Reviews: Blitzed – Celebrating The Best Of Toyah
Toyah’s Celebrating The Best Of Toyah Union Chapel, London, gig from October 2025 was reviewed in Blitzed magazine (Issue #24, January 2026)
GIG REVIEW (By Mik Scarlet)
TOYAH/UNION CHAPEL, LONDON
Surprisingly, I have never seen Toyah live before, so when I saw that she was playing the Union Chapel in Islington I had to see her, and the gig coincided with the release of the Best Of Toyah compilation. On the night I wasn’t feeling that great but struggled to get myself ready, and off my wife and I set. The venue was stunning, if a little interesting around wheelchair access. At least the management had thought about it, and I could actually get in. I even had a front row seat with my name on it… Billy Big Boots me! Soon the room was packed and as I scanned each face it struck me that I wasn’t the oldest person in the room, not by a long chalk. In fact, I felt rather young. Yes, there were a few kids that had come along, but this was mostly a room of fans from way back when.
The support, Rachael Sage, was really good. A mixture of Suzanne Vega, Tori Amos and folk with her own personal twist. Well worth checking out. After Rachael’s short set, the lights came up and the queue for the loos began. So many old bladders all needing to be emptied before the show began. As the lights dipped again, the excitement was palpable. Like so many bands of the era who are still playing, Toyah has some dedicated followers. She came on to the stage like a dervish in black and, from the outset, made the huge space her own.
All the hits were covered, as well as obvious fan favourites. I did forget that Toyah always had a tendency to veer off to ‘prog’. That said, Toyah is a real performer, and this gig was a must see for the fans. Toyah bounced around like a teenager. Her stage craft is second to none and she held the room in the palm of her hand. She talked to the crowd like friends, told them stories I felt they’d heard before but could listen to over and over, along with some new insights into each track. I left a room of older faces, all transfixed and taken back to their youth.
• Toyah is also included in the latest issue (#26, March 2026) of Blitzed magazine, which is on sale now. (Thanks to Colin Dew-Parry)
