Three celebrated UK acts will perform at the second annual Graze Festival in Hampshire this summer.
The Beat, featuring Ranking Roger and his son Ranking Junior, will entertain crowds with hits such as Mirror In The Bathroom, Stand Down Margaret and Tears Of A Clown.
The ska favourites will be joined by Toyah Willcox, who has enjoyed eight Top 40 singles in a career spanning more than 30 years, and her band, plus pop, folk and punk performer John Otway at the event.
The first Graze Festival was held in Twyford, near Winchester, in August 2015 as a family day of music and fine food. As well as entertaining villagers and visitors, the festival also raises money for local good causes.
• Continue reading at the Southern Daily Echo.
Busy week of events at the Fisher Theatre
Tomorrow (Saturday 20th February), Toyah Willcox will grace the Bungay stage, with the full Toyah band. The uniquely gifted performer is outspoken, charismatic, impossible to categorise and one of Britain’s iconic household names, an award winning rock legend as well as a much loved stage and screen actress and music composer. This is a standing only show, at 8pm, with tickets £25.
• Continue reading at the Beccles & Bungay Journal. This is a full band Proud, Loud & Electric gig. Buy tickets here.
Following her sell out acoustic show in Beccles last year, 80s icon Toyah Willcox returns to the area, appearing at The Fisher Theatre, Bungay, in concert with her full band.
Toyah is best known for her hits singles I Want to be Free, Thunder in the Mountains and It’s a Mystery. She has produced more than 17 albums and tours relentelessely, appearing often throughout the UK and Europe.
Tickets for the show, at 8pm next Saturday, February 20 are £25.
They can be bought from Kulture Shock, Blyburgate, Beccles or from The Fisher Theatre, Bungay. Fans attending can meet Toyah after the show when she will be happy to chat to fans and sign autographs, included in the ticket price. Cameras are welcome at the concert.
• Continue reading at the Beccles & Bungay Journal.
Nearly 40 years since the making of the era defining British film Quadrophenia one of its stars says plans are being put in place for a follow-up.
Speaking after a special presentation of the 1979 film, which documents the Mods and Rockers descent on Brighton on a 1960s Bank Holiday weekend, Toyah Willcox, 57, tells us at London’s Eventim Apollo: “We’re talking about making a film now, getting everyone back together. I’d love it and I think Sting would be up for it. I’ve enjoyed watching it again after all those years”.
As well as Toyah, who plays Monkey in the movie, and Sting, the likes of Ray Winstone, Leslie Ash and Phil Daniels, who most recently played Kevin Wicks in Eastenders, made up the star-studded cast, while The Who guitarist Pete Townsend was one of the writers. Perhaps they could replace Lambrettas with mobility scooters this time around?
Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman & Toyah Willcox in Shropshire
Shropshire Tourism recently assisted the BBC with the filming of an episode of the second series of Holiday of My Lifetime.
In the episode to be broadcast on BBC One on Friday 12th February at 3.45pm, Len Goodman, the Strictly Come Dancing judge takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal to reminisce about a narrowboat holiday she enjoyed there in 1968. Filming also took place at the Mere in Ellesmere.
During the programme Toyah reveals how her time on the canal was very different to that spent in her home city of Birmingham, symbolising freedom and fun. She and Len tuck into a vintage picnic and visit an antiques shop like the ones Toyah’s father would have taken her to while away from home.
• Continue reading at Visit Shropshire Hotels.
With her brightly coloured hair and powerful singing style, it’s no wonder Toyah was dubbed the ‘high priestess of punk’.
Thirty years on from seeing the Sex Pistols and thinking she could do better, this prolific artist and actor, who enjoyed hits with ‘It’s a Mystery’, ‘Thunder in the Mountain’ and ‘I Want to be Free’, is relishing performing still. See her strut her stuff, as she takes to the stage at intimate and iconic London venue The Water Rats, on Tuesday, 23rd February. Don’t miss what promises to be an electrifying gig.
• Continue reading at Vintage TV.
Grassington Festival organisers have just announced that Toyah Willcox will be supporting Marc Almond at this year’s Last Night Party on Saturday July 2. From punk princess to high priestess of TV, Toyah 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 – who can forget, It’s a Mystery, I Want to be Free and Thunder in the Mountains? – as well as a much loved actress and composer.
Musically, Toyah has remained fresh, uncompromising and ground-breaking. With new book projects and music releases in the pipeline, and live concert dates scheduled for the year ahead, Toyah continues to drive her multi-faceted and vibrant career.
• Continue reading at The Yorkshire Times. To purchase tickets for Toyah or any of the other festival events please visit www.grassington-festival.org.uk.
Toyah will play the Grassington Festival in Yorkshire this Summer, an event she previously performed at in June 2008. This year’s festival takes place between the 17th June and 2nd July.
Punk princess Toyah Willcox joins this year’s Grassington Festival line-up
More acts have been announced for this year’s Grassington Festival, which runs from June 17 to July 2. Supporting the inimitable and iconic Marc Almond for the Last Night Party on July 2, will be 80s punk princess Toyah Willcox.
Toyah rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s, quickly becoming a household name as a result of her distinctive style, and memorable top ten hits; It’s a Mystery, I Want to be Free and Thunder in the Mountains. The award-winning outdoor theatre company, Illyria, will return to Grassington Festival for the sixth consecutive year, with a magical outdoor performance at Bolton Abbey Priory on Friday, July 1.
• Continue reading at the Craven Herald & Pioneer. Visit the Grassington Festival website here.
Stars talk to Len Goodman about their childhood holidays in North Wales
Toyah Willcox and Melanie Sykes revisit Llangollen and Llandudno respectively in BBC One’s Holiday of My Lifetime
A new series of Holiday of My Lifetime has begun this week on BBC One when Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman travels with celebrities to revisit the places of their childhood holidays. And two of them talk about the fond memories they have of visiting North Wales.
In episode 10 to be shown on Friday, February 12, Len takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal to reminisce about a wonderful narrow boat holiday she had back in 1968. First up Len surprises Toyah by picking her up in the Golden Lark – a narrow boat similar to the one she would have holidayed in back in 1968.
As they drift along at a very civilised pace they start chatting about how her time on the canal was very different to her home city of Birmingham. For Toyah the holiday meant “freedom and fun”.
• Continue reading at Wales Daily Post. (Photo © BBC)
As TV favourite Len Goodman celebrates the return of his nostalgic travel series Holiday Of My Lifetime, Gemma Dunn finds out about his latest batch of celebrity guests and why the lively host thinks staycations will never lose their appeal.
If you’re struggling to think of a holiday partner, why not try former professional ballroom dancer Len Goodman out for size? He’s humble, fun, proactive – “This morning I’ve put the washing on, got a bit of salmon out of the freezer, and now I’m putting the kettle on” – and, above all else, he’s picked up some top tips from his BBC One series, Holiday Of My Lifetime.
Returning for a second season, the daytime show, which sees the popular TV personality lead a line-up of willing celebrity guests down memory lane, to relive their favourite British childhood summer holidays, will air a total of 25 episodes over a five-week run.
• Continue reading at the Gloucester Citizen.
Holly Johnson and Adam Ant lead line-up for Rewind Festival Scotland 2016
It’s time to dig out your fluorescent leg warmers for the retro music event of the year. Come July 22-24, the normally tranquil grounds of Scone Palace will once again be rocking to the soundtrack of iconic 80s hits as Rewind Scotland returns for 2016. As with previous Rewind festivals at Scone Palace, this year’s extravaganza is guaranteed to raise the roof (if there was one) with the crème de la crème of classic ‘80s pop music including headline performances from Holly Johnson (Relax, Two Tribes) and Adam Ant (Stand and Deliver, Prince Charming).
The festival includes a star-studded 80s line-up featuring Rick Astley, ABC, Tony Hadley, Marc Almond, Go West, Roland Gift, China Crisis, Toyah, The Beat, Annabella’s Bow Wow Wow, plus many more big names, including legendary Scottish artists Midge Ure (Live Aid, Ultravox), The Bluebells and Average White Band. Meanwhile, Living In A Box, Leo Sayer, Snap, and Slim Jim Phantom From Stray Cats are making their Rewind Scotland debuts.
• Continue reading at The Dundee Courier.
Len Goodman returns in nostalgic travel series Holiday Of My Lifetime
As TV favourite Len Goodman celebrates the return of his nostalgic travel series Holiday Of My Lifetime, Gemma Dunn finds out about his latest batch of celebrity guests, and why the lively host thinks staycations will never lose their appeal
Returning for a second season, the daytime show, which sees the popular TV personality lead a line-up of willing celebrity guests down memory lane, to relive their favourite British childhood summer holidays, will air a total of 25 episodes over a five-week run.
Lisa Riley, Toyah Willcox, Pam St Clement, Edwina Currie, Jake Wood, Janet Ellis and Dan Walker are among the names to feature in the latest series, with destinations such as Haworth, Llangollen, Dartmoor, Bournemouth, Bude, the New Forest and Aberdeen on the list – Holiday Of My Lifetime begins on BBC One on Monday, February 1
• Continue reading at the Western Morning News. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Get ready to rev up your Vespa and neck that frothy coffee, as an immersive screening of Mod masterpiece Quadrophenia comes to London next month.
This one-off event aims to pull out the stops as it brings to life the London to Brighton rock opera and tells the tale of amphetamine-fuelled teenage rebellion in the 1960s.
Ahead of the screening, there’ll also be a Q&A with director Franc Roddam, plus actors Toyah Willcox, Phil Davis, Mark Wingett, John Altman and Phil Daniels (who apparently nicked the lead role of Jimmy from the uninsurable Johnny Rotten). The night will also include prizes for best Mod outfits, plus a chance to see memorabilia from the film and original Vespas.
• Continue reading at Londonist. Browse all of our Quadrophenia: The Immersive Cinematic Experience here.
Out of the primordial soup we clambered, dragging our knuckles through the evolutionary steps. Now here we stand: upright, hairless (well, mostly), and with enough rudimentary intelligence to master simple tasks and ask ourselves the age old question, ‘what does it mean to be a man?’
While we go around and around in circles, scratching our heads like chimps as we try to find a purpose for masculinity and avoid extinction, British comedy Aaaaaaaah! manages to lampoon the entire farce in just 79 minutes of scything, armpit-scratching brilliance.
• Continue reading at The Telegraph.
As it’s almost Christmas, I asked South Shields’ man of music and mystery, Wavis O’Shave, to come up with his favourite festive tales involving his own eccentric exploits.
He kindly sent me the following seasonal stories for your delectation.
“At the start of the 1980s, I had become close friends with pop star and actress Toyah Willcox. I would visit her each Christmas-time whenever she was on tour – I was the only person she would see after a show. In 1981 she was being pressurised by her record company to come up with a cheesy pop song for a hit, but she hated the idea of being too commercial. I suggested she wrote a song about me! Well, whether she did or not, the result became her most famous hit “It’s A Mystery’.”
• Continue reading at The Shield Gazette.
Original Quadrophenia cast reunite for special live event
Phil Daniels and co talking ’bout their generation
Members of the original cast of Quadrophenia are to reunite as part of a special, interactive cinematic event in honour of the film.
Phil Daniels, Phil Davis, Toyah Willcox, Mark Wingett, John Altman, Trevor Laird, Garry Cooper and Daniel Peacock will join director Franc Roddam on February 11, 2016 at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith for a Q&A session following a screening of the film and live re-enactments of its most famous scenes.
• Continue reading at Uncut. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Quadrophenia – The Immersive Cinematic Experience news here.
There’s a great new Toyah feature/review, of last month’s Proud, Loud & Electric gig at The Garage, just published at the Retro Man Blog.
Toyah + The Tuesday Club at The Garage Islington London
So, be honest now, what was your first gig? Mine wasn’t The Sex Pistols at the 100 Club Punk Festival, or The Who at Leeds University Refectory. I didn’t see Iggy smear peanut butter all over himself while crowd surfing at the Cincinnati Pop Festival and I never saw The Clash at the Victoria Park Rock Against Racism Rally. Nope, my first ever gig was Toyah on June 06th 1981 at the Hammersmith Odeon, the “Anthem Tour” in fact and I was 15 years old. Now, why I should feel a little bit guilty admitting this I’m not sure, but you know how snobby us music fans can be sometimes. But as Toyah herself might say, I should be “proud, loud and heard” and not try to cover up the facts just because it might not be thought of as very “cool”. However, your first gig is rather like your first kiss, buying your first 7” single or going to your first football match, it’s something that stays with you forever. Due to many and varied reasons it was impossible for me to get to many gigs in my teenage years so the whole experience of that first live show was magical.
• Continue reading at Retro Man Blog.
Franc Roddam, Director of Quadrophenia Joins Original Cast Members To Talk About Their Generation
Franc Roddam, Director of British movie classic Quadrophenia will join original cast members for an exclusive Q&A as part of a special, interactive cinematic event in honour of the cult film.
Franc Roddam joins original cast members Mark Wingett, John Altman and Phil Davis, as well as Phil Daniels, Toyah Willcox and more for a Modtastic night of nostalgia. Taking place on 11 February at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, the event will showcase Quadrophenia like never before, plunging fans into the sights and sounds of 1964 and capturing the spirit of the era.
Franc Roddam said: “This event is a great celebration of the film and era. It’s overwhelming to think that Quadrophenia is still held in such high regard all these years later. I’m looking forward to being reunited with the cast and talking to fans of the film.”
Tickets for this fully immersive showcase of Quadrophenia are on sale now available at eventimapollo.com and AXS.com.
• Continue reading at Just Another Mag. Browse all of our Quadrophenia: The Immersive Cinematic Experience here.
The Marlowe celebrates a delightful decade of pantomimes produced by Eastry-based company Evolution Productions.
Last year, Evolution Productions celebrated 10 years of pantomime in Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre. The Eastry-based company, comprising of Paul Hendy and Emily Wood, have produced some star studded productions at Canterbury’s Marlowe in the last decade.
We take a look at some of the most iconic stars who have appeared in Evolution pantomimes at the Marlowe over the last 10 years. Paul, who produces, directs and writes The Marlowe’s pantomimes, said: “I am immensely proud of our long association with the theatre. It has a wonderfully loyal, vocal audience and I’m grateful to the people of east Kent for their support.”
• Continue reading/View the gallery at the Canterbury Times.
Toyah Willcox – Sleeping Beauty, 2012/13 (Browse our Sleeping Beauty 2012/13 news here).
Toyah Willcox first made the cover of Smash Hits on 27 November 1980, the day before her band Toyah released a ‘live’ album. It had been recorded at Wolverhampton’s Lafayette Club on 17 June 1980; the gig was also filmed for inclusion in a television documentary about Willcox and her band. Of the documentary (a ‘fly-on-the-wall’ in which she was followed around over a period of months), she spoke about her unhappiness at being under the control of ATV, the station producing it: “The director wouldn’t give me all the shots I suggested. For example, when we were playing Blue Meaning on top of Battersea Power Station he wouldn’t take a camera up in a helicopter. A lot of it is quite personal though, down to fights with the band in the dressing room.”
One of the tracks performed at the Wolverhampton show, Danced, was issued as Toyah’s fourth single: “A live album – Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! – contains further tracks recorded at this concert but Ghosts and Neon Womb [the B-side songs] are available only on this single,” the sleeve notes ran.
• Continue reading at If You Were There.
Punk queen, actress, TV personality, music composer and wife of King Crimson’s Robert Fripp – Toyah Willcox wears many hats, but after a career spanning five decades and 20 albums, she’s not short of material for this solo show featuring classics and rarities from the early-80s hits like It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free, through to her latest work.
Toyah: 5th Nov, 7pm: The Fleece, 12 St Thomas Street, Bristol.
• Continue reading at the Bristol Post.
