Toyah's joy over county concert

Toyah Willcox has spoken of her excitement about being one of the performers singing the night away as the sun sets on Shrewsbury at a concert this summer.

Toyah, who lives in Pershore, Worcestershire, said she is really looking forward to performing in Shropshire's county town.

The star has had a diverse career which not only includes her 13 Top 40 singles and a number one album Anthem, but is well-known for her theatre and television work.

She will join a host of 80s performers at the event in Shrewsbury Quarry on July 12.

It is part of the traditional summer weekend of music in the county town and is expected to attract a crowd of about 6,000.

Toyah said: "Shrewsbury is not too far from me. I know it quite well and I think it is the most beautiful part of the world - it is inspired.

"We get to perform in really special places.

"When the sun sets it just gets really beautiful - the audiences are so big that we get a real sense of energy from them. Open air festivals even in the rain are good fun."

Toyah says nothing will surprise her on the day, as experience proves the crowd will go to any lengths."One of the funniest things I have ever experienced was when we were playing a concert and about eight people in the audience brought a candelabra and a table," she said.

"They sat in front of the stage and had a four-course meal and we were in stitches because they were really participating in the show.

"These shows have a real feel-good factor, the music that we play is all hits, the evening just builds beautifully, and I think it encourages people to be quite individual and expressive."

And she said it is not only members of the audience who get into the spirit of things - the performers all play their part as well.

"A lot of them have families and the families come along," she added.

"We not only do these shows, we do corporate shows together and we are always coming up with mad schemes and mad ideas. We are a very close bunch."

Rick Astley will be topping the bill at the concert on July 12, performing hits such as Never Gonna Give You Up and Together Forever. The night will kick off at 7.30pm.

Carol Decker and her Shropshire band T'Pau will be belting out their biggest singles - China In Your Hand and Heart and Soul - while Bananarama's repertoire will include Robert De Niro's Waiting.

* Tickets, priced at £32.50 for adults, £20 for children aged five to 15, and free for under fives, are on sale from IML Concerts on (01603) 660444, the Midland Box Office on 0870 320 7000, or online at www.imlconcerts.co.uk. They are also available from The Music Hall in Shrewsbury, Oswestry Mile End tourist information centre, and Oakengates Theatre in Telford.

By Rhea Parsons