Whelanslive.com proudly presents
TOM ROBINSON
with
ADAM PHILLIPS
Whelan’s Main Venue • Sun 27th September 2026
An evening of tall tales and top tunes from a half century spent on the wilder fringes of the Music Industry. Expect encounters with Alexis Korner, Ray Davies, Elton John, Peter Gabriel, Todd Rundgren, Eddy Grant and Brian Eno – alongside classics such as War Baby, Glad to Be Gay, and 2-4-6-8 Motorway. Plus unexpected back catalogue gems from Café Society (1975) to Only The Now (2015) in this new two-man show with virtuoso guitarist Adam Phillips (Beverley Knight, Craig David, James Morrison, Mica Paris, One Direction, Ray Lamontagne, Richard Ashcroft, Roland Gift, Tom McRae etc)
2026 BIOG
Tom Robinson first record release was in 1975 as one-third of Café Society: an acoustic harmony trio produced by Ray Davies of The Kinks who had discovered them playing at The Troubadour coffee house in London’s Earls Court. After seeing The Sex Pistols at The 100 Club, Tom realised “the Next Big Thing probably wasn’t going to be an acoustic harmony trio” and formed a new group of his own with guitarist Danny Kustow. The Tom Robinson Band were early supporters of Rock Against Racism and went on to enjoy Top Five success with 2-4-6-8 Motorway and mild notoriety a few months later with their LGBT anthem Glad To Be Gay. Their album Power In The Darkness entered the charts at No.4.
In the subsequent 50 years Tom’s been mentored by Alexis Korner and Martin Carthy, written songs with Elton John and Peter Gabriel, toured with The Police, Red Wedge and The Undertones, and Rocked Against Racism alongside The Clash, Steel Pulse and X-Ray Spex. He’s also been banned by Radio One, bankrupt and exiled in East Berlin, and hounded by the tabloid press for beng in love with a woman.
More recently he gave 10,000+ artists their first radio airplay on his BBC Introducing shows and served for ten years on the Ivor Novello Awards committee. At age 75 Tom still enjoys a reputation among his punk contemporaries – as well as the world of acoustic/roots music – as both as a master songsmith and a funny, ferocious live performer.
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TICKETS
€31 available online from Whelan’s – €1 per ticket service charge applies.
Strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required