Photo of Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook by Laura Tucker
Our cultural love of nostalgia has made triple bills of legacy acts commonplace. As a result, a slew of stacked concerts featuring a range of ‘80s and ‘90s artists have come through town over the last few years. One of the best ones to hit these parts happened on September 25th, when Haircut 100, Adam Ant, and headliner Squeeze took the stage at St. Louis Music Park.
Under the sky of a gorgeous night, the music began with a lively set from Haircut 100. Back after a forty-two-year slumber with their recent release, Boxing the Compass, they opened with three new songs: the uptempo “Someone,” the jazzy and soulful vibe of “Vanishing Point,” and “Raincloud,” a straightforward rocker.
Their tight and exuberant set continued with three classics: the peppy “Fantastic Day,” the groove-laden “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl),” which was the cracker of their set, and their biggest hit, “Love Plus One,” which showed no signs of wear.
Fronted by Nick Heyward, whose voice sounds better than ever, the band was tight and loud. Although their set was short, they nearly stole the show with their brassy melodies and jazzy, soul-flavored sound.
Adam Ant was next. His set was a mixed bag. “Vive le Rock” was sloppy, “Xerox” was lethargic, and “Prince Charming” wasn’t very regal. At times barely able to move, the 71-year-old Ant got better as the set progressed.
A rougher-around-the-edges version of“Kings of the Wild Frontier” led into the set’s highlight, a spirited version of 1980’s “Antmusic” thatfeatured fantastic percussion from both of his drummers. Next up was the pop smash “Goody Two Shoes” (Ant’s first solo single), a burst of pop that got the crowd dancing like it was 1982. Looking a bit worn for wear, he finished his night strong with another popular song from his catalog, “Stand and Deliver.”
Next up was a triumphant headlining set from Squeeze, who showed no signs of rust. Broken into three parts, their concert featured a mix of classic cuts and songs from their most recent album, Trixies, performed in full.
Performing as a ten-piece band, Squeeze hit the ground running. Opening with “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell),” the band got an instantaneous response from the audience. With over five decades of songs at their disposal, the band’s crisp set was highlighted by fantastic renditions of “Up the Junction” and “Another Nail in My Heart.”
From here, the band launched into Trixies, their sixteenth album. Originally written in 1974, but released earlier this year, the concept album about a mythical hangout found the band coming full circle; it was written at the beginning of their partnership and has been recorded and released fifty-three years later.
Starting this portion of the show with “What More Can I Say,” Squeeze utilized their entire band. This richly textured track sets the perfect mood for the album. A quiet guitar intro marked the start of the gentle “You Get the Feeling.” The sound of ‘70s rock operas embodied “The Place We Call Home,” a song that wears the times it was written in on its sleeves. Filled with the band’s influences of the era. Bowie, The Kinks, Stevie Wonder, and sprinkles of glam, the songs from Trixies translated well, especially when presented collectively. Other highlights of this set included “The Dancer” and “Anything But Me.”
For a band with five decades of tread on their tires, Squeeze sounded exceptionally fresh. The new material seems to have invigorated the band, who easily could have just phoned it in.
Comparisons to Lennon and McCartney aside, Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford remain vocally perfect. At a time when many legacy bands find their voices and tempo worn down, the duo remain vibrant and spry.
Their final set opened with the earworm pop hit “Hourglass.” Next came a song everyone in the crowd was waiting for, “Black Coffee in Bed.” Heading into the home stretch, Squeeze launched into a sharp version of “Goodbye Girl,” another crowd pleaser. Next came two classics that have defined the band, the melodic jauntiness of “Cool for Cats” and the sublime “Tempted,” which quickly turned into a sing-along. They closed the evening out with the seminal “Take Me I’m Yours,” the band’s debut single from 1978.
Unrelenting from the start, Squeeze were on top of their game. Delivering textured sounds and uplifting melodies, they were musically tight. Their mix of rock and jazz styles resulted in an evening of great music, which provided fans with the perfect mix of new material and popular favorites. | Rob Levy
