South London’s favourite sons will return to what they do best this winter when Squeeze take to the road for their biggest UK tour in over 10 years! The boys will invite their fans to “Spot The Difference” at 22 dates across the country, kicking off in Bournemouth on 14th November and concluding by returning home to play three separate London venues in four days.
Releasing their first EP – the cheekily titled ‘Packet Of Three’ – in 1977, Squeeze shot to fame thanks to the pithy ‘kitchen-sink’ lyrics and new wave guitar music that have since become their trademark. Having numbered Jools Holland and Paul Carrack within their ranks, and working with the likes of Elvis Costello and Velvet Underground’s John Cale, Squeeze became a fixture of the UK’s music scene over the course of their 13-album career, before splitting in 1998.
Despite tentatively reforming in 2007, Squeeze have so far refused to tread the well-worn reunion path by trading on their past glories, which have included hit singles on both sides of the Atlantic such as Cool For Cats, Tempted, Hourglass and Up The Junction.
Instead they have gradually been re-establishing the informal live show that made them such favourites in the first place, their festival appearances and gigs to date honing the chemistry that saw co-founders and ever-presents Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook dubbed ‘The New Lennon and McCartney’. They are joined on this tour by fellow Squeeze favourite John Bentley, with the line-up completed by Glenn’s solo band-mates Stephen Large and Simon Hanson.
This set of dates will cap an exhilarating 2010 for the Squeeze boys. In March they will have the site of their first ever gig in Greenwich commemorated by a PRS for Music Heritage Award, one of only a few bands to receive this honour alongside Blur and Dire Straits, while summer will find them playing to their fans in the USA – Squeeze having long made a mockery of the belief that English bands cannot travel across the pond. Away from the band, both Chris and Glenn were involved in the Barbican’s inaugural ‘Songs In The Key of London’ in March, an event curated by Chris that brought together the likes of Elvis Costello, Suggs, Jools Holland, Phil Daniels and many more. Both continue to gig separately as well, with Glenn having released his third solo album ‘Pandemonium Ensues’ last year, while Chris has also been busy recording his new album ‘Cashmere If You Can’, which will see a release through the innovative new Saturday Morning Music Club label.
Chris and Glenn are hoping to spend this summer writing material together for a new Squeeze album next year.
More than 30 years after ‘Packet Of Three’, will Squeeze fans be able to spot the difference? Certainly not if the infectious enthusiasm that the band still bring to their live shows is anything to go by!
Sunday 14TH November Bournemouth O2 Academy 0844 477 2000
Monday 15TH November Reading Hexagon 0118 960 6060
Tuesday 16TH November Bristol Colston Hall 0117 922 3686
Thursday 18TH November Cardiff St David’s Hall 029 2087 8444
Friday 19TH November Nottingham Royal Centre 0115 989 5555
Saturday 20TH November Sheffield O2 Academy 0844 477 2000
Monday 22ND November Aberdeen Music Hall 0844 4999 990
Tuesday 23RD November Glasgow O2 Academy 0844 4999 990
Thursday 25TH November Newcastle City Hall 0191 261 2606
Friday 26TH November Leeds O2 Academy 0844 477 2000
Saturday 27TH November Manchester Apollo 0844 477 7677
Monday 29TH November Liverpool Philharmonic 0151 709 3789
Tuesday 30TH November Birmingham Symphony Hall 0121 780 3333
Thursday 2ND December Cambridge Corn Exchange 01223 357 851
Friday 3RD December Norwich UEA 01603 508 050
Saturday 4TH December Plymouth Pavilions 0845 146 1460
Monday 6TH December Southampton Guildhall 023 8063 2601
Tuesday 7TH December Brighton Dome 01273 709709
Thursday 9TH December London Indigo2 0844 844 0202
Friday 10TH December London Forum 0870 150 0044
Sat 11TH December London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire SOLD OUT
Sun 12th December London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire 0844 477 2000