Toyah. Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Yarm. 17.02.18.

Toyah walks on stage to an enthusiastically warm welcome from the crowd in this rather plush venue. It’s a full electric show which means we’re treated to all those hits from the 80’s in all their original glory. Toyah is a master at playing to her audience. Tonight they’re seated, listening carefully and hanging on every word she says so we hear a little story about every song, we’re asked how many of us were punks ‘back then’ and we’re told about her role in Jubilee (then and now). Thankfully it’s not all anecdotes and those big, crowd pleasing, sing-a-long tunes that fill you with nostalgia are delivered with real passion and clear enjoyment. ‘Good Morning Universe’, ‘Rebel Run’, ‘Thunder In The Mountains’, ‘Brave New World’. These were huge songs back in the day and the crowd tonight love them. ‘Neon Womb’ – still full of anger and punk rock attitude, ‘Race Through Space’ and the superb ‘Danced’ all from 1979’s Sheep Farming In Barnet. Add in ‘It’s A Mystery’, ‘I Want To Be Free’, some decent album tracks and everyone’s going home happy.  A pounding, full on, brilliant version of Billy Idol’s ‘Rebel Yell’ should have had the whole place standing and leaping around but, sadly, it isn’t until the promise of selfies at the front of the stage that the dedicated few leave their seats, loosen up and really start to enjoy themselves. Even then it’s only about 50 people but Toyah milks it making sure she’s immortalised on as many mobile phones as possible while I begin to wonder what’s more important to these people - the songs, the music, the nostalgia or that treasured selfie with a rock star. But does it really matter so long as they’re having a great time? And they are, as is Toyah who still delivers every song with that unique voice, who owns the stage with as much energy now as she had nearly 40 years ago and who delivers exactly what people want. A dreadful version of ‘Sweet Child Of Mine’ (but the original is just as awful) is thankfully forgotten about once ‘Ieya’ erupts, thunders along and closes the night on a real high.