Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey
10 September @ 7.30pm
About Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey
This Friars date will be the opening night of Tom’s 2026 UK Tour. He will be playing the big Thompson Twins hits, songs that were the soundtrack to our lives, such as Doctor Doctor, You Take Me Up, Sister of Mercy, The Gap, Love On Your Side, We Are Detective, Lay Your Hands on Me, King For a Day and their biggest hit Hold Me Now.
Bailey and his band will also be performing other classic Thompson Twins favourites, as well as tracks from his solo album Science Fiction.
In 2022, Tom Bailey played an exclusive date for Friars Aylesbury, when he played the whole of the Thompson Twins’ iconic Into The Gap album for the first time in his career. Fans flew in from all over the world, particularly from the USA, making it one of the best Friars gigs of the past decade.
Bailey has been storming UK arenas and festivals throughout the summer of 2025, receiving a standing ovation every night as a special guest of The Human League. He also rocked Rewind Henley in August, receiving one of the biggest audience reactions of the entire festival. Afterwards, Rewind posted ‘No one does it like Tom Bailey’.
Thompson Twins are widely regarded as one of the iconic bands of the 1980s. 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.
In 1985, 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.
Thompson Twins Tom Bailey are:
Tom Bailey (vocals/guitar/keyboards/harmonica/percussion)
Charlotte Raven (vocals/keyboards/electric cello)
Paulina Szczepaniak (vocals/electronic drums)
Alice Offley (vocals/keyboards/bass guitar)
Supporting Tom Bailey will be special guests Blancmange. Neil Arthur is a long-time friend of Tom’s and is a fellow artist from the Eighties synth pop scene and arts culture.
With four top 20 singles, including the highly acclaimed Living On A Ceiling, the band 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!
Tickets
Please see important booking information below.
Booking information
Ticket prices:
From £35.46
Tickets are subject to a transaction fee of £3.95
Dates & times:
Thursday 10 September 2026 at 7.30pm
Location:
Main Auditorium
Good to know:
This is a seated venue. Standing is not permitted during the performance.
About Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre is a stunning modern venue at the heart of Buckinghamshire’s cultural scene.
Opened in 2010, its striking wooden interior takes inspiration from the rolling Chiltern Hills, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The theatre regularly hosts top touring productions, offering audiences the chance to enjoy big-name shows and world-class entertainment without heading to London.
Designed for comfort and accessibility, the venue features step-free access, wheelchair spaces, and hearing loop systems. Whether you’re after a hit musical, stand-up comedy, or a magical Christmas pantomime, Waterside Theatre has something for everyone.
See important information about Getting there and Access here
