Favourite TOTP performances

[Mikey]

Ok, i think this might be a tough ask, but what have been some of your favourite performances from the TOTP reruns?. A couple of mine, and will I add more later on.

Dollar - Videotheque, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjS_zZw_bc4

This was a big suprise for me, i previously thought they were a bit on the cheesy side and i never knew of this one, great catchy synth pop, shame it wasnt a bigger hit

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill, 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr8tUOKXvBE

Always loved this song, moody and intelligent pop from Kate, nice to finally see a repeat last year.

[Everything'sRosie]

As usual, dance troupes excluded, right?

[Mikey]

As long at the artist is performing on stage, so you can have backing dancers/cheerleaders.

[Everything'sRosie]

No audience members, but this performance by The Sex Pistols of Pretty Vacant was shot for Top Of The Pops. The world would never be the same again.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6GDdKrQ8EI

[RYAN]

Well this is my favourite.

I'd say my absolute highlight from the re-runs (not including Legs & Co of course) was the studio appearance by one David Bowie on 20th Oct 1977. Pretty darned awesome i thought that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3ol17NnBHk

[Mikey]

A few more

Tubeway Army 'Are Friends Electric', 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bTHaoyANfc

The Teardrop Explodes - Reward, 1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5KdGPCpf-8

Mobiles - Drowning In Berlin, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zELUbxUK-oM

[VintageVideos]

[Mikey]

Nice choice Vin, i'd forgotten that one.

[sueforever]

Can I suggest a performance by David Bowie and Starman.

And the first performance by Kate Bush doing Wuthering Heights.

[Mikey]

Is this the right Kate Bush one sueforever?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6h0C9UO9Hs

[sueforever]

That the right one Mikey. And thanks for put up the video, I can't do that at all.

[The Rubberband Man]

The first TOTPs to be shown in the re-runs was the edition broadcast on 1 April 1976. On the show were Fox performing "Single Bed".
Why a favourite?
The seductive Noosha predates Kate Bush, Debbie Harry, and Goldfrapp, and a hotpants and cape combo shouldn’t work but Noosha manages it. There’s a young Arsene Wenger on bass with a look of complete disparagement across his face, and then there’s the plastic pipe for an invisible vocoder device. An absolute Classic performance….

[Gorgeous Daze]

Two pearls from the glut of 81:

TOTP were very favourable towards John Foxx, hosting him in the studio three times despite him never making the Top Thirty. On the last occasion it was particularly pleasing that he performed Europe After The Rain, the lead track from his 'psychedelic ecclesiastical disco'  second solo album The Garden, one of my all-time favourites. They even laid on The Garden foliage and statuary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvTgLDq5CXA

It's Christmas Eve, it's live, there's an electric party atmosphere, and it's my fave Dollar appearance. Like their other three in the Trevor Horn quartet, Mirror Mirror is a perfect piece of New Pop performed by the golden couple at their peak. Thereza looking amazing in corset and rah-rah skirt, Julie Brown reflecting away, this is eighties TOTP at its finest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5uuLZqkwq0

[Everything'sRosie]

And talking of Dollar, here's the other Videotheque performance. How was it possible this Trevor Horn classic only got to No.17?

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2-_iKinYYM

[Everything'sRosie]

I think the last appearance of Marc Bolan on The Pops was something quite special.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVzCZDMgfwc

[Mikey]

Those nutty boys Madness, going for a walkabout for One Step Beyond, 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LOTwviClCY

[Everything'sRosie]

Here's a performance I never tire of watching. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band with The Boston Tea Party.

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO8pa_T9m1Y

[The Rubberband Man]

Fabulous debut performance from Madonna :-

[AC/PD]

Who's mesmerising?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVizBRQEORI&feature=youtu.be&t=33