The Thompson Twins are widely regarded as one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s. At various stages they had up to seven members, but their best known line-up was as a trio Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway from 1982 to 1986. I can remember seeing the band perform their first ever Brighton concert when they supported The Teardrop Explodes at Jenkinsons (part of the Kingswest building) on Sunday 2nd November 1980. A venue to which they returned as headliners on Sunday 21st February 1982. Word was getting out about The Thompson Twins and they returned to the Kingswest on 1st November the same year, but this time they were playing at the much larger Top Rank Suite (now Pryzm). Fame and fortune followed and the trio returned to Brighton’s largest venue, the Brighton Centre on both 25th February 1984 and 13th October 1985 – they were fantastic concerts!
The Thompson Twins were known for their unique fusion of pop, new wave, and synth-driven dance music, combined with an eclectic visual style, the band enjoyed consistent success in both the singles and albums charts throughout the decade on both sides of the Atlantic. They are also among the select group of British artists who successfully “broke” America.
With huge success particularly in the UK and the USA. They appeared at Live Aid in Philadelphia with Nile Rodgers on guitar and Madonna on backing vocals. Thompson Twins singer and co-writer Bailey is regarded as one of the UK’s premier songwriters, performers and producers. He played on Grace Jones ‘My Jamaican Guy’ and Foreigner’s ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ amongst many others.
Tom Bailey, the band’s lead vocalist and instrumentalist, now performs under the name Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey. His shows celebrate the band’s greatest hits, including classics like ‘Hold Me Now’, ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘In The Name Of Love’, ‘Love On Your Side’, ‘If You Were Here’, ‘Lies’, ‘Lay Your Hands On Me’, and ‘King For A Day’. In addition to revisiting these iconic tracks, Tom also showcases songs from his debut solo album, ‘Science Fiction’.
For many, Thompson Twins’ cool synth sound was the soundtrack to their lives in the eighties. The latest Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey live performances have received ecstatic audience receptions, cementing an ever-growing fanbase loyal and new.
This year, Tom completed a mini-world tour visiting countries he’d never performed in before for the first time, he also joined forces with The Human League this Summer for a series of festivals across the UK which showcased the very best of British synth pop. Tom and his band Charlotte Raven (vocals/keyboards/cello), Paulina Szczepaniak (vocals/drums) and Alice Offley (vocals/bass/keyboards) received a standing ovation on every date.
In October 2025 BMG release a new best of album ‘Industry and Seduction – A Thompson Twins Collection’ in 3CD and 2 vinyl LP formats.
September 2026 will see the return to Brighton of Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, his first in 5 years, since appearing on the bill with The Human League at Brighton Centre on 16th December 2021 – Review HERE. My previous encounter to this was at the Concorde 2 on 19th June 2016, and I can recall being blown away by how great the concert actually was! The new venue of choice this time around will be Chalk in Pool Valley and the date will be 20th September.
The special guests on the forthcoming tour will be none other than Neil Arthur who now tours as Blancmange. Tom and Neil are long-time friends and fellow artists from the Eighties synth pop scene and arts culture. With four top 20 singles including the highly acclaimed ‘Living On A Ceiling’ Blancmange were an integral part of British musical history from that era. Accomplished wordsmiths with ironic, stylish videos, Blancmange, The Twins and their contemporaries were the epitome of 80’s cool!
September 2026 Tour Dates:
10 September AYLESBURY Friars Aylesbury at the Waterside Theatre
11 September BATH The Forum
12 September BOURNEMOUTH Pavillion Theatre
13 September NOTTINGHAM Rock City
15 September WHITLEY BAY Playhouse
16 September GLASGOW Pavillion Theatre
18 September BIRMINGHAM Town Hall
19 September LONDON Indigo at the O2
20 September BRIGHTON Chalk
21 September GUILDFORD G Live
23 September CAMBRIDGE Junction
24 September BUXTON Opera House
25 September MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall
26 September YORK Barbican
Tour tickets go on sale this Friday 3rd October – Find yours HERE.
www.thompsontwinstombailey.com
linktr.ee/blancmangemusic
