Express & Star

The Tom Robinson Band set to play Birmingham

The Tom Robinson Band's debut album Power In The Darkness was first performed 40 years ago in Victoria Park, London, in front of 80,000 people at Rock Against Racism's Carnival Against The Nazis.

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Tom Robinson is touring his classic debut LP Power In The Darkness

Now, 40 years on, it is being toured in its entirety around the country, including stopping off at Birmingham's Glee Club on October 10.

The album was certified gold in the UK and Japan upon its release, resulting in a major 28-date UK tour supported by Stiff Little Fingers in the autumn of 1978.

As ever his incendiary band joining him on-stage features Faithless drummer Andy Treacey, guitarist Adam Phillips (Richard Ashcroft Band), keyboard virtuoso Jim Simmons and Tom himself on bass and vocals.

Tom Robinson first became known in 1977 as a musician, LGBT activist and anti-racist campaigner with the Tom Robinson Band (TRB), whose debut release 2-4-6-8 Motorway became one of the landmark singles of the UK punk era. Other well-known songs at the time included Glad To Be Gay, Up Against The Wall and Too Good To Be True.

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

As a radio broadcaster Tom hosts three shows a week on BBC Radio 6 Music, 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.

Support on all shows is Mancunian soul singer Lee Forsyth Griffiths, whose first two albums were produced by Trevor Horn and Ian Grimble.

Tickets for Tom's appearance at Glee Club are available here.

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