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1980s pop icon coming to Australia for first tour in 27 years – and she looks very different to her heyday

BBG News

Pop-punk icon Wendy James is bringing Transvision Vamp to Australia next year.

In 2026, the renowned lead singer will make her comeback tour in Australia, performing concerts nationwide. This marks the British group’s initial performances after a gap of 27 years.

Yet, there seems to be a slight change in her appearance compared to her glorious 1980s era, when she ruled the charts with popular hits like ‘Baby I Don’t Care’ and ‘I Want Your Love’.

The once radiant woman with platinum blonde hair, famous for her wide-eyed gaze, petite sundresses, and vibrant pink lipstick, now sports a rougher edge, as she has adopted heavy eyeliner as a distinctive feature in her style.

For several years now, it’s been some time since Wendy, who is currently 59, dominated the pop music scene, but last year, she garnered praise with her solo album, “The Shape of History,” which was released.

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The record managed to reach the top 40 in the UK.

The band Transvision Vamp parted ways with their record company in 1992 and disbanded as a result, but lead singer Wendy continued her musical journey by releasing seven solo albums after this point. In 2002, she relocated to New York City.

Last year, the independent singer decided to tour again and reached out to some Australian promoters via email.

In conversation with The Advertiser, Wendy disclosed that the primary objective behind her new album was not just to embark on a tour, but to revisit Australian soil, as it’s where her musical odyssey commenced.

When I released my 10th album, I decided not to simply return to the UK, but instead, I aimed to revisit Australia, as that’s where everything originally began for me,” she expressed.

Additionally, the artist’s eagerness to visit Australia was sparked by a nostalgic journey following her discovery of vintage Super 8 films depicting cherished moments from the past.

In my exploration, I came across an abundance of video material from Australia, particularly clips we filmed in Melbourne. What stands out is that there were riot police on horses, people in the streets, and a girl who exclaimed: “They’re more popular than the Beatles,” she shared with the media outlet.

At the height of their popularity, Transvision Vamp gained attention when Kurt Cobain, from Nirvana, sported one of their band t-shirts during a live performance.

During Nirvana’s 1991 U.S. tour and their famous MTV appearance, Kurt wore the well-known t-shirt symbolizing the band.

Speaking of the moment, Wendy said that it became known as the ‘Kurt shirt’.

Back in 1991, I was absolutely devoted to the band, and I made sure not to miss any of their shows in America. Amazingly, this dedicated fan even bought the tour T-shirt and proudly wore it during several of his performances – yes, you guessed it, that includes the iconic MTV performance!

Transvision Vamp is preparing to play a number of shows across Australia in February. 

To start their tour, they will begin at Brisbane’s The Triffid, followed by a stop at The Station located on the Sunshine Coast.

The band then heads to King Street Bandroom in Newcastle and the Metro Theatre in Sydney.

Transvision Vamp will be traveling to Northcote Theatre in Melbourne, then The Gov in Adelaide, and finally wrapping up their tour at Perth’s Magnet House.

General tickets to the Australian tour go on sale from July 15 at 9am.

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2025-07-14 17:03

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