Toploader respond to criticism of Tory Party Conference performance

Toploader have responded to criticism of their performance at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester this week.

The band – famous for the 1999 hit ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’, played a set at the city’s Blues Kitchen venue in conjunction with the UK Music organisation.

Many then criticised the band for performing as part of the Conservative Party event, especially in light of the anti-trans and anti-immigration rhetoric in many of the speeches given across the conference.

In response, Toploader took to X/Twitter to clarify that their performance was to support UK Music and the music industry as a whole, not tied to the Tory party itself. Next week, they will play a similar gig for the same organisation at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

They wrote: “For the record last night we played @TheBluesKitchen in support of @UK_Music urging policy makers, whatever the party, to support the music industry so young people have an opportunity to succeed and that our live music venues continue to survive. We fully support this…”

In response to their comments and the performance, many have continued to mock Toploader for the performance.

On Twitter, actor Kathy Burke wrote: “Toploader must be really skint as well as being really shit.”

Former BBC Radio 6 Music host Shaun Keaveny added: “This is perfect symmetry. Two things I never want my kids to listen to: Tories and Toploader.”