Review: Squeeze 50th Anniversary Tour


70s and 80s band Squeeze are currently on an extended tour to mark the band’s 50th year, and at their recent appearance at Ipswich’s Regent Theatre fans young and old were certainly not disappointed.

Not many bands can celebrate sell-out venues after 50 years, but Squeeze have not only sold out at many of the venues, but the tour has added extra dates to satisfy fans.

So often you see former idols later in their careers and are disappointed, this is certainly not the case with Squeeze, front men and writers of so many hits, Glen Tilbrook and Chris Difford can still entertain a crowd with their polished performances, and their voices and therefore the resulting sound when they bash out classics such as Cool for Cats and Up The Junction are as good today as they were in the late 70s.

Hearing Up the Junction so near the start of the evening, when you thought they’d maybe finish with it, you think they’ve peaked too early, but you forget how many great songs this pair produced and across nearly two hours we are treated to hit after hit and a few album or lesser known numbers too. The musicianship is faultless by the entire 8 piece 2014 version of Squeeze.

Squeeze are supported on the tour by Badly Drawn Boy, who warms the crowd up with some gentle tunes and some of his tongue-in-cheek dry wit.

But it’s Squeeze we’ve all come to see and hear and by the end of the night everyone is on their feet and singing along with them as we are transported back to the 70s and 80s when we were all a lot younger, thanks guys for the memories and making me feel young again.

Review Mark Keable, Ipswich24 Magazine
Picture: Scott Saldinger

Squeeze website www.squeezeofficial.com

New dates for the celebratory tour now include a second London show at Camden’s Roundhouse, second shows in Glasgow and Southend plus shows in Bath, Hull, Halifax, and Folkestone.  Tickets for the extra dates go on sale 10:00AM, Friday 15th December via www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk, with all other dates on sale now.