Anchored by founding members Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, Squeeze has been making music for going on forty-five years and, to cut straight to the chase, sound fan-freaking-tastic today. “The Difford and Tilbrook Songbook” Tour hit Oakland, California’s Fox Theater with Los Angeles punk veterans X for what would prove to be a stellar evening of music.
Having sallied past their own fortieth anniversary, X proceeded to show why they’ve maintained relevance over the years, all while maintaining the original lineup of John Doe (bass/vocals), Exene Cervenka (vocals), Billy Zoom (guitar/sax), and DJ Bonebrake (drums/vibraphone). Kicking off with “The New World,” X stuck to their roots with a setlist that didn’t stretch beyond 1983’s More Fun in the New World yet was sure to please both the casual and hardcore fan.
Squeeze kicked off their set with each member being introduced as they strode on stage, Tilbrook and Difford posting up in the center as they were surrounded by the rest of the band members. Straight into “Footprints,” the band immediately awed, their high and low vocals perfectly complementing one another in a manner that defied their years.
What did not defy time was the deep catalog of music that the band made their way through. The 23 song set spanned the catalog and covered the hits (of which there are many) and got the crowd singing and dancing along with little encouragement from the band, and in some cases what appeared to be a couple of cocktails (this era of band seems to attract folks that are not used to getting out much and have a tendency to have too much fun). But what else can you expect when classics like “Another Nail in my Heart” and “Goodbye Girl” are delivered so flawlessly.
Anyone paying much attention at all could have predicted “Black Coffee” by process of elimination, which wrapped up what would prove to be an incredible evening of music. There was not so much as a disappointing note the whole night.
X
SQUEEZE
X SETLIST
The New World
The Once Over Twice
Sugarlight
Because I Do
Adult Books
Year 1
Come Back to Me
I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts
The World’s a Mess, It’s in My Kiss
Los Angeles
Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not
Nausea
Johnny Hit & Run Pauline
Soul Kitchen (The Doors cover)
SQUEEZE SETLIST
Footprints
Big Beng
Hourglass
Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
Up the Junction
King George Street
Someone Else’s Heart
Third Rail
In Quintessence
The Day I Get Home
Please Be Upstanding
Annie Get Your Gun
Cradle to the Grave
Cool for Cats
Slap and Tickle
Love’s Crashing Waves
Tempted
Another Nail in My Heart
Goodbye Girl
If I Didn’t Love You
ENCORE
Take Me I’m Yours
Is That Love
Black Coffee in Bed
