Exclusive chat with rockband Toploader ahead of their Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On performance

The 2025 Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On takes place on Friday, August 29 and will see performances from headliner Olly Murs as well as former X-Factor winner Louisa Johnson and rockband Toploader who are best known for their hits ‘Dancing in the Monnlight’ and ‘Achilles Heel’.

Ahead of their arrival on the Fylde Coast, Toploader’s guitarist Dan Hipgrave chatted to us all about their upcoming performance and his memories of Blackpool.

See what he had to say about the event, Blackpool and Toploader’s music next:

How are you feeling to be performing at the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On?

“I’m excited. It's a big show, lots of people. Obviously performing with Olly Mars will be fun as well. I've never seen him live, so it will be interesting to see what he’s like.We've done something similar, I can't remember what it was, but something in Blackpool , it might have been a light switch on and it’s always just a really great crowd, I think because it's free tickets as well so everyone that's in there, you know, is really super excited to be there. So, yeah, it should be a really good evening”.

Have you ever seen the illuminations before?

“Do you know what I was actually thinking about this. I know I've done something in Blackpool, but I can't remember if it was Illuminations, I was trying to Google and I couldn't find out what it was, if - you know, then great!

“But I mean, I love the fact that the light switch is such a big thing still because when I was a kid, that was always a big thing, and I didn't realize it was still. So it's great snd I was actually just looking through the list of all the people that have switched the lights on since, I think 1956 or something like that, and there’s some amazing names in there, it's really interesting, actually.”

I looked it up and Toploader actually did perform at the illuminations switch on in 2015 so how does it feel to return after a decade?

“Wow. Well, it's good to know that we did, I thought we had, but I wasn't totally sure because we do so many shows, they sometimes start to all blend. But, yeah, no, if it was anything like that one, we had a fantastic day and a really great night, and it was really well organized, and everyone had a great time. So I'm even more excited now it's going to be fantastic.”

And on a personal note, have you ever visited Blackpool to look at the Illuminations?

“Yeah, I think when I was a kid, I did with my family. I was very little so I can't remember too well, but I do definitely have memories of going on the Big Dipper. Is is still there?

Yep!

“God is it? I hope they’ve done it up, it must be old now because I'm old! I was probably better at going on rides like that when I was younger than I am now. When you're younger, you're a bit fearless, you don't care but then when you get older and you think ‘actually, is this safe?’ We start questioning all things!”

So you're not planning a trip to the Pleasure Beach whilst you're up in Blackpool?

“Maybe not. I might try and get Joe to go on a donkey! I think we'll probably be too busy, to be honest with you, but hopefully this weather continues and we have a really nice night, that'll be ideal.”

What can people expect from your performance?

“Well, I think we've always been a live band that wants to deliver fun. It's always been the same way for 30 years now. We're quite high energy, we want to get the crowd involved as much as possible and we want everyone to just have a big smile on their face. I think over the years of doing this, we've matured as people so we understand the value of making people happy, we understand how lucky we are to be able to do that. I think it's something that when you're young and in a band, sort of passes you by a little bit, you don't really realize how important that is but to have a job where you actually get paid to make people happy is an incredible privilege. For us now, to look out there and see 1000s of people having a great time, that's just as rewarding as any paycheck. And I'm not just talking about the Illumination, but everything we do, you know, every gig we do all year.

“It's that pure connection with human beings and I guess the couple years that we couldn't do it because of covid, sometimes when you're forced to stop doing something, you then really appreciate what it is that you actually do. So that's really helped as well. You know, we're in a good place at the moment where we're lucky enough to go out and do what we really love doing with the people we love. We all get on, we're like family and the outcome of that is that people - well, I don't want to jinx it by saying everyone has a great time- but most of the time, when people come to our shows, they go away having had a great time so that's what we're aiming for, really.”

And obviously one of your top hits was ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’, do you think it will hit just as well if the Fylde Coast sun is shining all over you?

“I think the moon will be out actually! I think we're on when it's getting dark so if it’s out, that'll be fun. We did a show the other day, actually, where the moon was almost a full moon and it was massive. As we were playing it, I was looking at it looking down on the crowd and I thought ah that's quite nice.”

You mentioned you have performed in Blackpool before, what are Lancashire audiences like?

”Fantastic. They're always really good. Dare I say it but the further north you get, the better the audiences get. It's just the way it is, it's always been a bit like that. So we expect people to be absolutely up for it.”

Have you had a look yet at the Blackpool Illuminations designs?

“I haven't actually, can they actually release designs?

I think so, yeah.

“Oh, I'm so gonna nail that down when I get off the phone! So no, I haven't looked at them, but I will look!”

If you were to design one, what would it be?

“Ah that’s a good one. We've always struggled with this because we wanted a T-shirt for Dancing in the Moonlight for years but the instant thing that a graphic designer will always do is try and do a moon, but a moon doesn't look like a moon, really. I mean, it’s really hard for them to not just look like circles, and then you can put in craters but they look weird. Somehow I would like to do it - what would be really cool is, you know when they have the drones, and they can do like 3d 4d 5d images, we could do a round moon with drones, that would be amazing, that'd be my thing.”

How do you feel to be performing alongside Olly Murs and Louisa Johnson on the night?

“I mean, they're obviously a little bit more pop than us, and I don't know how they perform, ie whether it’s with a live band or whatever but obviously we are a live band, and, you know, we'll be playing drums, guitars, everything, like a proper band. So hopefully we won't hurt people's ears, because I don't want anyone to think ‘Oh, my God, that's a bit noisy’. But I think also it's quite nice, especially for young people that maybe are more into pop music to actually hear about us, it might be the first time they do, and within, if they really like it, they might want to go and see more bands so that would be cool.”

Well why should people head down on the night to watch Toploader?

“Oh, my God, because we're amazing!

“Well, no, I think it's about being in a place with lots of other people listening and sharing a song or two that we all can sing along to. I went to see Oasis recently, and the connectivity between human beings is just -some people that don't like music will say ‘Why do it?’, you know ‘why go?’ There's something about human beings when we come together and share one thing all at the same time, that really is quite special. We've had that inherent connection for many, many generations, way before music was invented in the format we see it now. I think being together and sharing one thing is really, really important - Being in a field, or on the beach or wherever this particular venue is, and all sharing one collective sing along. when we do ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’, if you're there, you'll see it's 25,000 people all connected at the same time. It's a really special feeling and I think anyone that's there will understand that on the night soI think it's going to be fantastic.”

Finally is there anything else in the pipeline for Toploader that you want to mention?

“We're obviously coming to the end of festival season and we've already recorded a new EP, which is really great. We have one or two very special songs on there and we're hopeful that people will really love them as much as we do. That won't be out till 2026 but as soon as the festival season's finished, we're going to start working on preparing ourselves for the release of that. So next year is a busy year for us -new record, new tour. We're not a very prolific bands, we're a bit sloth like when it comes to making music, like, we'll do something every 5,6,7 years but it’s really great fun.”