The Buxton Opera House is one of my favourite UK music venues. Grand, large enough to create an atmosphere, but small enough to offer intimacy.

The Sunday lunch has given the careers of Toyah and Fripp, as a couple, and individually, a massive boost. They play and perform with a smile on their faces and a tongue in their cheeks. Its fun, and they don’t need the money.

Th setlist is insane, offbeat, eclectic and wonderful. Fripp’s guitar on ” Kashmir” is ethereal, Toyah’s vocals on “Heroes” a delight.

I had forgotten that Fripp had played on Parallel lines giving them licence to play a cracking version of “Heart of Glass”

The anecdotes were priceless- how many people have Robert Plant dropping by unannounced for a cup of tea?

Do whatever it take to catch a date- it is no mystery

SET LIST

Thunder in The Mountain (Toyah)
Heart of Glass (Blondie)
Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz)
Echo Beach (Toyah / Martha & The Muffins)
Enter Sandman (Metallica)
It’s A Mystery (Toyah)
Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
Sunshine of Your Love (Cream)
Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
Kashmir (Led Zeppelin)

INTERVAL

leya (Toyah)
School’s Out (Alice Cooper)
Sweet Child o’ Mine (Guns ‘n’ Roses)
Fashion (David Bowie)
Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top)
Rockin’ In The Free World (Neil Young)
Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
Rebel Yell (Billy Idol)
Heroes (David Bowie)
I Wanna Be Free (Toyah)

encore
I Love Rock and Roll (Joan Jett)

Toyah – lead vocals
Robert Fripp – guitar
with
Guitar/pedal steel/harmonica/vocal – Manolo Polidario
Guitar – Nat Martin
Bass – Mike Nichols
Keyboard, vocals – Chloe du Pre
Keyboard, vocals – Emily Francis
Drums – David Keech