Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

It’s the last chance for people to claim cheaper tickets in advance for Fairport’s Cropredy Convention which will see three days of top music.

There will be more than 30 hours of live music from 20 different acts over the three day festival in Cropredy running from Thursday August 13 to Saturday August 15. Tickets prices for the festival if booked before Friday July 31 are £120 for all three days, £110 for Friday and Saturday and £75 for entrance to Saturday only.After that date, the prices will go up an extra £5 including tickets bought on the gate.

Headliners for the festival include Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell and Level 42. Toyah Willcox and The Proclaimers will also be appearing at the festival as well as the legendary folk band Fairport Convention. They are likely to be performing with a number of special guests.

• Continue reading at the Banbury Guardian.

This new show invites you to “trip the neon fantastic” and celebrate the best hits of the 1980s – and when they’re asking you to do that along to a soundtrack of the Pet Shop Boys’ Always On My Mind, how can you say no?

Eighties stars like Toyah Willcox, Tony Hadley, Martin Fry and Marc Almond all feature, reminiscing about shoulder pads, eyeliner and making pop history.

The show, narrated by the annoying Zoe Ball, has commissioned a poll to determine the nation’s favourite 80s tune, but really the poll is superfluous. It was surely just a hook on which to hang this glittery coat of nostalgia, giving the channel an excuse – and a mighty good one, in my opinion – to pull out some clips of all the old songs and wallow in how gloriously flamboyant pop music used to be.

• Continue reading at The National – This weekend’s TV highlights.

Toyah Willcox takes to the stage of the bandstand over the busy Airbourne weekend in what will be her Eastbourne debut.

Eastbourne Borough Council Lead Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Enterprise, Cllr Margaret Bannister said, “Toyah is very much looking forward to performing at Eastbourne Bandstand for the first time ever, next month.

“Eastbourne’s seafront will be thriving throughout the duration of the four day international air show, and Toyah Willcox’s Bandstand debut will only add to the electric atmosphere which Airbourne brings to the town.

“Visitors to Eastbourne on August 14 are able to enjoy superb reserved seating in the Bandstand’s Upper Balcony and Promenade Deck, with uninterrupted views of the display line from £8 a day, and can soak up the awesome atmosphere of ‘Toyah in Concert’ in the Bandstand arena by night, making for an unforgettable trip to Eastbourne.”

• Continue reading at the Eastbourne Herald.

Are you already planning what to do this August Bank Holiday? Well, plan no further as this year Aylesbury Town Council will bring you a full programme of free entertainment and live music throughout the bank holiday weekend in Vale Park. This exciting weekend is called Parklife and will encompass Live in the Park, Church in the Park, Fun in the Park and Proms in the Park brought to you jointly by Aylesbury Town Council and Aylesbury Church Network.

Live in the Park – FREE Saturday 29 August, Vale Park, 12noon until 9:30pm

Vale Park will be filled with continuous live music performed on a large outdoor stage by 80’s pop star TOYAH and a number of fantastic local bands playing an array of musical styles and genres from rockabilly, punk and new wave to well-known pop and rock covers, beside original local singers and songwriters

• Continue reading at Aylesbury Town Council.

Hundreds of voices in unison at Rotherham concert

Hundreds of young voices were singing in unison with pop idol Toyah Willcox as the curtain was brought down on Rotherham’s biggest annual youth event.

The One Voice concert at the New York Stadium marked the closing of this year’s Rotherham Children’s Festival. Thousands of children have taken part in talent shows, art, film and music projects during the summer programme based around Rotherham United’s town centre base.

Toyah, who has enjoyed a 30-year singing and acting career, was back in town for the third time to compere the massive choir made up of schools from around the borough.

• Continue reading at the Rotherham Advertiser. (Photos © Rotherham Advertiser)

Acoustic, Up Close & Personal with Toyah at Enginuity Friday evening 2nd October

Household name, pop icon, TV presenter and actress Toyah is coming to the Engine Shop at Enginuity in Coalbrookdale on Friday evening, 2nd October. ‘Acoustic, Up Close & Personal with Toyah’ is a wonderful chance to experience the 1980s pop superstar up close and personal at a lively song and storytelling style gig.

Toyah will be entertaining the audience with a selection of her much loved hit singles. Supported by musicians Chris Wong and Colin Hinds, her performance will include It’s a Mystery, Thunder in the Mountains, I Want to be Free and Good Morning Universe.

• Continue reading at the The Best of Telford and Wrekin.

Best of the fests: Our guide to 11 top summer festivals

Pull on your wellies and dig out your tent! It’s summer festival season and there’s everything from 1980s retro to world music to entertain you. Flicky Harrison reports

Fairport’s Cropredy Convention

Toyah Willcox joins the merry men and women invited to perform at this year’s Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. The former punk princess has now won her place among the music luminaries selected by folk rock legends Fairport Convention at the Oxfordshire festival.

She joins a line-up including Fish, the former lead singer of Marillion, The Proclaimers, Level 42, Dreadzone and a number of special surprise guests who simply ‘pop up’ in traditional Cropredy style. As host band, Fairport will open the festival which runs from Thursday, August 13, to Saturday, August 15. For more details visit fairportconvention.com/cropredy.php

• Continue reading at the Swindon Advertiser. Browse Toyah’s full gig diary, including all her upcoming 2015 festival appearances, at toyahwillcox.com.

• Film4: FrightFest 2015: Thursday 27th August – Monday 31st August: Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present 76 films across five screens, plus a host of special events – Continue reading…

• End of The Road: Cinema: We’re delighted to announce that Will Hodgkinson will be taking over the film tent at this year’s End of The Road Festival – As well as presenting a “Country Life” themed Friday, a “Rock ‘n’ Roll” Saturday and a Sunday of “Glamour”, he’ll be bringing actor Steve Oram along to discuss and screen his directorial debut Aaaaaaaah! with actors Alice Lowe and Julian Barratt – Continue reading…

• Hollywood Reporter: U.K.’s FrightFest Genre Festival Unveils Biggest Ever Lineup: FrightFest is set to screen the world premiere of comedy shocker Aaaaaaaah! by Steve Oram, star and co-writer of Ben Wheatley’s 2012 comedy Sightseers – Continue reading…

• IGN: Howl, The Hallow and More Play at FrightFest 2015: We’re looking forward to Deathgasm, Turbo Kid and AAAAAAAAH!, which looks weird, wonderful and deeply disturbing – Continue reading…

• British Horror Revival: Baker’s dozen British features at Frightfest: Frightfest have announced their line-up for 2015 and as usual it includes a good selection of British features. Thirteen in total – Continue reading…

• Games Radar: Film4 FrightFest 2015 reveals full line-up of films: Film4 FrightFest 2015 has unveiled its largest line-up ever, with the festival set to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events… Home-grown highlights include Steve Oram’s darkly comic Aaaaaaaah! – Continue reading…

• Aaaaaaaah! @ Dreamscape: Browse all of our Aaaaaaaah! news here…

Steve Oram’s directorial debut comedy horror, about a world inhabited by apes in human form

Starring: Steve Oram, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Noel Fielding, Alice Lowe, Julian Barratt, Tony Way, Toyah Willcox, Lucy Honigman, Shelley Longworth, Tom Meeten, Waen Shepherd.

Alpha Male Smith and his Beta, Keith, move to take over a local community. They hook up with restless Female, Denise, igniting a deadly feud in which emotions run high and deep-seated grudges resurface amongst the tribe. Are we not men? Or are we simply beasts?

Steve Oram, the actor/writer from Sightseers and Kill List stars in his long-awaited debut feature with a host of his friends. Get ready for the most unusual celluloid primal scream – an anarchic, hilarious, disturbing and touching look at the human condition.

• Continue reading at the British Comedy Guide.

Princess of Punk Toyah Willcox to perform in Nantwich

The original Princess of Punk Toyah Willcox will be performing in Nantwich with her Close Up and Personal Tour.

Toyah will be in town for one night only this Friday July 10, from 8pm.

This is a unique chance to experience Toyah up close and personal. A lively unplugged/storytellers style gig, it will include Toyah performing an acoustic set of her loved hit singles and classic songs, alongside recalling stories from her colourful, 35-year career.

Toyah will be performing alongside musicians Chris Wong and Colin Hinds and hits include It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free and Good Morning Universe.

Tickets are £17 available from Nantwich Civic Hall on 01270 628633 or online at www.nantwichtowncouncil.gov.uk

• Continue reading at the Nantwich News. View the complete upcoming Acoustic, Up Close & Personal dates. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Acoustic… related news by clicking below.

It appears the Irish Daily Star have taken a quote from Toyah’s Tracks Of My Years – which aired all last week on BBC Radio Two – and blown it out of proportion to create a news story – Here it is anyway…

Eighties pop star blasts U2 for ‘manipulating fans’

Eighties pop star Toyah Willcox (57) has blasted U2 — claiming the Dublin band are using social media to manipulate fans in a bid to keep their career going.

The singer is married to prog rock legend Robert Fripp, best known for being a member of King Crimson and releasing a series of albums with former U2 producer Brian Eno.

Willcox made the comments on BBC Radio 2 when, ironically, she selected the band’s 1987 hit Where The Streets Have No Name, as one of her all-time favourite songs.

“What fascinates me about U2 is the curve of their career. I love all their early stuff.

“And I worked with Steve Lillywhite, he produced an album I did called Changeling, which has been cited as the beginning of the Goth movement,” said Toyah whose 80s hits include I Want To Be Free, It’s A Mystery and Thunder In The Mountains.

• Continue reading at the Irish Daily Star.

The 16th edition of genre film festival unveils full line-up.

Film4 FrightFest will mark its 16th edition with its largest line-up ever, showcasing 76 films across five screens at the Vue West End in Leicester Square from Aug 27-31.

This year’s line-up features 20 world premieres, a record-breaking 16 European premieres and 26 UK premieres, with 18 countries represented. In addition, there will be a further ‘Discovery’ strand at The Prince Charles Cinema, marking a return to the festival’s original home.

World premieres at this year’s FrightFest include Paul Hyett’s creature feature Howl, anthology A Christmas Horror Story, Steve Oram’s comedy Aaaaaaaah! and Liam Regan’s revenge thriller Banjo, while European premieres include Ben Cresciman’s Sun Choke, Paz Brothers’ Jeruzalem and Adam Mason’s Hangman.

• Continue reading at Screen Daily.

Huge online reporting of the FrightFest 2015 Line-Up Announcement. Aaaaaaaah! is, of course, mentioned in them all – and some include the still of Toyah from the film.

• Horror Channel: FrightFest 2015 Serves Up A Fearsome Feast With A Record 76 Films, Embracing 20 World And 42 UK And European Premieres: FrightFest always takes great pride in platforming the brightest British and Irish talent and 2015 is an outstanding year. Apart from opening with David Keating’s Cherry Tree, there is the world premiere of Steve Oram’s hilarious and very disturbing AAAAAAAAH! – Continue reading…

• SciFiNow: Film4 FrightFest 2015 line-up is announced! So many horrors!: The massive line-up for Film4 FrightFest 2015 has arrived, and there’s so much to see… Steve Oram’s beserk-looking AAAAAAAAH! makes its world premiere – Continue reading…

• Failed Critics: Film4 FrightFest 2015 Preview: In the discovery screen 1 – Aaaaaaaah! from Steve Oram looks worth a watch, starring Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…

• Entertainment-Focus: Film4 Frightfest returns for 2015: Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its biggest line-up to date. From Thurs 27th August to Mon 31st August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present 76 films across five screens, plus a host of special events – Continue reading…

• Britflicks: Film4 FrightFest Announces Full 2015 Line-Up: Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever – Continue reading…

• Scream: Film4 FrightFest Reveals Full 2015 Killer Line-Up: Film4 FrightFest, the UK’s undefeated heavy-weight champion of genre festivals, is all set to serve up its 16th helping of the finest in home-grown and international horror at London’s West End at the Vue, Leicester Square, between August 27th – 31st – Continue reading…

• Dread Central: Film4 FrightFest 2015: Line-up Announced; Image Blow-Out!: One of the best damned film festivals on the planet, Film4 FrightFest, has unveiled its 2015 line-up; and as always, it is absolutely killer. Read on for the details and DOZENS of new stills – Continue reading…

• Aaaaaaaah! @ Dreamscape: Browse all of our Aaaaaaaah! news here…

As our regular readers will be aware, we’ve been getting more than a little over-excited about Aaaaaaah! for some time – and now the details of the World Premiere have been announced.

Steve Oram‘s directorial debut comedy horror, about a world inhabited by apes in human form, will star a cavalcade of comedic TVO-connected talent (and post-punk icon Toyah Willcox), including Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding (or “Noah Fielding” according to this site), Alice Lowe, Tom Meeten, Steve Oram, Sean Reynard, Waen Shepherd, John Hopkins and Tony Way.

The film premieres at Film 4 FrightFest at Leicester Square – and you can be there to experience it on the big screen in person! What’s more, the event will feature a Q&A with some of the cast. Steve and Toyah are confirmed for this, but there’s no news yet as to which other cast members will be there.

• Continue reading at The Velvet Onion.

Released today (2nd July) in 1982: Nine To Five

Shameless cash-in of the month for July comes courtesy of this 1982 single from EG records. Nine To Five was recorded in 1977 for the soundtrack album of the following year’s Derek Jarman movie ‘Jubilee’, which featured among its cast members a number of British punk rock artists. The track itself was credited to Maneaters, but was performed by Adam Ant and Toyah Willcox, both of whom had yet to have a hit at the time. Then, after years of trying, they both had their breakthrough hits within months of each other: Adam & The Ants had their first Top 10 hit at the end of 1980 and Toyah had theirs in March 1981, and both acts had several more in the twelve months that followed. Two of Adam’s former labels had already plundered his catalogue recordings for reissues, and now it was EG’s turn.

For the single, EG billed the song as being by ‘Adam and Toyah’ and advertised it as being available in a “special picture bag”. Both artists objected to the release and the way in which it was marketed.

• Continue reading at If You Were There.

Things are hotting up – and yes speaking of heat, phew!, it has been ridiculously, over-the-top, warm in the UK this week, hasn’t it – for the forthcoming Aaaaaaaah! with no less than the legendary Variety reporting on the film – and including a great shot of Toyah too.

‘Aaaaaaaah!,’ ‘Scherzo Diabolico,’ ‘Curve’ Among Highlights at FrightFest

Toyah Willcox wields the pan in Steve Oram’s ‘Aaaaaaaah!’

MUNICH — Film4 FrightFest, the U.K.’s leading genre film festival, promises to be “bigger, bolder and bloodier” in its 16th year with its largest ever lineup. The gorefest, which runs Aug. 27-31, will present 76 films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are 16 European premieres and 26 U.K. premieres.

Among the films from British and Irish talent receiving a showcase are David Keating’s “Cherry Tree”; the world premiere of Steve Oram’s hilarious and disturbing “Aaaaaaaah!,” starring Toyah Willcox; Dominic Brunt’s sharp-edged female revenge saga “Bait”; Ben and Chris Blaine’s sexually charged zom-rom-com “Nina Forever”; Mark Murphy’s tale of twisted minds “Awaiting”; Paul Hyett’s much-anticipated “Howl”; Adam Levins’ sinister family drama “Estranged”; Howard J. Ford’s child-abduction thriller “Never Let Go”; Corin Hardy’s Sundance sensation “The Hallow”; Ruth Platt’s morally challenging chiller “The Lesson”; Liam Regan’s gruesome revenge saga “Banjo”; Eugene McGing’s supernatural haunter “The Unfolding”; and “Afterdeath,” a hellish thriller by new directors Gez Medinger and Robin Schmidt.

• Continue reading at Variety. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Aaaaaaaah! news here.

Festival fun for music fans from rock to folk and everything in between

Toyah Willcox joins the merry men and women invited to perform at this year’s Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. The punk princess has now won her place among the music luminaries selected by folk rock legends Fairport Convention at the Oxfordshire festival. She joins a line-up including Fish, the former lead singer of Marillion, The Proclaimers, Level 42, Dreadzone and a number of special surprise guests who simply ‘pop up’ in traditional Cropredy style. As host band, Fairport will open the festival which runs from Thursday, August 13 to Saturday, August 15. For more details visit www.fairportconvention.com/cropredy.php.

• Continue reading at the Swindon Advertiser. Browse Dreamscape’s news on Toyah playing at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2015 here.

It’s A Mystery is one of Toyah Willcox’s most well known tracks but from her ‘Up Close and Personal’ performance at Lowdham Village Hall it was no mystery that her career has been such a success, spanning 30 years. The Warthog Promotions event, part of Lowdham’s Book Festival 2015, featured Wilcox talking about her life and selection of acoustic performances.

Supported by Chris Wong and Colin Hinds on guitar, Willcox belted out numbers from across her career: Good Morning Universe: Be Proud, Be Loud, Be Heard; Jungles Of Jupiter; Echo Beach; and, Bird In Flight which was number one in the first ever Indie record chart. Diminutive and self-effacing off-stage, once in the limelight, bedecked in bright pink dress and silver bangles, the ‘rebel’ commanded the arena.

• Continue reading at the Nottingham Post.

A performance from the ‘high priestess of punk’ Toyah at Blackpool’s North Pier is off.

A spokesman for the venue said ticket holders for the Sunday, July 12 show could get a refund from their point of sale.

On Facebook, Toyah said this and another cancellation were ‘due to technical issues with the respective councils’ staging the events.

• Continue reading at the Blackpool Gazette. Toyah’s Gig Diary is packed full of concerts for 2015. There’s sure to be a date near you… Browse all the dates at toyahwillcox.com.

Big Country and Toyah Willcox are at the Pavilion Theatre, Worthing at 8.00 pm on Saturday June 20th.

Big Country and Toyah Willcox perform at the Kick Up The Eighties night at the Pavilion Theatre, performing all their hits from back in the day, along with DJs playing classic eighties tunes, a night not to be missed for any 80s music fan.

The colourful, dynamic and unique Toyah Willcox brings her full band to performing a lively and exhilarating set. Toyah delivers a dose of high energy in every gig, including the iconic hit singles It’s A Mystery, I Want To Be Freeand Thunder In The Mountains. A household name, pop icon, TV presenter and stage and screen actress (Calamity Jane, Cabaret, Jubilee,Quadophenia), Toyah has made twenty albums, scored 13 Top 40 hits and achieved gold, silver and platinum album sales in the 1980s. Catch Toyah singing the hits, classics and favourites she is known and loved for.

• Continue reading at the Worthing Daily.

More special guests announced for John Shuttleworth’s Knight at the Palladium

John Shuttleworth and friends including Chas and Dave, Badly Drawn Boy, John Otway, Toyah, Leee John (Imagination), Martyn Ware (Heaven 17), Jon McClure (Reverend and the Makers), Gordon Giltrap, Lorraine Bowen and Sooty and Sweep (yes, really!) will perform for one night only at the London Palladium in ‘A Knight at the Palladium’ in aid of the MS Trust and an MS Centre in Sheffield.

“Sheffield’s funniest man” (The Guardian), the versatile singer/organist John Shuttleworth, plays the London Palladium to celebrate 30 years in ‘showbiz’ and is joined by star guests from his recent Lounge Music BBC Radio 4 series, plus others (TBA).

But, true to form, his agent, Ken Worthington, has messed up the show title. Night has become Knight, which makes John wonder… could his charity fundraising efforts at the Palladium lead to his being considered for a knighthood? That all depends on who is in the Royal Box!

This night of wonderful music and hilarious comedy is suitable for all so come along and bring your friends.

Where: The London Palladium, Argyll Street, London W1F 7TF
When: Sunday 28 June 2015 at 7:30PM
Tickets: £30.00 plus booking fee

Tickets for ‘A Knight at the Palladium’ are available online from reallyusefultheatres.co.uk or gigantic.com or by phoning 0844 412 4655

• Continue reading at the Multiple Sclerosis Trust. Browse all of Dreamscape’s John Shuttleworth news.