by the recent acoustic artworks by toyahwillcox.com – View a larger version here)
It’s the beginning of a very busy week for Toyah, with the launch dates of, not one but, two tours. Acoustic, Up Close & Personal begins on Wednesday night, at Buxton Pavilion Arts Centre, and continues on Thursday at Lowther Pavilion. The following night, Friday 21st February sees Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! get underway with a gig at the Holmfirth Picturedome. This tour continues the following night also, at Queens Hall, Nuneaton. Both tours continue through 2014 with various dates over a number of months.
• New live dates have also just been confirmed: Acoustic, Up Close & Personal at The Duchess, York, and Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! at the Tivoli Theatre, Wales. There’s also a new “Live Track Of The Month” at The Official Gigs page – ‘We Are (Acoustic)’ from one of Toyah’s trio of great live dates at Bourbon Street, Glasgow in early 1997. A new Breaking Through newsletter has also been mailed out with more info on the tours and digital releases to coincide.
A short news article on Toyah, by the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, ahead of the Crimson Queen/ Greatest Hits…Live! gig in Holmfirth next Friday.
Seventies and 80s pop star Toyah is set to play a live show at the Picturedrome.
In a career spanning over 30 years she has amassed 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums and toured the world. She first emerged in 1977 and by 1979 Toyah’s band was gaining critical success with the debut single, Victims of the Riddle.
A platinum album Anthem followed and in 1981 she featured on the famous Old Grey Whistle Test Christmas Special. The following year saw her winning Best Female Singer at the Rock And Pop Awards.
• Continue reading at the Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
New live dates have just been confirmed by Toyah’s Official Gigs page: An ACOUSTIC, UP CLOSE & PERSONAL concert at Harlequin Theatre & Cinema, Surrey on 2nd October, and a full-band gig at New Quay Music Festival 2014, taking place near Cardigan Bay in West Wales, on 2nd August. View Toyah’s full 2014 Gig Diary by clicking below.
TOYAH TO HEADLINE FRIDAY OF THE SPRING 2014 WHITBY GOTH WEEKEND
Whitby Goth Weekend is delighted to welcome Toyah to headline the Friday night of the Spring 2014 event. She will be performing on 25th April supported by Vince Ray & The Boneshakers, Cold in Berlin and Alexa De Strange at Whitby Pavilion in Whitby, North Yorkshire.
From punk princess to high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved actress and music composer…
• View a larger version of this here. (Thanks to The Official Toyah Facebook). View Toyah’s full 2014 Gig Diary here. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Whitby Goth Weekend 2014 news here.
Toyah has been confirmed as playing at Rewind North: The 80s Festival, on Sunday 31st August.
The full line-up for the festival was announced yesterday and tickets go on sale tomorrow. Other bands playing include Heaven 17, Mike & The Mechanics, Holly Johnson, Nick Heyward, Nik Kershaw, The Beat and numerous others.
• View further info and book tickets at the Rewind Festival website. View Toyah’s dedicated page here.
Toyah Willcox has been confirmed as this year’s headlining act at Crick Boat Show 2014.
Fresh from her positively received diving on ITV1’s Splash, household name, pop icon, TV presenter and stage and screen actress (Calamity Jane, Cabaret Peter Pan, Jubilee, Quadrophenia) Toyah comes to Crick Boat Show this May to perform her Acoustic, Up Close & Personal set. Toyah will be the final act on Saturday, after a day of Crick favourites and talented local musicians.
If you’ve yet to book your tickets to Crick Boat Show 2014, you can do so by clicking here or by calling 01283 742970.
• Continue reading at www.crickboatshow.com.
More new CRIMSON QUEEN/GREATEST HITS… LIVE! dates have been confirmed over the last week, bringing the total gigs to 15.
LIVE IN CONCERT WITH FULL TOYAH BAND
21 FEB: HOLMFIRTH / PICTUREDROME
22 FEB: NUNEATON / QUEEN’S HALL
22 MAR: BURY ST. EDMUNDS / THE APEX
28 MAR: WIMBORNE / TIVOLI THEATRE
29 MAR: LONDON / JAZZ CAFÉ
5 APR: HASTINGS / ST. MARY IN THE CASTLE
19 APR: CLITHEROE / THE GRAND
26 APR: WAKEFIELD / WAREHOUSE 23
2 MAY: LIVERPOOL / ERIC’s
3 MAY: LOWESTOFT / AQUARIUM
10 MAY: BLYTH / PHOENIX THEATRE
6 JUN: CLACTON / CLIFF THEATRE
14 JUN: ISLE OF MAN / CENTENERARY CENTRE
21 JUN: KENT / ASTOR COMMUNITY THEATRE
7 SEP: DEVON / BUDLEIGH SALTERTON HALL
The Crimson Queen dates will run throughout 2014 as an extended series of gigs rather than in a single-month tour.
• View more details on the Crimson Queen… dates and links to book tickets here. View all of Toyah’s confirmed live dates for 2014 at The Official Gigs page. Browse all of our Toyah Live 2014 news here.
Six new ACOUSTIC, UP CLOSE & PERSONAL Toyah dates have recently been confirmed, bringing the total shows, so far, to eight.
ACOUSTIC SET WITH CHRIS WONG & COLIN HINDS
19 FEB: BUXTON / PAVILION ARTS
22 FEB: LOWTHER / PAVILLION
24 MAY: NORTHAMPTON / CRICK BOAT SHOW
22 JUN: BISHOP’S CLEEVE TITHE BARN
25 JUL: SETTLE, N YORKSHIRE / VICTORIA HALL
2 SEP: NORWICH / MADDERMARKET THEATRE
3 OCT: SHOREHAM / ROPETACKLE ARTS
10 OCT: NR FLETHCING, E SUSSEX / TRADING BOUNDARIES
• View more details on the Acoustic… dates and links to book tickets here. View all of Toyah’s confirmed live dates for 2014 at The Official Gigs page.
Toyah’s Gig Diary for 2014 is packed full of concerts, PA’s, festivals and appearances. There are also live US dates for The Humans in April.
The first Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date is at the Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton on Wednesday 19th February, while the opening Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! gig is at the Holmfirth Picturedome on Friday 21st February. The Crimson Queen dates will run throughout 2014 as an extended series of gigs rather than in a single-month tour.
Toyah’s first festival appearance of the year is on Sunday 30th March at The Great British Alternative Music Festival, Minehead. Also playing at that are The Damned, Buzzcocks, Bad Manners, The Blockheads, The Rezillos and many more. View the promo image for that here.
• Further info, ticket links and the full confirmed list of live dates is available at the Official Toyah Gigs page. Find out where the nearest gig to you is taking place here…
The official promotional poster/flyer for Chilfest 2014 has been released. Toyah plays at the festival, in Tring, on 5th July next year. View a larger version by clicking below, and see Toyah’s complete 2014 Gig Diary here.
A couple of recent press reports on next year’s Chilfest from ‘Hemel Today’.
• New acts and Tring location announced for next year’s Chilfest – but are you ‘tempted’ to go?: Heaven 17 and Go West are the two latest acts confirmed as performers at next year’s Chilfest – and it will be held at a Tring location… Post-punk comedy vaudevillians Bad Manners, It’s a Mystery singer Toyah Willcox and Scottish rock band Big Country will also be appearing. Tickets are due to go on sale in mid-January – Continue reading…
• Jason Donovan will be at Chilfest: Other confirmed performers are post-punk comedy vaudevillians Bad Manners, It’s a Mystery singer Toyah Willcox and Scottish rock band Big Country – Continue reading…
• Toyah tweeted on Tuesday to confirm the type of set she will be playing: “Just letting u know that Chilfest, Tring on the 5th July is the full TOYAH band…..loud n’ proud“.
As mentioned in updates last week, Toyah headlines the opening night of Whitby Goth Weekend next year. The festival takes place over 25th – 27th April 2014 and also includes New Model Army, Alexa De Strange, Cold in Berlin, The Last Cry and many others. Tickets are now on sale from their website. There will also be regular updates over the coming months at the Facebook page.
‘Chilfest’ announced the first three music acts, one of which being Toyah, for their 2014 festival taking place in July. Hemel Today reported the news on Friday.
First three acts to perform at next year’s Chilfest music festival are announced
The first three acts at next year’s Chilfest have been confirmed as post-punk comedy vaudevillians Bad Manners, It’s a Mystery singer Toyah Willcox and Scottish rock band Big Country.
The two-day music festival was staged for the first time in Tring in the summer, and attracted big names ranging from teen pop sensations Little Mix to Spandau Ballet crooner Tony Hadley. Organiser Steve Butcher said the 2014 event may go on for three days, but the location has yet to be decided.
• Continue reading at Hemel Today.
There has been speculation and rumours a-plenty since Toyah first mentioned the possibility in her blog earlier this year. Breaking Through has now confirmed Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live!
The news which many Toyah diehards have been waiting for. The 2014 gigs will focus on Toyah’s most recent solo album alongside the newly introduced Love Is The Law material plus a smattering of well-loved and known classics. CRIMSON QUEEN/GREATEST HITS…..LIVE! will run across the whole of 2014 as a long series of gigs rather than concentrated month tour. There will be more dates added throughout 2014 but there are already so many dates for your diary.
The Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! first gig is on 21st February in Holmfirth, and over the following five months will play Nuneaton, Bury St. Edmunds, Wimborne, London, Hastings, Wakefield, Blyth, Isle of Man, Kent and Norwich. More dates are expected to be added to this over the coming months.
• Full details on all of these dates at the Official Gigs page. Tickets are already on sale for some of the dates.
Toyah is included in the line-up for next Summer’s Let’s Rock Bristol festival, taking place 6th – 8th June. Others playing include: Bananarama, Kim Wilde, ABC, Level 42, Go West, T’Pau, Nik Kershaw, Captain Sensible, Heaven 17 and numerous others. Click below to visit the festival’s website.
