Toots and the Maytals live at Arena Torquay (28.5.2026) with Lionstar supporting.
My first visit to Torquay for about 35 years and it’s looking lovely in the bright sunshine, ordered especially for the airshow. A few Red Arrows scream overhead as we enjoy a pre-gig meal in The Yacht.
Tonight is another new venue for me – eighteenth different venue of 2026 so I am spreading myself around a bit. The Arena only opened in June last year. A 1200 standing capacity, which maybe have been trimmed slightly this evening by the storage area at the back, behind a line of tables and chairs.
As well as a small bar in the main room of the venue, there is a large bar area after you come upstairs from the street. Sofas, stools and tables making for a relaxing place to hang about between or before bands if you’re lucky. This is so much better than being herded into a large room and being expected to stand for 3-4 hours. There are food stations but these seem closed tonight. Feels a bit like a cinema lobby.
There are plenty of enticing artists advertised on the scrolling digital screen. Good place.
Up a few more steps to the main room for support band tonight – reggae band Lionstar. Could have listened all evening but a half hour warm up was the offering. It’s a long time since I have heard any live reggae – where have the reggae bands gone?
After the break, and a sit down, it’s time to see who are Toots and the Maytals. Lead singer, Leba Hibbert, is daughter of ‘Toots’, the main man Frederick Hibbert, who has been resting in peace since 2020. I have had a pick around and I couldn’t confirm who else is in the band but I can’t see that that they have enough years to have been around back in the 70s. They carry the brand well though.
Leba Hibbert is all smiles. Good voice and fills the stage with presence, embracing the audience with her gestures.
I was a bit surprised when after just a few songs they play Pressure Drop… to me that’s the big one. That’s what is on my mind in the week coming up to this gig. Aha..but what I didn’t realise was that Monkey Man, made famous in my head by The Specials, is a Toots and the Maytals song. That’s the one they save for the encores and excellent to hear that live.
The nature of reggae is that no song is a bad one. It’s all part of the great sound. If you like the sound, you like the songs. The Maytals do go into lighter Ska tunes and the popier John Denver country song, Take Me Home, Country Roads, was a bit of a surprise. Not to everyone else, clearly.
I’m no dancer but even I was shuffling my usually static limbs about to this lot. That deserved high praise in itself. Quite an achievement. I am pleased to report there were no lasting ill effects.
54-56 That’s My Number was another classic that I had forgotten I knew. It got to 53 in the charts. A special mention also for Pain in My Belly complete with Leba Hibbert’s hand movement to highlight the lyrics.
Yup, all good down at Arena Torbay tonight. A happy feel in a shuffling audience with a bit of room to enjoy themselves in.
I will have to do better on identifying the rest of the band.
Gigs with Ivan 