Tom Robinson Band

Thu 10 October 2024

Storey’s Field Centre

The Tom Robinson Band (TRB) first became known in 1977 as vocal supporters of Rock Against Racism. A year later they performed for 80,000 people at their Carnival Against The Nazis in Victoria Park, London alongside Steel Pulse, The Clash and X-Ray Spex. The band featured Robinson on bass and vocals, with drummer Dolphin Taylor, keyboardist Mark Ambler and the trademark incendiary guitar playing of Danny Kustow.

TRB’s Top 5 debut 2-4-6-8 Motorway became one of the era’s landmark singles and was followed by their Rising Free EP featuring Robinson’s LGBT anthem Sing If You’re Glad To Be Gay. The EP reached #18 in the UK singles chart, despite Radio 1 banning the song.

Their album Power In The Darkness went Top 5, resulted in the singles Up Against The Wall and Too Good To Be True, and was certified gold in the UK and Japan in 1978. The follow-up TRB TWO was produced by Todd Rundgren on which the lead single Bully For You was co-written by Robinson with Peter Gabriel. The original TRB lasted only two years before breaking up, fighting (as Robinson puts it) “like cats in a sack”.

Tom later co-wrote songs with both Peter Gabriel and Elton John and had further solo hits in 1983 with War Baby and Listen To The Radio (Atmospherics). His 15th studio album Only The Now (2015) included guest appearances by Billy Bragg, Nadine Shah, John Grant, Ian McKellen, TV Smith, Lisa Knapp and Martin Carthy.

Tom’s current band toured the entire Power In The Darkness LP in 2018 to mark its 40th anniversary ending with a sold-out show at Shepherds Bush Empire. As a radio broadcaster Tom hosts two shows a week on BBC Radio 6 Music. He also served for 10 years on the Ivor Novello Awards committee and was awarded a fellowship of LIPA in recognition of his support for new music with BBC Introducing.

Cost: £27.50 (including booking fee) in advance