Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Plenty to sing about – pop star presents Altrincham nursery with award

Staff at Elmscot Day Nursery in Altrincham had plenty to sing about after receiving a prize at the National Day Nurseries Association’s Nursery Awards. Elmscot was the runner-up in the Nursery of the Year – north of England category.

Representatives received their accolade from TV presenter and pop star, Toyah Willcox, at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

• Continue reading at the Altrincham Messenger. (Photo © Messenger Newspapers)

“Thunder in the Mountains, or at least in the High Peak…”

Setting this year’s New Mills Festival off with an enormous bang, and following on from last year’s hugely successful fundraiser, this year sees the colourful, dynamic and unique Toyah Wilcox and her band take to the stage at New Mills Art Theatre on Saturday 12 Sept 2015. Toyah will be belting out all her old hits including the iconic hit singles – It’s A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Thunder In The Mountains, as well as newer material, in her famous high-energy style.

To give locals, and those willing to travel, first choice of the front row seats in the iconic 500 – seater venue, tickets will go on sale first at New Mills Carnival on Sat 13th June, in person only. Seats will then be available online from Monday 15th June or from the Festival Box-Office at The Studios at 12 Union Road New Mills, on Saturdays from 10-12am.

Toyah at New Mills Art Theatre: Saturday 12 September, Doors 7 pm
New Mills Art Theatre, Jodrell Street: Tickets £18 and £15 concessions

• Continue reading at the New Mills Festival website.

David Bowie, Roxy Music, Toyah Willcox – a Bucks club night has seen it all

The Friars Club, in Aylesbury, has seen hundreds of artists play since 1969, and has promoter David Stopps to thank for this

Not many people can say they have received a text message from David Bowie, and even fewer can say they have played an influential role in the history of rock. And when it comes to rock music, market towns in the home counties are probably not most people’s first point of call.

But it may come as a surprise to some to learn that Bucks has a fascinating and unique musical history, in part down to its location roughly halfway between Birmingham and London. As promoter of the Friars Club since 1969, a music club based in Aylesbury, David Stopps has seen legendary bands and artists perform here over the past 46 years.

Along with being the first place David Bowie performed his famous Ziggy Stardust persona, other bands to have taken the stage under his guidance include Genesis, The Jam, The Clash, The Ramones, Howard Jones, Marillion, Toyah Willcox, The Velvet Underground and Roxy Music.

• Continue reading at Get Bucks.

Hear music star Toyah Willcox sharing her fave Sounds of the 80s with the lovely Sara Cox! Check out Toyah in the 80s when she had a slightly different look for our contribution to this week’s #throwbackthursday

Toyah Willcox will line up with other 80s icons in Stamford on Sunday

A line-up of musical icons will help to recreate the nostalgia of the 1980s at a concert in Stamford on Sunday.

Burghley House is the historic setting for the 80s Greatest Hits Tour featuring Toyah Willcox, Bananarama , Midge Ure, Curiosity Killed The Cat and Oydessey.

Bananarama (hits include Cruel Summer and Venus), Midge Ure (lead singer of Ultravox, famous for Vienna), Toyah (It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free), Odyssey (Use It Up and Wear It Out and Going Back To My Roots), and Curiosity Killed The Cat (singles include Misfit and Down To Earth).

Tickets are £39.95 and the event promoters are encouraging people to get to the venue early and enjoy their own picnic before the show starts.

• Continue reading at The Hunts Post. Browse Dreamscape’s Here and Now @ Stamford news.

Toyah’s proud, loud and will be heard at Carnglaze

In a career spanning 30 years Toyah has had 13 Top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays, made ten feature films and presented such diverse television programmes as The Good Sex Guide Late, Watchdog and Songs Of Praise.

She relives it all in Acoustic, Up Close and Personal at Carnglaze Caverns on Saturday at 8pm.

• Continue reading at the Cornish Guardian.

Toyah to play loud and proud at Mr Kyps

Punk star Toyah Willcox comes to Poole next week for a gig at Mr Kyps. The 56-year-old singer, actress and reality TV star – who hit the charts in 1981 with It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free and appeared in The Who-inspired 1979 film Quadrophenia and Derek Jarman’s seminal Jubilee- will be at the Lower Parkstone venue on June 13, to give her Proud, Loud and Electric gig.

From punk princess to cult stage actress and high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved stage/screen actress and music composer.

• Continue reading at the Bournemouth Echo. (Photo © Bournemouth Echo)

Toyah Willcox and her band take to the stage at New Mills Art Theatre on September 12– setting this year’s New Mills Festival off with an enormous bang.

The colourful, dynamic and unique Toyah will be belting out all her old hits including the iconic hit singles – It’s A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Thunder In The Mountains, as well as newer material, in her famous high-energy style.

• Continue reading at Artsbeat.

Full list of artists confirmed for Fairport Convention’s annual weekender in August

Fairport Convention have confirmed the complete lineup for this year’s edition of their Cropredy Convention festival.

Tickets are on sale now, priced at £120 for the full weekend, £110 for Friday and Saturday and £75 for Saturday only. Charges increase after July 31.

August 13: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Katzenjammer, Dreadzone, Trad Arr, Fairport Convention semi-acoustic set.

August 14: Level 42. The Proclaimers. Fish. Skerryvore. Skinny Lister. Judith Owen. Ahab. BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner (tab).

August 15: Fairport Convention and guests, Iain Matthews and Egbert Derix, Paul Carrack, Toyah Willcox, Band Of Friends, The Newgrass Cutters, Kevin Dempsey and Rosie Carson, Richard Digance.

• Continue reading at PROG.

Birmingham Pride kicks off 2015 summer calendar of gay prides

Birmingham Pride brought festival fever into the heart of Brum on Spring Bank Holiday with a party packed with pop stars from every decade.

Jimmy Somerville, Heather Small, Atomic Kitten, Jess Glynne, Example, Ms Dynamite, Toyah, Bucks Fizz, Limahl and a whole host of other acts performed in the Gay Village in one of the best ever line-ups for the event. Birmingham also has one of the best Pride line-ups in the UK.

• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.

Glastonbuget, the world’s greatest tribute festival chose to celebrate their 10 year success in style over the bank holiday weekend by taking festival goers on a musical journey with performances from sensational tribute acts and independent artists.

The one of a kind festival saw artists perform tribute songs from across the 70’s, 80’s and 90s with the likes of the legendary; Kazabian, Mercury, Oasish and Fleetwood Bac all taking to the main stage. Audiences also gathered across the other 6 stages to watch sets from over a 100 independent artists including pop band TwoSixOnes, heavy metal group Sour Mash and BBC Introducing’s Esther Turner.

Eighties singing sensation, Toyah Willcox who was Glastonbudgets 10th anniversary’s special guest gave the audience a fantastic performance. The star gave a variety of her best hits including everyone’s favourite ‘It’s a Mystery’ along with songs from her most recent album, ‘Has God Ceased to Dream You.’

• Continue reading at the Derby Times.

British punk icon Toyah Willcox gained a reputation as a rebellious extrovert throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Now more mellowed but no less talented or charismatic, the much-loved singer and actress is performing at Babbacombe Theatre next month.

In a career spanning 30 years, Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums, appeared in over 40 stage plays, made 10 feature films and presented such diverse television programmes as The Good Sex Guide Late, Watchdog and Songs Of Praise.

She is now touring new show ‘Toyah Acoustic — Up Close and Personal’, described as an ‘unplugged/storyteller’s style’ performance.

The concert will comprise of an acoustic set of her hit singles and classic songs alongside recalling stories from her colourful, 35-year career with projections on to a big screen showing clips of films and videos she has appeared in.

• Continue reading at the Torquay Herald Express. Also available, as It’s no mystery why singer Toyah has staying power, at the West Morning News.

The It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains and I Want to Be Free star will be appearing at Hertford Corn Exchange on Saturday night.

The acoustic gig is part of Toyah Willcox’s Up Close & Personal tour.

It will be a special night for support act Alysha Hutchings.

The 15-year-old from Roydon, Essex, was asked by organiser Joolz Addison to perform.

Alysha will be talking about the songs and what they mean to her and why she has chosen them.

This, she hopes, will be in keeping with Toyah, the night’s headline performer, and will allow the audience to relate to her experience, to inspire them and provide hope in their lives.

Alysha will be performing at 8pm, followed by Pat Crilly and then Toyah.

• Continue reading at the Welwyn Hatfield Times.

Mum’s battle inspires young Alysha to sing with Toyah

A 15-year-old girl has used her mother’s fight against a brain tumour as inspiration ahead of a landmark in her fledgling music career.

Teenage singer Alysha Hutchings has been invited to support Toyah Willcox at the Corn Exchange in Hertford this weekend. Alysha, from Roydon, was asked to perform by Joolz Addison, manager at the venue in Fore Street, after two outstanding performances at The Corn Exchange’s Sunday live sessions and a fundraiser for the Brain Tumour Charity.

Moved by Alysha’s loss of her mother to the condition in 2013, Joolz has been working with Alysha and another songwriter, Ashley Tomlin, to help Alysha develop her own style and tell her story through music.

Alysha’s dad, Paul Hutchings said: “Alysha is very aware of the privilege she has been given to perform at her age with such a famous artist and is very much looking forward to meeting her”.

• Continue reading at the Hertfordshire Mercury.

Hundreds of people descended onto Wymeswold over the Bank Holiday for one of the biggest tribute act festivals on the planet.

Festival-goers adorned their most outrageous attire with Where’s Wally, Super Mario Brothers and Lord of the Rings costumes.

And special guest Toyah Willcox tore up the main stage with her back catalogue and terrific rendition of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell.

• Continue reading at the Loughborough Echo. (Photo © Loughborough Echo/PRMedia.com)

Party in the Gardens brings Bucks Fizz, Toyah and Rick Astley to Franklin’s Gardens

Thousands of people went back to the 1980s for the Party in the Gardens concert at Franklin’s Gardens to mark the end of Northampton Saints’ season.

Some the decade’s biggest acts went on stage on Bank Holiday Monday. Nostalgic stars included Rick Astley, Hot Chocolate, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston formally of Bucks Fizz, Toyah and Katrina (ex of the Waves).

• Continue reading at the Northampton Chronicle. (Photo © Northampton Chronicle/Andy Taylor)

Toyah Willcox and more than 10,000 music lovers party at Glastonbudget

Copycat moves, shiny costumes, big wigs and even bigger puns were out in force at the annual Glastonbudget festival.

The three-day event, which took place in Wymeswold from Friday until Sunday, attracted more than 10,000 people, all eager to see their favourite music acts, past and present, reincarnated on stage in a field in Leicestershire.

Acts performing over the weekend included Antarctic Monkeys, Fleetwood Bac and the real Toyah Willcox. Music fans all said the laid-back atmosphere and spot-on mockstars made Glastonbudget one of the best events in the festival calendar.

• Continue reading at the Leicester Mercury.

Eighties punk-pop legend Toyah Willcox will be the top entertainer gracing the main stage of Glastonbudget as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in style

With just two weeks to go before one of the biggest ever tribute act festivals kicks off in the county, organisers have announced a very special guest star.

Eighties punk-pop legend Toyah Willcox will be the top entertainer gracing the main stage of Glastonbudget as it celebrates its 10th anniversary in style.

The pint-sized singing sensation will perform a variety of her most popular and biggest hits including It’s a Mystery, Thunder in the Mountains and I Want to be Free, along with songs from her most recent album, Has God Ceased to Dream You. Toyah will excitedly headline the festival taking place from May 22 to 24 at Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold, near Loughborough.

• Continue reading at The Hinckley Times.

The Millers’ home will welcome busloads of talent during June and July — but not just of the footballing kind.

Two events will feature singers and more gracing the ground to showcase their skills. The annual Children’s Festival will end on Wednesday, July 8 with One Voice — a concert featuring 2,500 Rotherham youngsters, singing a programme of popular songs.

The recital will be hosted by TV presenter and music idol Toyah Willcox and is expected to draw 5,000 people. Tickets cost £5 each and are available now from the stadium’s box office.

• Continue reading at the Rotherham Advertiser.

Toyah’s iconic imagery from 1980/The Blue Meaning is currently being referenced as an influence on Tesco’s new womenswear trend/range at their F&F clothing/fashion webstore.

AW13 Depeche Mode: 80s chic meets modern attitude in our edgy new collection, Depeche Mode. Sportswear styles and couture silhouettes in a fresh colour palette make for a look that’s luxe yet easy to wear.

Key Pieces: Take inspiration from the 80s. Singer and actress Toyah Willcox mastered edgy chic.

• Click below to visit Clothing at Tesco/F&F.

See Toyah Willcox, The Christians and Jim Diamond in Revenge of the 80s

Toyah Willcox will headline Revenge of the 80s at the Mayflower Theatre this month.

This special evening of live music on Sunday, May 31 at 7.30pm will also feature The Christians and Jim Diamond with their greatest hits from the 1980s and beyond.

Step back in time to experience three 1980s icons and their chart-topping smash hits live in concert once more. Tickets are available from the box office on 02380 711811 or online at mayflower.org.uk.

• Continue reading at the Basingstoke Gazette.