Bringing punk rock back into the 21st century, Squeeze were joined on stage by the inimitable John Cooper Clarke – Miriam Balanescu reviews
For those few who are not already familiar with Squeeze – the band founded by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook in 1974, experiencing various iterations over the decades and at one early point even taking acclaimed pianist Jools Holland under their wing – the singles Cool for Cats and Up the Junction might ring a bell.
Their most recent stop-off at the Corn Exchange on 28 October, part of their current tour around the UK, sees them don their oversized suits, trainers and pinstripe waistcoats and once again relive their path to success – playing to a bursting audience of dedicated fans.
The group has lost none of their easy-going charm. Through their setlist, interspersed with stage patter telling of the time at which they wrote each song, the band takes us on their journey across the years. Between the difficult-to-resist jams – notably Electric Trains – there are heartrendingly earnest numbers. No Place Like Home and The Day I Get Home feel particularly poignant.
In an unexpected twist, Squeeze are joined by the one and only godfather of punk, Dr John Cooper Clarke. Sharing snippets from his new book and poems fresh and old, his appearance is in high contrast to the booming sounds of the band – but a surprisingly complimentary pairing.
It is actually Squeeze’s encore which dazzles the most, as the group riff off old tracks and stray from the confines of any specific tune, an ecstatic close to a compelling concert. This is nostalgia at its finest.
