Baz Warne, Dave Rowntree, Miles Hunt, Toyah and more personal evenings, talking. February & March 2026.
I’m not sure how this happened but in the period of a month I have seen four maturing artists do solo, or near solo, gigs where they reflect on their careers with touring tales and insights into their careers – with some songs but not always. All had a book or three to sell to accompany these specialist outings in some rather delightful venues.
It started on 22 February with The Stranglers’ Baz Warne and his Convivial Tour up the towering steps to the Bristol Folk House, a stone’s throw from Bristol O2 Academy and Beacon venues.
Baz was introduced by his interviewer and wine swigging compère for the evening, pointing out that they hoped nobody would be offended by some of the language used as they had been in the afternoon tea matinee show. Baz sits down. “The word, in case you’re wondering, was c@nt…and that’s because John Ellis is one!” Clearly no love lost between the two Stranglers guitar men – Ellis is long gone from the meninblack.
The two halves of the show include solo Stranglers songs from Baz with his acoustic guitar, such his favourite Goodbye Toulouse, everyone’s old favourites like Peaches and more recent classic, The Lines, from the last LP, Dark Matters.
The section that discussed the lost Stranglers keyboard wizard Dave Greenfield was quite emotional. Clearly it cut the band up. They didn’t speak for ages afterwards but they got back on it and finished that 2021 album, with so much of Greenfield’s input. The new keyboardist genius was found and we heard the tale of the refurbishment of the original Greenfield keyboard that featured on The Repair Shop TV show. Baz played And If You See Dave. A tearjerker.
There are several tour bus tales and Baz’s tour diaries feature heavily in his book: No Grass Grows on a Busy Street.
Baz was able to impart some meaningful detail into the public images of the individual Stranglers over the last 25 years.
My next outing (13 March) was due to the appeal of an overnighter in Lyme Regis, at the end of a week where I had had to abandon a foreign trip due to disabling knee pain the weekend before. This was to the quaint seaside setting of The Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis to listen to Blur drummer Dave Rowntree.
No songs or instruments for this one but a totally captivating outline of the start and explosion of Blur.
The novel angle here was that in the early days no one had mobile phones and on early tours no one wanted to take photos of Blur… but Dave did. The book is a selection of his unique photos, with some commentary. The cover has a photo of the tour bus for the first US tour, which the sarcastic yet experienced driver had labelled up as ‘No One You Know’, as opposed to the band’s name.
Rowntree is a qualified solicitor and was a county councillor for several years in Norfolk, writes film scores and has other talents but this was all about Blur.
A vivid portrait of his fellow band mates was shared. I got it. The obsessive artistic genius; the musician, the cheese maker and the drummer.
His favourite gigs – the recent Wembley Blur sellouts and an early local festival. His favourite song – Tender. What band would he most like to drum for if he wasn’t in Blur – Radiohead.
Obviously I had to get a book and it was lovely to meet the guy at the signing table.
Next to Christchurch and The Wonder Stuff’s Miles Hunt. This was the most musical of these four talky events. There were the Wonder Stuff diaries available in three volumes on the merch desk, but not especially plugged. More a solo acoustic gig with added stories in between.
Another popular evening in a small provincial theatre. This is quite a rarity having someone like Miles turn up here.
A crowd pleasing selection of tunes including the excellent Ruby Horse as a stand out early one. Golden Green and Don’t Let Me Down, Gently stuck in the mind afterwards.
Tales included the near meeting with Bob Dylan in a hotel lobby, quashed by Dylan’s security men and on tour in a breaking down van with Mr Cool – Wayne Hussey from The Mission.
These seated theatres with acoustic tunes and maturing audiences limit the wildness but it’s relaxed, enjoyable and nostalgic. Miles ends with Give Give Give Me, More More More – but that’s it. Goodnight. A very goodnight.
And lastly to Wimborne to see Toyah, in once the home of Toyah and birthplace of her husband Robert Fripp – now enjoying new social media fame in their hugely successful Sunday Lunch YouTube videos….and here tonight to be picked on in the second row when required.
Toyah has her book of memoirs out, a smart looking deluxe version being sold at half-time. There is mere passing reference to it, no hard sell but they were shifting.
Toyah, as always, looked so pleased to be on that stage with a genuine warmth from what was once her local audience.
She is accompanied by two guitarists and there is a screen for some classic backing videos which they play over. The mix of well known Toyah hits and the cover of Echo Beach is just right to take her through her tales of growing up, behaving badly and her amazing career in performance – so much theatre and film work I should catch up on. I’m certainly going to watch Quadrophenia again. Great recall of her experiences filming that.
It all seems a long time since my first Toyah gig. Down on the front barrier at the London Rainbow in February 1981, aged 17. Tonight I am sat with my mate Graham from back then, and he’s still got the ticket.
That’s it. Four talky shows in a month. Maybe there will be more of this, unless I get out and see some new bands as well. Still room for this form of more personal reflection though.
Gigs with Ivan 