Toyah and Fripp's Unforgettable Collaboration Steals the Show at Stone Valley Festival South
In many ways, the strength of Stone Valley Festival is its predictability and reliability, serving up three days of rock-steady ska, punk and new wave standards with a side order of Noughties nostalgia. Back for a fifth year at Hillside Farm in Great Amwell, the southern version of the event founded in Durham has a loyal following who know they can rely on a bill packed with their favourites.
Appearances from original rude boy Neville Staple and his band, The Selecter with the immaculate Pauline Black and Bruce Foxton’s From the Jam, back after singer Russell Hastings’ heart scare last year, have become essential.
Other bands like The Undertones – still the best Irish band (sorry, Saturday’s headliners Ash, who warmed up with a Friday night intimate gig at The Horn at the Half Moon in Bishop’s Stortford) – Friday’s headliners Jimmy Pursey and Sham 69, and Buster Bloodvessel and Bad Manners are similar safe bets.
Death of Guitar Pop’s boisterous brand of ska has become a festival essential – a point emphasised by their followers, complete with Union Jack umbrellas and masks of Coronation Street anti-hero Kevin Webster to accompany 69 Candy Street. So far so good, especially if you throw in three days of sunshine, fairly-priced alcoholic beverages, fried food and a family-friendly atmosphere.
But Stone Valley South invariably also serves up a surprise – delivered this year by Toyah.
The former punk pixie-turned-New Romantic warrior queen in a post-apocalyptic chariot took an unenviable early spot, but drew a huge crowd.
As an early adopter of her 1980s make-up brand, available in Woolworths, I made the effort to join them. Frankly, I was curious about exactly what kind of novelty act we would see, but she was pure class.
For the uninitiated, Toyah Willcox has been married since 1986 to musician Robert Fripp, founder and guitarist of prog rockers King Crimson.
More importantly for David Bowie fans, he was the guitarist picked by erstwhile collaborator Brian Eno to work on the Berlin album Heroes, and while the word ‘iconic’ is thrown around carelessly, his work on the title song warrants the accolade.
A ripple went around the arena as Toyah took to the stage and he was sitting at her side.
And so it was that one of the world’s greatest guitarists (no mean feat in a festival line-up that also included Foxton and Ocean Colour Scene’s Steve Cradock) provided the perfect backing to Toyah’s version of the track. It was an unexpected moment of magic.
Other highlights for me were the crowd singing Happy Birthday to Charlie Harper as he turned 79. As lead singer of the UK Subs, he was a true punk trailblazer and still clearly enjoys performing.
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Book review: ‘Early Days, a conversation about art, punk & otherness’ by Penelope Houston with Maria Elena Buszek
‘Early Days, a conversation about art, punk & otherness’ by Penelope Houston of The Avengers with Maria Elena Buszek was recently published in the USA
Rats With Wings Records 5th Anniversary, The Prince Albert, Brighton 05.10.25
The Stereotypes (UK), Family Of Strangers, Noir Mates and Thee Derelique put on a punk party at Brighton’s Prince Albert to celebrate Rats With Wings
Album Review: The Menstrual Cramps say ‘We’re Not Ovaryacting’
Formed and based in Bristol, UK, The Menstrual Cramps have applaudingly never held back with their righteous manifesto. They are proudly, self described as a
Album Review: Omega Tribe prove ‘Power Pop Punk Rock’ has a future!
A particularly big fixture in the anarcho-punk scene of the early 80’s, Omega Tribe were much more tuneful than many of their peers, which made
Undercover Festival makes its unforgettable debut in Essex – Day Two review!
The second day at Undercover Festival 2025 saw even more of the best bands and artists playing, including The Stereotypes, Wyrd Sisters, Hinge, The Fanzines,
Undercover Festival makes its unforgettable debut in Essex – Day One review!
A new location (at the Showground, Battlesbridge Antiques Centre), a slightly different format, yet still the same warm welcome, plus of course their accustomed array
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
