Toploader are facing criticism after performing at the Tory Party Conference – check out the footage and a range of reactions below.
The Eastbourne band – who count former PM Liz Truss as a fan – played their 1999 hit version of ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ at the Blues Kitchen in Manchester yesterday (October 3).
According to Politico, the live appearance was hosted by UK Music. The organisation was hosting a conference in the city yesterday, titled ‘How Can A Conservative Government Boost Our Music Industry’.
The third day of the 2023 Conservative Party Conference also saw Home Secretary Suella Braverman receive backlash for saying that a “hurricane” of migration is coming to the United Kingdom.
Braverman promised to do “whatever it takes” to stop small boat crossings, adding that immigration was “already too high”.
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is among those to have called out the Home Secretary, saying that she had used “utterly despicable language straight out of the far-right playbook”.
Toploader have since been criticised over their decision to perform as part of the Tory Party Conference.
Sharing a clip of the brief gig, music critic Simon Price wrote: “I once hit the guy from Toploader with a champagne cork at the Q Awards, from right across the room.
“Hell of a shot, but I felt slightly guilty afterwards. (What had he ever done to me, except be in a crap band?) I don’t feel guilty any more.”
Former BBC Radio 6 Music host Shaun Keaveny shared Price’s message, writing: “This is perfect symmetry. Two things I never want my kids to listen to: Tories and Toploader.”
Elsewhere, actor Kathy Burke took to X/Twitter to say: “Toploader must be really skint as well as being really shit.”
Comedian and filmmaker Matthew Highton joked: “Oh so the Tories can’t afford to finish HS2 but they can afford the millions to hire Toploader for a private gig!!”
You can see that post and more reactions below.
10/10 performance from Toploader at Party Conference
pic.twitter.com/f160CzdlpC
— Emily Hewertson
(@emilyhewertson) October 3, 2023
I thought supporting my band at the Water Rats in 1998 would have been the worst gig that Toploader ever played but they’ve just played at the Tory conference so it’s now the second worst
— Secret Drug Addict (@ScrtDrugAddict) October 4, 2023
This is perfect symmetry. Two things I never want my kids to listen to: Tories and Toploader. https://t.co/NCLyTkSV27
— Shaun Keaveny
(@shaunwkeaveny) October 4, 2023
Fair play to Toploader. Always hated them and felt a bit guilty about it. Now they’ve given me a reason
https://t.co/xPUwRW1OVv
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) October 3, 2023
I mean, it wasn’t much of a career, but to find an indie band’s career ending shame on a Toploader level, you’d have to go back to Hurricane #1 doing The Sun ad. Or am I missing a couple?
— John Niven HQ (@estellecostanza) October 4, 2023
Toploader must be really skint as well as being really shit.
— Kath
(@KathyBurke) October 4, 2023
Oh so the Tories can’t afford to finish HS2 but they can afford the millions to hire Toploader for a private gig!!
— Matthew Highton (@MattHighton) October 4, 2023
Tory delegates being forcibly escorted in to conference to watch Toploader pic.twitter.com/YelxYtKuXK
— Mo' (@mocent0) October 4, 2023
Dancing in the Moonlight. Why? Because the Tories have made them homeless and now they need to dance for their food.
Toploader pic.twitter.com/JtDGkQBJbW
— James Cromarty (@Dave8001) October 4, 2023
Toploader playing their one song from 25 years ago to a bunch of bawdy posh lads pic.twitter.com/EQx0iLHmss
— Gareth (@thehandofbeadle) October 4, 2023
If one image defines Britain in 2023 it’s cackling Tories dancing to Toploader. A Cold War Steve mural rendered 3D
— James Collins (@jamesjammcmahon) October 4, 2023
the Tories booked Toploader for party conference? surprised they didn't have [privately educated indie rock band] playing.
— Aidan James (@mcandidate) October 3, 2023
I see the Tories had Toploader over to perform a medley of their hit.
— Oonagh (@Okeating) October 3, 2023
Imagine playing the same shitty cover version for 25 years to people who aren’t into music, then performing at the Tory conference. Toploader are officially the worst band imaginable
pic.twitter.com/HV3LwuN6Ca
— mandrake fraser
(@thewhippetbeans) October 4, 2023
I see the Tories had Toploader over to perform a medley of their hit.
— Oonagh (@Okeating) October 3, 2023
What's worse than being in a room full of Tories?
Being in a room full of Tories and having to hear Toploader. https://t.co/0CEEpyLBol— Oscaaargh
(@SkeletonOscar) October 3, 2023
all musicians are broke, apart from Noel Gallagher, Mick Jagger and maybe Elton John but imagine how broke you'd have to be to play the Tory Party conference like Toploader did last night. I'd rather pilfer bacon from Tesco and sell it on the street than do that gig
— Chris Bridgett (@ChrisBBridgett) October 4, 2023
just fascinated by this clip. how high up the list were toploader. are toploader tories or are they just desperate. what other right wing forgotten pop bands are there https://t.co/1OQqaS9kzl
— tobias (@sabo_borke) October 4, 2023
Journalists doorstepping Jamie Oliver to get his response to Toploader playing at the Tory party conference
— Amy Van Gar (@amyvangar) October 4, 2023
The whole Toploader playing the Tory conference feels like lazy satire.
A first pass by a writer on their way to a better joke.
— Patrick Dalton (@shitlondon) October 4, 2023
Toploader played at the Tory conference after these guys turned the gig down because they believed the audience was too right-wing for them. pic.twitter.com/ou51sukEWI
— Darren Maughan (@DarrenJM73) October 4, 2023
What all the hip young Tories are listening to…..Toploader https://t.co/bzOiWTxRbz
— Kevin Campbell (@kengamble79) October 4, 2023
About as relevant as a Tory manifesto
— Oliver Wagner (@JOSEWAGNER007) October 3, 2023
I wonder how many bands told the Tories to piss off before they got down to option 2971 in Toploader to play their conference. Must have been one below the ghost of Jerry Lee Lewis and one above Gary Glitter.
— Mark Hebden
toploader at the tory conference is easily THE worst gig
stuff of nightmares. sweat inducing. a black hole of entertainment. desperate half-hearted joy beamed back at each other from stage to audience in an infinity mirror of colourless wank. https://t.co/ADGNAfvdIp
— Lenny Reid (@Lenny_Reid) October 4, 2023
Today (October 4) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the scrapping of the HS2 high-speed rail line from the West Midlands to Manchester, bringing further controversy to the project.
Meanwhile, thousands marched the streets surrounding the Manchester Central Convention conference recently to protest 13 years of Conservative rule.
Toploader – comprising Joseph Washbourn, Dan Hipgrave and Rob Green – released their fourth and latest album, ‘Seeing Stars’, back in 2017. The group have recently been touring in the UK.
The post Social media reacts to Toploader performing at Tory Party Conference appeared first on NME.
