Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook is a man of his word.
He told me recently, “I get really irritated when people do horrible arrangements of their own songs. I understand why people do it and I've done it myself and will probably do it again, but sometimes you just want to hear the songs the way you know it.” And last night, at a raucous Radio City Music Hall, that’s exactly what the reunited Squeeze delivered.
It was wonderful to hear “Goodbye Girl” in the original, synth-heavy, reggae-riddim-tinged version that appeared on “Cool for Cats” in 1979, while the bittersweet “Up the Junction,” from the same album, showed why the compositions of Chris Difford and Tilbrook will stand among the best, timeless examples of British new wave.
But even more thrilling was the renewed energy injected into their sharp, quirky slices-of-life pop, revving up “Is That Love” and the closer “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell).” And the images of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan flashing behind the band nicely tied “Revue” into today’s celebrity culture, even though it was written 30 years ago.
Though the band dispatched its best-known American hits relatively early in the set – with “Black Coffee in Bed” turning into an extended jam and “Tempted” settling into its loping soulful groove – they had plenty of new wave steam to bring it home in impressive style and leave the crowd wanting more, even after 90 minutes of rapid-fire hits.
SETLIST: Strong in Reason / If I Didn't Love You / Revue / Up the Junction / Take Me, I'm Yours / I Think I'm Go-Go / Separate Beds / Piccadilly / It's So Dirty / Black Coffee in Bed / Annie Get Your Gun / Goodbye Girl / Melody Motel / Tempted / Slaughtered, Gutted, and Heartbroken / Is That Love / Cool for Cats / Another Nail in My Heart / Hourglass // ENCORE: Slap and Tickle / Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
PHOTO: squeezeofficial.com