Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah is playing the Rewind South 2016 festival today and tomorrow she headlines the final day of the Cleethorpes Rocks Festival 2016.

From Clee Rocks to a night of illusion: Things to do this weekend

Cleethorpes Rocks Festival 2016
Meridian Showground, tonight and tomorrow

If you missed yesterday’s show, don’t miss what’s in store at Clee Rocks for the remainder of the weekend. Scouting For Girls will be tonight’s headliner while the brilliant Toyah will be finishing off the festival tomorrow evening. Ticket prices start at £25 per person. Call 01472 349222 to book. See www.cleethorpesrocks.co.uk

• Continue reading at the Grimsby Telegraph. Visit the Cleethorpes Rocks festival website here. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Cleethorpes Rocks 2016 news here.

This year’s three-day Cleethorpes Rocks festival gets underway tonight.

Over the weekend, the festival – taking place at the Meridian Show – will feature bands such as Wishbone Ash, Scouting For Girls, Toyah and From The Jam – plus a burlesque show. The event kicked off tonight with headline act Wishbone Ash, who will be joined by Mostly Autumn and Danny Bryant. And this year the Frou Frou Club Burlesque and Cabaret Show will also “Rock Cleethorpes”.

It also stars Kitty Bang Bang – a global burlesque sensation and the “wild child” of British Burlesque. Kitty was voted as number 21 in the world in the Top 50 Burlesque performers of 2015. Add to this home-grown Grimsby gal, Lady Wildflower, who is now taking the world of Burlesque by storm – from the UK, to Europe, to China.

Following the news that Toyah Willcox will take to the stage with her full live electric band, bands Criminal Mind and The Jackobins will showcase their talent too.

• Continue reading at the Grimsby Telegraph. Visit the Cleethorpes Rocks festival website here.

A total of 40,000 people will descend on Temple Island Meadows near Henley for the eighth annual Rewind South festival this weekend. The Eighties pop extravaganza will kick off tonight (Friday) with a welcome party headlined by West Country folk band The Wurzels.

Tomorrow’s performers include Rick Astley, whose latest album, 50, topped the charts this week, Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet, Jimmy Somerville, the Trevor Horn Band, Toyah, Leo Sayer and Andy Bell of Erasure.

The festival concludes on Sunday with appearances by Adam Ant, Earth, Wind and Fire, M People’s Heather Small, The Beat, The Blockheads and Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory, among others. There will be scores of attractions around the site including an inflatable church where revellers can get “married”, real ale and cocktail bars, food stalls, a roller disco, a funfair and a second stage featuring local performers.

The weather is expected to be warm and overcast with sunny spells and the chance of the odd shower tomorrow. Organiser David Heartfield said: “Everything is looking great for the weekend. We’re looking forward to it. It has been incredibly hot this week so I’d welcome slightly cooler weather.”

• Continue reading at the Henley Standard.

Toyah has a successful go at covering Martha & The Muffins classic. Released in 1987 this was off the album “Desire” and see’s her go for a more mainstream sound. Mike Hedges gives it enough weird synth sound and the vocal delivery is spot on. The track is remixed by English electro-dance duo, The Quick and it polishes up the original really well. B-side, “Plenty,” was written by Toyah even has a Motown feel to it with a horn section and a guitar solo, weird!

• Continue reading at My Vinyl Dreams.

Crime & Punishment: A Rock Musical – Interview with Director Phil Willmott

As part of London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season, Crime & Punishment: A Rock Musical will hold its world premiere at The Scoop in London Bridge this month. Directed and adapted by Phil Willmott and featuring music by legendary rock legend Toyah Willcox, this revamped production will transform Dostoyevsky’s most famous and influential novel into a thrilling new musical. We sit down with director Phil Willmott to get the low-down on this adaptation of a classic with a tuneful twist.

London Calling: What attracted you to doing a rock-version of Crime & Punishment?

Phil Willmott: Well, we always try to do plays that reflect what’s going on in London society. Right now, we’re all very interested in what motivates these lone wolf killers to commit these terrible atrocities around the world. Crime & Punishment is very much about this, about a young man who sincerely believes that for the greater good and because of his beliefs that he is entitled to kill, so it feels very topical. And even though it’s a 19th Century Russian novel, the story is all about student angst, anger, and idealism so it seemed to really suggest itself to rock music as a sort of language for anger and alienation, as well as having a youthful energy.

LC: You’re using music by Toyah Willcox and Simon Darlow. What is it about their music that fits so well with this rock adaptation?

PW: Well in the 80s she was the punk princess. She was the person who took punk rock and sort of glamourised it and made it theatrical, while still retaining the kind of rawness, the anger and the energy of rock. So, because that’s my generation’s music, the first thing I did was to go back and listen to her songs and then I discovered that she is still recording and is still a best-selling recording artist so I got in touch with her and explained what I wanted to do and fortunately she said yes, that she’d love to come on board.

• Continue reading at London Calling.

The SAS Band hope to crown their headline appearance at the Wickham Festival this weekend with a special tribute to the music stars who have died in 2016.

Already this year fans have mourned the passing of David Bowie, Prince and Maurice White from Earth, Wind and Fire among others. Spike’s All Star Band is made up of varying big name artists who play their own and other musicians’ hits for a great party atmosphere and Madeline Bell, pictured, who will be appearing with them tomorrow night, is planning a fitting send-off.

One of the great joys of playing festivals for Bell – and for Fish who will also be part of the SAS line-up at Wickham – is the chance to meet up with old friends in a happy environment.

The pair will be joined at Wickham by Toyah Willcox and Queen drummer Roger Taylor for what is sure to be a magical night.

• Continue reading at the Southern Daily Echo. NB: Toyah was rehearsing with The SAS Band this week and tweeted that she will be performing a David Bowie song.

1980s music icon Toyah turns up at Guisborough cafe for pie, mash, peas and gravy

Toyah chose to eat at Guisborough’s Pie in the Sky cafe – little knowing that boss Sarah Cook was a huge fan

A 1980s music icon chose a Guisborough cafe for a pie and peas lunch – little knowing its boss is a huge fan of hers. Toyah and three band members ate at the Pie in the Sky cafe yesterday, ahead of a gig at The Longlands in Middlesbrough last night.

And for cafe boss Sarah Cook, it was a dream come true, as she is a massive Toyah fan. But it was nearly a case of mistaken for some of the cafe’s younger staff members.

• Continue reading at Gazette Live. (Photo © Gazette Live)

Toyah Willcox is special guest of Oxted’s Bluehouse Festival

Once known as the High Priestess of Punk, actor and singer Toyah Willcox will be in Oxted later in the year. Birmingham born Toyah will be at the Bluehouse Festival in the town’s URC Church on October 21 to talk about the music industry.

The Bluehouse Festival will run from October 16-30 and the organisers are putting together a mix of entertaining events and thought-provoking authors and speakers throughout the event.

The Box Office will be open between 10 am and noon at the United Reformed Church, Bluehouse Lane on Tuesday mornings – tickets are also available by post and online at: www.wegottickets.com/Bluehousefestival2016.

• Continue reading at Oxted Today.

From Toyah to Tony Hadley: four retro gigs an hour from Teesside

Fancy a blast from the past? From the best of the 80s to the days of punk here’s four star name gigs you can find within an hour’s drive of Teesside:

1. Former punk princess Toyah is heading for the Boro: The singer and actress brings her Proud, Loud and Electric tour to The Longlands Club, Middlesbrough on Sunday, July 31.

In a career spanning over 35 years, Toyah has amassed 13 top 40 singles, recorded 24 albums and toured live across the world. The gig, with her full live electric band, includes hit singles Good Morning Universe, Thunder in the Mountains and Its A Mystery alongside classics Neon Womb, Danced and Ieya.

• Continue reading at Gazette Live.

Tony Hadley will kick off an all-star Wickham Festival on Thursday.

The Spandau Ballet frontman tops the bill on the opening night, then the following night the Stranglers and Bruce Foxton’s From the Jam will be the main attractions at the event, which was voted best Festival (Under 15,000 capacity) at last year’s Live UK Music Business awards.

Headlining on Saturday will be the SAS Band with a line-up which will include Queen drummer Roger Taylor, former Marillion lead singer Fish, Madeline Bell and solo artist/actress Toyah Willcox before Lindisfarne close the four-day event on Sunday August 7.

• Continue reading at the Southern Daily Echo.

The Stranglers, Tony Hadley, Toyah and more at Wickham Festival

Music lovers are in for a treat with a cracking line-up of top acts covering all genres at the annual four-day Wickham Festival. The award-winning family friendly event taking place from Thursday, August 4, to Sunday, August 7, sees perennial punksters The Stranglers, velvet-voiced Spandau Ballet frontman Tony Hadley, and folk favourites Lindisfarne take to the main stage.

The legendary Roger Taylor of Queen is also performing at the festival site at Wickham, near Fareham, and there are other musical icons in Spike’s All Star Band –?Fish of hard rockers Marillion, and 1980s punk princess Toyah included.

• Continue reading at the Petersfield Post.

If you are a huge fan of 1980’s music then I would highly recommend the Rewind Scotland Festival. I, along with thousands of other Eighties music fans, headed along to Scone Palace in Perth at the weekend with my camping chair under my arm and wellies on.

This was my first time at the annual event and I have to say I was not disappointed. The rain stayed off on the Saturday but unfortunately we were not so lucky with the weather on the Sunday. It poured from the beginning until the end with only a short dry spell in the early evening. Although it didn’t seem to dampen spirits with revellers enjoying all the acts.

Sets by China Crisis, Toyah, ABC, Big Country and the British Electric Foundation were all real crowd-pleasers…

• Read the full review, by Debbie Clarke, at Fife Today.

Crime and Punishment: A Rock Musical – Dostoyevsky and the music of Toyah Willcox and Simon Darlow at The Scoop

London’s Free Open-Air Theatre Season is back as part of the London Bridge City Summer Festival, offering 40,000 free tickets for great theatre within the heart of London. Running since 2003, this is still London’s only ‘free to all’ annual festival of theatre. There’s no need to book so just turn up and take a seat.

This year, Gods and Monsters Theatre are shaking things up with a new rock musical of Crime and Punishment, with songs by the legendary Toyah Willcox. This newly revamped production of this 19th century masterpiece marks the increasingly important role Russia plays in London’s economy and the way our work, social and cultural life is enriched by a strong Eastern European presence in our capital.

Toyah was the Punk Princess of the 1980s with a song-writing career that has spanned thirty years and includes eight Top 40 singles and over 20 albums keeping her at the cutting edge of counter-culture.

• Continue reading at Frost Magazine.

Wickham Festival – This relaxed, family-friendly, festival returns with a Live UK Music Business award under its belt for ‘Best Festival (Under 15,000) 2015’. The historic village of Wickham will welcome Spandau Ballet frontman, Tony Hadley, The Stranglers, Lindisfarne and SAS Band (aka Spike’s All Stars) which features Fish, Toyah and Roger Taylor of Queen.

• When? Thursday 4 August – Sunday 7 August

• How much? Adults, £160, Under 16s, £80 for the whole weekend. Or £60 for the day, £30 for under 16s. Evening only tickets are priced at £40 for adults and £20 for under 16s. Under 10s go free. www.wickhamfestival.co.uk

• Continue reading at Hampshire-Life. Visit the Wickham Festival 2016 website by clicking below. Toyah is guest vocalist at the festival with The SAS Band on Saturday 6th August.

Music lovers donned their leg-warmers and fancy dress outfits yesterday to roll back the years at the Rewind Festival.

The costumes were out in force at the ’80s-themed event – held at Scone Palace in Perthshire – from Dennis The Menace to The Flintsones. As stars like Marc Almond, Leo Sayer, Go West and Average White Band took to the stage, a sea of neon shook their deely boppers.

The festival continues today with Adam Ant, ABC, Big Country, Midge Ure, Toyah and more.

• Continue reading at The Sunday Post.

Music fans heading to Scone Palace for this year’s Rewind ’80s festival began arriving in the early hours the day before a note was played. “People were queuing at 4.30am, they are more enthusiastic than ever,” said Meg Jenkins of Rewind on Friday.

Although the festival proper doesn’t start until Saturday thousands of the 30,000 revellers decided to arrive the night before with traffic stretching back miles from the Scone site in all directions throughout the day. Rewind Scotland line up, running order will be announced on the day.

Saturday – Rick Astley, Holly Johnson, Tony Hadley, Marc Almond, Leo Sayer, Go West, Living in a Box, Average White Band, The Beat, The Bluebells, Hazell Dean, Snap.

Sunday – ABC, Adam Ant, Big Country, Midge Ure, Slim Jim Phantom from Stray Cats, Roland Gift, China Crisis, Toyah, Annabella of Bow Wow Wow, Thomas Dolby, The Lotus Eaters, Heaven 17’s Glen Gregory.

• Continue reading at The Dundee Courier.

Thousands of music fans of a certain age will descend on Scone Palace over the weekend for their annual opportunity to rekindle the excitement of their youth.

The Scottish stop for Rewind – the world’s biggest 80s music festival – boasts a who’s who of the decade’s top names from local heroes the Average White Band to Toyah.

Campers who intend to take in the full event begin arriving on Friday with the musical attractions spread out over Saturday and Sunday. The finishing touches are currently being made to the Scone site overlooking the river Tay.

• Continue reading at The Dundee Courier.

Evesham Arts Centre’s new programme is red hot and live

While the county sweltered this week in near record-breaking temperatures, the Evesham Arts Centre gave news of its autumn and winter programme, which a spokesman said would be red hot and “one hundred per cent live.”

The spokesman added: “As well as top professional acts such as Toyah Wilcox, Shappi Khorsdandi, Rich Hall, Jackson Live and the fabulous Vienna Festival Ballet, there’s plenty of local talent on display too with Phoenix Youth Theatre’s production of The Wizard of Oz and EODS’ production of Chess – The Musical.

• Continue reading at the Evesham Journal.

It’s time to dig out your 1980s fashions and party with an original artist from the decade that brought us leg warmers, shoulder pads, big hair and all things neon.

Every Saturday between July 23 and August 20, a 1980s star will perform their classics hits from this iconic decade at The Spa Bridlington, as well as an 1980s disco until late.

Stars to perform are The Blow Monkeys, Toyah Willcox, Johnny Hates Jazz, Sonia and Big Country.

• Continue reading at the Gazette & Herald.

Quadrophenia Fans Offered Screening Under The Stars

The Forestry Commission has teamed up with Pop-up Cinema Yorkshire to offer movie fans the chance to see a film adaptation of a rock opera under the stars.

The screening of Quadrophenia at Dalby Forest, on Saturday, August 20, at 7.30pm, follows an announcement that a sequel to the British mod movie is being made, 37 years after the original, and will feature many of the same cast members, including Toyah Willcox and Phil Daniels.

Organisers said the movie would be shown on a high-quality cinema system, and the event would feature mod, ska and soul DJs and themed food and drink stalls. Those attending are being invited to camp beside the cinema area for £5 per person.

• Continue reading at The Northern Echo.

Toyah Willcox is never less than effusive about her involvement in projects.

On this particular day, her voice is typically bouncy at the end of the telephone – a retro way to interview nowadays, but then again it’s time to talk about the landline-tastic 1980s.

The 58-year-old is almost evangelical about Rewind, the 80s Festival, that will bathe Scone Castle and its grounds in a sea of Day-Glo clothing and lace accessories from July 22 to 24. She is performing at Rewind Scotland and the event in Henley-on-Thames. It’s not a first appearance at either for her – last year her presentation skills were also called on to MC the Scone event.

“That was a great opportunity to see everyone that performed , and I was impressed,” she says. “I don’t know why I was so surprised. All the acts come from the era when you had to be able to perform live before a record company would even look at you.”

The concept of Rewind works – as many acts as possible across two days and sets that can only include chart hits. So even if you liked the second track on the B-side of ABC’s Beauty Stab, this isn’t the place to hear it. Every track is a hit, keeping the energy as charged as the end of the night at a secondary school disco.

“Rewind is about fun,” adds Toyah. “No-one is trying to sell anything here; it’s not about plugging records of breaking new acts. It’s like a big ensemble, all feeding into the same musical experience.”

• Continue reading at The Herald. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Rewind Scotland 2016 news here.