Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

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)

An excerpt from a new interview with Toyah, from Blitzed Magazine, talking playing live, her back-catalogue reissues and Strictly.

From princess of punk to accomplished stage actress, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted, well-loved and respected performer. Charismatic, outspoken and very passionate, she is one of Britain’s most beloved household names of stage, screen and radio. The hit singles ‘It’s A Mystery’, ‘I Want to Be Free’, ‘Brave New World’ and platinum-selling albums Anthem and The Changeling confirmed her status as one of the most significant talents of the 1980s. In 1982 she won the Best Female Singer at the British Rock & Pop Awards (which later became The Brits).

In recent years, Toyah has seen her career take on even more challenges with TV, live festivals, re-releases of classic albums, as well as awards and new material too. For issue 18 of Blitzed, we spoke to Toyah about her legacy and kicked off by asking her how she would summarise 2024 in terms of the highs and lows?

The year has been very rewarding, and it’s satisfying to be seen and regarded as an artist of influence in the music industry. I will remember 2024 for the rewards after decades of work. Glastonbury will always be a high point in my life. It is a magical festival that takes place on a very powerful piece of land and the audience add to that. No other experience matches it, it is a truly loving caring community where music is the very heart and soul of everything. The lows, there aren’t really any other than seeing my brilliant 78-year-old husband move into a more fragile time in his life but that is inevitable.

• Continue reading at Blitzed Magazine. Read the full interview with Toyah in issue 18 of Blitzed Magazine.

Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue – #18 – of Blitzed magazine.

In the latest Blitzed we talk to Toyah where she summarises a very busy 2024 taking in multiple releases and re-releases together with her high-profile appearance in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing programme. She discusses her ever popular YouTube channel and her gratitude for her fans.

• Pick up your copy of Blitzed magazine instore or order online.

Toyah remains an iconic figure across several decades of the UK music scene. Outside of her acting career, she chalked up a series of chart hits as a musician including ‘It’s A Mystery’, ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’.

More recently, she returned with the album Posh Pop which reached the top 25 in the UK charts. She also enjoys her regular (and popular) Sunday Lunch video shows, alongside husband Robert Fripp.

This October sees Toyah supporting Billy Idol as part of his Roadside tour. Meanwhile, Toyah’s classic 1981 album Anthem is also being reissued this September. Blitzed sat down with Toyah to discuss her busy autumn plans…

You’ve got the Billy Idol tour coming up in October, which is an interesting contrast. You’re both very different, yet at the same time you’re both seasoned travelers from that fervent 80s pop scene.

It’s great and don’t forget punk rock. Billy used to be based in London with Generation X, which is when I met him. We both have 45-year careers, are quite diverse in our individual journeys as musicians and then you’ve got Television performing Marquee Moon.

I think it’s quite a clever line up because I’m only on stage for 7:30 to 8:00 o’clock and I’ve got to fit in 28 albums and 15 hit singles. That’s quite a journey to make, but what all of us have in common on this bill is we started in punk and we’ve both, all of us, evolved into rock. I think it’s quite diverse. I’m not just an 80s icon. I’ve been pretty present, especially in the last few years. I think it’s a very clever mix I hope that I can get in some good punk rock material. Obviously the 80s material, but also the new stuff as well because Posh Pop went to No. 1 in 36 charts, 22 in the main charts on August the 27th last year and I’m certainly going to be including some Posh Pop tracks.

• Continue reading at Blitzed.