Toyah - Academy 3, Manchester, 25/10/2014

  by Billy Seagrave

published: 14 / 11 / 2014

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Article

On a night in which we also had the Boomtown Rats in town, Holly Johnson downstairs, Katy B next door and Johnny Marr down the road, Toyah’s faithful turned out in force to support her. It was a true testament to the dedication and loyalty of a fan base that has been there from the early days. Toyah Willcox brought all her experience to the stage tonight, building on the music that firmly established her as one of the most durable performers to have survived the 1970’s UK punk scene. Tonight’s performance was a triumph. Years of acting, voiceover work and performing music have kept her in good stead. Her voice has, if anything, become stronger, more poignant and quite simply spectacular. This was Toyah at home, in her element, no choreography just the Toyah we remember. The crowd was here to see Toyah and they were not going to be disappointed, who came straight on stage with the rest of the band and bang straight into the set. On a night the clocks went back, we were brought back to a time when punk reigned supreme. The audience along with Toyah had the chance to let their hair down, as each and every track wasdelivered and received with true passion. There was a true presence and energy on the stage. Toyah’s love of playing live was so evident. She not only came to entertain, but she came to have a good time. I can not think of anyone who has been around as long as Toyah who has the power energy and credibility to deliver a set full of high energy. She stopped just briefly to mention her husband of 29 years Robert Fripp, before playing a track that she blatantly ripped off David Bowie’s hit ‘Heroes’, a collaboration Fripp had worked on. When she performed ‘Soul Passing Through Soul’, it was the first time that Toyah had ever performed it live. In the middle of ‘Thunder in the Mountains’, a fire alarm went off and Toyah had to ask the stage security if everything was okay, but even this was not going to stop the show. ‘Don’t Fall in Love’, ‘It’s a Mystery’ and ‘I Want to Be Free’ brought to a close the encore and a wonderful show. Toyah came straight off the stage to a meet and greet at the back of the hall, which was the final act from a true performer to her dedicated fans. Set List: All in a Rage Waiting I Explode Little Tears of Love The Packet Leya Rebel Run Race Through Space Soul Passing Through Soul Sensational Brave New World Latex Messiah Lesser God Neon Womb Demolition Men Danced Good Morning Universe Thunder in the Mountains Encore: Don’t Fall in Love It’s A Mystery I Want to Be Free Photos by Melanie Smith www.mudkissphotography.co.uk

Also at Academy 2, Manchester

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