Glenn Tilbrook.
Esquires Bedford 20th May 2006.
GLENN TILBROOK is of course most well known for his work in the popular 70's. 80's and 90's pop band Squeeze. Along with co-writer Chriss Difford they were feted for a short time as the new Lennon and McCartney and although never reaching those dizzy heights, they had a very successful song-writing career with their plaintive melodies and touching lyrics. Since Squeeze split in the mid-nineties, Glenn has been pursuing his own solo career.
Tonight is all about that rose-tinted world we call nostalgia. The venue is packed full of middle aged folk with receding hairlines, expanding waistlines and, ironically, spectacles. However, they all appear to be extremely thirsty as I struggle to get served at the bar.
This is Tilbrook's first appearance at Esquires since November 1999 and at £12 a ticket he does not come cheap, but he proceeds to play for just over two hours, split in two halves and covering a mighty 31 songs!
Dressed in grey shirt, jeans and an old pair of trainers, he is not short of storytelling between songs and has amusing anecdotes about life on the road with Squeeze and his working relationship with Difford. He also has a total undeniable admiration for the late Ronnie Lane but not of Rod Stewart! He dedicates his version of 'Universal' to Lane. Tilbrook also tells us about being a ten year old boy and absolutely adoring The Monkees and the thrill of meeting Davey, Mikey and Peter on their reunion tour of 1987. Glenn then covers 'Daydream Believer' and 'Last Train to Clarksville'. He also tells us a surreal story of his father being Jimi Hendrix and, adding that Eminem is his long lost son, Tilbrook proceeds to play a version of 'Voodoo Chile' which was frankly embarrassing!
Although the idea of playing all of the Squeeze hits acoustically is bold I feel it doesn't always come off, but what Glenn does have in abundance though is that unmistakeable voice. Just close your eyes and listen to him singing and you are magically transported back to a dim and distant path when 'Mrs Thatch' was in charge. 'Hourglass' has a percussion segment courtesy of the audience as they contribute some rapid clapping. He admits to us that 'Cool for Cats' is a song that he refuses to play as it is a Difford song. However tonight Kevin, a member of the official Squeeze tribute band, is in the audience and takes up the vocals which allows Tilbrook to recreate that No.2 hit from 1979. The set draws to a close with a host of Squeeze songs, namely 'Up the Junction', 'Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)', and 'Slap and Tickle'. To sum the gig up, the past has been bottled and 'labelled with love'!
Supporting 'The Legend' tonight is a young female acoustic artist by the name of Siobhan Parr. A petite lady in a flowery dress and long brown hair, she plays a selection of her own ballads, as well as a couple of cover and a superb Bluesy song entitled 'All I Am', I was also most impressed with the way she swigs from a bottle of Grolsh between songs. Not even most 'rufty tufty' metal performers manage that!
Review by Martin Stapleton. www.bedfordesquires.co.uk