After all these years (this is the 50th anniversary tour) it’s hardly surprising that Squeeze know how to put together the ultimate crowd-pleasing set, and the sold-out gig at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Saturday night did not disappoint. Quite the opposite.
An audience of die-hard fans greeted the group’s classic tracks with high-spirited enthusiasm, and the band members responded with performances that delighted all who were there. 
To say that the atmosphere was electric might be an understatement. The show was slick and polished (featuring a modicum of smoke and strobe lighting), and the lyrics and catchy melodies have truly stood the test of time. Was there anybody in the hall who didn’t know all the words to Up The Junction and Tempted? The level of audience participation suggested that most who were there had been listening to and singing these songs for years.
Taking centre stage, Glenn Tilbrook had the crowd eating out of his hand from the very first bars of Black Coffee In Bed. With Chris Difford by his side, the scene was set for a perfect evening of nostalgia, as they led us through pacey renditions of Is That Love?, Pulling Mussels, Cool For Cats, Labelled With Love and many, many more. A few newer songs completed the set, and though less familiar, these more recent numbers had the distinctive Squeeze sound, with quick, clever lyrics and fast-moving tunes. Tilbrook and Difford are masters of using ingenious lyrics to create arresting images (‘Maid Marian on her tiptoed feet’, ‘some kind of witch with blue fingers and mittens’), and if very occasionally the words verge on being nonsensical and the rhymes a little dubious, it certainly does not matter. Perhaps the inspired turns of phrase are exactly what makes Squeeze’s songs so catchy and memorable. If there were an award for the group most likely to inspire toe-tapping audience participation, then Squeeze would surely be top of the list.
Tilbrook and Difford, looking somewhat like the genial East End godfathers of New Wave, were supported by a jovial ensemble of dynamic performers, all equally natty dressers, resplendent in stripey waistcoats and sharp suits. The atmosphere on stage was that of a group of old friends having a party, and the audience soon joined in. By the end of the set, all were on their feet, and the rather staid surroundings of Symphony Hall became the backdrop for a merry and joyous fiesta. A truly unforgettable concert, this evening will doubtless live long in the memory of all who were there.

Five stars

Reviewed by Rachel Smith at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Saturday 5 October