Decades is a festival with something for everyone. After watching trade slowly go down publicans in Workington decided to create a festival for all with the expertise of Maryport Festivals and bring the town back to life. We will have music genres such as pop, blues, rock, indie, seventies sixties and eighties.
If you cant find something you like then your not looking. Take a trip down memory lane and remember the days of the old school yard, you know you want to. With some old favourites such as The Fortunes, The Fourmost, Billy Walker, The Quireboys and New Amen Corner on the pub trail it will be hard to beat. Then in Club Ice for Toyah Willcox, David Van Day and Ed Tuderpole in the main venue you will be spoiled for choice.
• Continue reading, at ‘Music Mafia UK’, here.
A report on the ‘Stortfest Crawl 2012’, including info from the festival director, Simon Baker.
Organisers of the Stortford Music Festival have announced a week-long series of events that will take place in and around the town starting next month. Commencing on April 29 and running until May 06, the event is being called the Stortfest Crawl.
Organisers are busy booking bands but can today confirm that the legendary punk-popstress Toyah Willcox will be playing the Rhodes Arts Complex on Saturday May 05 celebrating the 30th anniversary of her seminal “The Changeling” album with a greatest hits set. Festival director Simon Baker said: “This is one act we are particularly excited about. While taking a breather for a year, we felt it was important for people to know that the festival was still going strong and will be back next year. Being able to confirm Toyah as one of the fantastic acts who will be playing during the week proves that people can expect the same high calibre of performers that they have enjoyed in previous years.” (Thanks to Ian Grainge)
Brighton’s Concorde2 mailed out their April newsletter to subscribers today. It includes news on Toyah’s forthcoming gig at the venue, plus a chance to win tickets for it.
Saturday 14th April
Sanctuary Music presents TOYAH WILLCOX
THE CHANGELING RESURRECTION 2012 TOUR
Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of ‘The Changeling’, Toyah & her full band, will perform a selection of songs from the album alongside classic material as heard on the ‘Warrior Rock’ live album.
* TOYAH WILLCOX COMPETITION *
This week we are giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see TOYAH @ CONCORDE2 on Saturday 14th April, all you need to do is answer this simple question…
“Tell us the name of Toyah’s 2012 tour…?” Send your answers to hello@concorde2.co.uk, winners will be contacted by email no later than Monday 9th April.
(Thanks to Stephen Bennett for the newsletter)
Toyah is included in today’s ‘My Virgin Money Magazine’ feature “How childhood shapes our attitudes to money”.
It’s generally recognised that the way we manage our money throughout adulthood is influenced by our experiences of it when we’re growing up.
Mark Anstead spoke to some well-known people to discover the extent of this lasting impact, whether good or bad – from learning how to save as well as spend to preferring to buy second-hand, from learning how to prioritise to not relying on credit.
Toyah Willcox, actress
Initially my childhood was very affluent. Then, when I was seven years old, my father was hit badly by a slump in the stock market and he lost everything. It affected me by contributing to my strong drive to be financially secure and independent, but I’m also incredibly cautious with money because I’ve seen how easily you can lose it. Back then stocks and shares were phenomenally successful, but he didn’t spread his investments and I have learned from that.
• Read the full article, at ‘My Virgin Money Magazine’, here.
• Maidenhead Advertiser: Let’s Rock The Moor: Family support charity to benefit: Families in need are set to benefit from a fundraising music festival in Cookham this summer. Proceeds from Let’s Rock the Moor, on Saturday, May 12, will raise money for the Link Foundation. This year’s line up includes Billy Ocean, Go West, Heaven 17, Toyah and Modern Romance, and will be hosted by Pat Sharp. Continue reading here.
• View photos of Toyah “at home” in 2010, by ‘Jamie Hughes Photography’, here and here.
• Many Happy Returns to Chris Wong. It’s his birthday today! (Thanks to Sugar Rush: The Humans.org.uk)
• Not exactly earth-shattering news, but it is related to ‘The Changeling’ in “Changeling Month” :) Yesterday Toyah was mentioned in a question at Just Quiz: 23. What links a Jacobean tragedy, an Oscar nominated film starring Angelina Jolie and a 1982 album by Toyah?
An interesting article on punk in ‘The Independent’ yesterday. It includes a gallery of great photos, featuring rare shots of Adam Ant, Jordan, Billy idol, Little Nell, Siouxsie etc, plus Derek Jarman at the premiere of Jubilee.
Anarchy in the UK: The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 was also the year that punk hit
Photographer Simon Barker was there to capture it. Michael Bracewell opens his archive.
Punk lasted in the UK for little more than 14 months, between 1976 and the Jubilee Summer of 1977. Thirty-five years later, in another Jubilee year, how might we regard the intense, chaotic, moody, surreal, futuristic-yet-Victorian aesthetics of the movement? In answer to this question, photographs taken at the time by Simon Barker, also known as Six, go a long way to articulating the ways in which a phase of youth culture attained the impact of a manifesto – while never quite losing the cool allure and faintly slapstick temperament of its confrontational amateurism.
• Continue reading, at ‘The Independent’, here.
We are thrilled to announce that the much-loved Summer Picnic Concerts at Audley End House and Gardens will go ahead as usual this summer. English Heritage has teamed up with independent concert producers, Portal Events Ltd to deliver a fantastic line-up of musical stars and the concerts will take place from Friday 3rd August to Sunday 5th August 2012.
On Saturday 4th August it’s time to relive your youth with The Greatest 80’s Party…Ever! Hit 80s artists Rick Astley, Jimmy Somerville, Midge Ure, Nik Kershaw, T’pau, Toyah, Wang Chung and Dr and the Medics will wow the crowd into a party frenzy with their famous hit songs including “Never gonna give you up”, “China in your hand” and “Spirit in the Sky”.
Toyah: From punk princess to high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer. Toyah is going to rock Audley End with some of her 80’s classics.
• View the ‘Audley End Concerts’ Toyah info at their ‘Line Up’ page here.
Audley End Picnic Concerts: Jools Holland, Rick Astley and the Royal Philharmonic are among the stars for this year’s open air concerts at Audley End. This summer’s concerts, supported by Heart, take place from Friday 3rd August to Sunday 5th August.
• To win a pair of tickets for ‘The Best 80’s Party… Ever!’ go here and answer the question. Competition closes on 29th April.
Salvaged from eBay for your viewing/reading pleasure. An article from 1983 by ‘Disco 45’. Hardly mind blowing journalism but I thought I’d add it as it’s admirably positive.
Contrary to what a lot of people expected, Toyah Willcox has returned strongly to the charts after an absence from recording of nearly a whole year.
Yes, it’s been that long since ‘Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)’ was released and became Toyah’s seventh hit single, while around the same time her most recent album, ‘Warrior Rock (Toyah On Tour)’, also came out, and not unexpectedly hit the Top 20 on the day of release. That was her fifth consecutive hit LP, and at the end of last year things were looking very good for the Birmingham girl with the big voice and the huge fan following. At the start of this year she was voted Top Female Singer in both a national newspaper and one of our own music rags, and we all expected a new record to be released to capitalize on that acclaim. But busy Toyah had other ideas, because as every Toyah fan knows, she is highly talented at more than just singing in front of a rock band.
Read more…
Following the ‘Cambridge News’ report this morning, various concert and festival websites have updated this afternoon with news articles on the English Heritage Picnic Concerts 2012, taking place at Audley End House, Saffron Walden, Essex in early August. All of the reports mention Toyah as playing.
Sat 04 August: The Best 80’s Party… Ever! with Rick Astley, Jimmy Somerville, Midge Ure, Nick Kershaw, T’Pau, Toyah, Whang Chung and Dr and the Medics.
• View reports by Backstage Pass, UK Festival Guides, Festivals For All, eFestivals, Saffron Walden Reporter and Herts & Essex Observer. (This latest live date for Toyah hasn’t been officially confirmed as yet!)
Audley End Concerts 2012
Friday 3rd August – Sunday 5th August
We are thrilled to announce that the much-loved Summer Picnic Concerts at Audley End House and Gardens will go ahead as usual this summer. English Heritage has teamed up with independent concert producers, Portal Events Ltd to deliver a fantastic line-up of musical stars and the concerts will take place from Friday 3rd August to Sunday 5th August 2012.
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW, FRIDAY 30TH MARCH.
A star-studded line-up including Jools Holland and Rick Astley will entertain crowds at the Audley End Picnic Concerts this summer after they were saved from the axe.
It had been feared the popular concerts would be cancelled after a promoter pulled out, but English Heritage has found another partner – Portal Events. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am. This year the concerts will be on three consecutive nights, from Friday to Sunday, August 3-5, rather than consecutive weekends.
On the Saturday, the venue, near Saffron Walden, will rock to an 80s party with Rick Astley, Jimmy Somerville, Midge Ure, Nik Kershaw, T’Pau, Toyah, Wang Chung and Dr and the Medics.
Lytham Proms Festival Weekends three day event line-up is now complete, with Friday 3rd welcoming ‘Here and Now The Very Best of The 80’s’ and Saturday 4th ‘Alfie Boe- Last Night of the Proms’. The winner of local talent competition Fylde’s Got Talent will perform alongside Olly Murs on Sunday night.
Friday 3rd August 2012 – “Here and Now, The Very Best of the 80’s”
A fantastic selection of iconic 80’s popstars will headline the opening night of Lytham Proms Festival Weekend 2012.
“Here and Now, The Very Best of the 80’s” will feature stars: Bananarama, Rick Astley, The Real Thing, Belinda Carlisle, Toyah, Curiosity Killed the Cat and T’Pau in what is dubbed as being the Fylde Coast’s biggest party EVER!
Win one of three Family Tickets to ‘Let’s Rock the Moor 2012’.
Let’s Rock The Moor! will be returning for its 4th year on Saturday May 12 with a massive 80’s line up and plenty to do for everyone! Families Online has three sets of family tickets to giveaway for this great event in Cookham.
Go here to enter the competition. Closing date – 9am April 10th 2012.
More than a dozen pubs, clubs, bars and live venues will be celebrating Bishop’s Stortford’s vibrant music scene as part of next month’s week-long Stortfest Crawl.
In common with its bigger brothers like Glastonbury, the annual Stortford Music Festival – usually held in the grounds of St Mary’s Catholic School – is taking a break for the first time in its 14-year history.
Headlining the event will be 80s punk-pop icon Toyah Willcox, who will mark the 30th anniversary of her album The Changeling with a greatest hits set at Rhodes on May 5.
Best known for 1981 breakthrough single It’s A Mystery and accompanying album Anthem, Toyah has also enjoyed a successful acting career, with roles in films like cult Mod hit Quadrophenia. More recently, she was a guest star on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
A variety of publications, including the ‘Times & Star’, report on Toyah headlining the Workington ‘Decades’ Festival.
80s PUNK STAR TOYAH WILLCOX WILL HEADLINE WORKINGTON FESTIVAL
Singing star Toyah Wilcox will headline Workington’s Decades town centre music festival later this year.
The 1980s self-styled punk princess, best known for chart hit It’s A Mystery, will perform at the event between May 25 and 27.
Toyah’s career spans 30 years and she has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums, presented TV programmes and appeared on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! She recently starred in the West End rock show Vampires Rock.
The Decades festival will be based around 12 pubs and clubs on the town centre “circuit” and will celebrate music from the 1960s to the 1990s. Set up by Paul McGee, landlord of the Red House, and run by Maryport Festivals Limited, it promises a weekend of musical nostalgia.
• Read the full report, at the ‘Times & Star’ website, here.
Toyah fan, and friend of Dreamscape (and now Falling To Earth:)) Sharon Dickson, was featured in an article in the ‘Dundee Evening Telegraph’ on Tuesday 13th March.
Sharon Is The Spitting Image Of Pop Singer
From punk princess to accomplished actress, Toyah Willcox has become one of Britain’s top icons.
But fans have been forced to look twice when they’ve clocked eyes on Toyah’s double in and around Dundee.
Debenhams worker Sharon Dickson (41) is the spitting image of the popular entertainer. Sharon is more than happy being the star’s doppleganger… as she’s a massive Toyah fan.
“I’m a huge Toyah fan. I go to watch her perform every year and I’m excited about seeing her in Glasgow next month when she plays at Classic Grand.”
Sharon decided to send the Tele her photograph after her mum saw our story on Coronation Street star Sophie Webster’s lookalike. Sharon, who works in Debenhams’ perfume department, said: “My mum saw the paper and suggested I get in contact for a laugh. I’ve never intentionally tried to look like Toyah.”
• Click on the scan to view a larger version of the article. (Thanks to Sharon)
‘Vintage TV’ ran a competition at their website during March to win tickets to see Toyah’s ‘The Changeling Resurrection 2012’.
THE CHANGELING RESURRECTION – TOYAH WILLCOX TOUR!
Cult figure, household name and music legend, Toyah Willcox, is touring the UK in April with The Changeling Resurrection Tour.
Known for her exuberant, energetic live shows, filled with colour, drama and classic songs, Toyah’s highly individual visual style was a forerunner of Lady GaGa and, musically, Florence & The Machine have recently been cited as “this generation’s Toyah” (BBC Radio 6).
Vintage TV viewers are being given the chance to win a pair of tickets to any one of her six tour performances, a fantastic prize worth more than £40.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the question on our Competitons page. Last entries will be accepted on Friday 30th March. Winners will be announced during the week beginning 2nd April.
All these NY Ballrooms that start with “H”… The Highline Ballroom played host to The Humans ,a band fronted by 80’s U.K. icon Toyah, and this was, amazingly, her first ever U.S. performance, 30 years after her chart run in the UK and Europe began. The Humans enjoyed a raptureous response, several standing ovations and an encore, and I enjoyed a brief chat with Toyah before the show (I intercepted her on her way to the ladies room), and was thrilled to see that she is bursting with energy and fervor about what she does.
• Read the full mini article at ‘Punk Globe’ here. (Thanks to Jimi LaLumia)
Our latest favorite album, by consensus, is “Sugar Rush” by The Humans. The Humans are British – their star is singer/performer phenomenon, Toyah Willcox. Her hubby, guitar legend Robert Fripp, plays on the entire album. This is one worth buying. There are some videos on YouTube. “Sea of Size” is 1st video release:
Toyah Willcox is one of the most amazing female performers on the planet. We love her – and wish she would develop her American audience more – young American girls could use a role model like her. If you want to read a bio that will leave you feeling that you have never accomplished anything – the Toyah Willcox “Wiki.”.
Definitely THE best new album out there right now – just released.
The Humans: The Public, West Bromwich
Concert review by Lisa O’Brien
There is no doubt that Brummie singer Toyah Willcox enjoyed herself on stage during a very intimate gig in the Black Country.
About 50 people turned up to see the Kings Heath-born singer, actress and writer perform with her other bandmates from The Humans at The Public, in New Street, West Bromwich, last night as part of their Sugar Rush tour.
Promoting their new album with the same name, there was no shortage of hair swinging as the 53-year-old used the stage to her full advantage. Waving her hands around freely and wearing a black dress, overcoat and black boots, she opened the gig strongly with Sugar Rush, followed by Titanium Girl when the bass definitely kicked in.
• Read the full review at the ‘Express & Star’ website, here.
