Squeeze Pull In The Fans For Their Big Five-O Celebrations At Birmingham’s Symphony Hall

by | Oct 13, 2024

The legendary Squeeze arrive at Birmingham as part of their momentous 50th anniversary UK tour, taking in 27 dates in total, with just a 12-day break after completing a 20-date stint in the United States, co-headlining with Boy George. Birmingham’s Symphony Hall is a 2,262-seat capacity concert venue and forms the majestic centre piece of Birmingham’s Centenary Square. Being overwhelmingly grand in appearance on the inside it provides a fitting venue for this significant occasion.

Squeeze @ The Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Squeeze @ The Symphony Hall, Birmingham (Kieran Atkinson)
Squeeze @ The Symphony Hall, Birmingham (Kieran Atkinson)

The troupe formed in Deptford in 1974, came to prominence in the late 1970’s, and have undergone many lineup changes. This third incarnation of the band has existed since 2007 and tonight comprised 8 members, putting in a faultless performance of 22 songs from their impressive and extensive back catalogue produced over the past half-century, all sweet intellectual guitar pop, and the product of the supremely talented song writing and musicianship of Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, both providing guitars and vocals. All the hits were here as well a few rare gems. The pair are widely regarded as one of the greatest pop musical composer partnerships in recent history and often regarded as a modern-day Lennon and McCartney.

It was clear from the audience participation, that here was a strong presence of exited stalwart fans among the crowd, creating a party vibe and helping the band celebrate this landmark occasion in high spirits.

They have produced some of the most timeless generation transcending songs during their career, ranging in musical styling from sad to quirky, the extremes of which are exhibited in two of their, arguably, most popular and successful songs, Cool For Cats and Up The Junction, both reaching number 2 in the charts.

Up The Junction is sad and narrative heavy with clever rhyming couplets and tells the story of an ill-fated relationship. The lyrics skip through the song at an even pace leaving no room for a chorus. An emotional key change towards the end pulls at the heart strings as the lyrics become more doom laden.

Conversely, Cool For Cats is a quirkier number and takes its name from the first rock ‘n’ roll television show in England during 1959. The lyrics express the social scene the band were experiencing at the time, with cheeky nods towards the then current pop culture. It features a rare lead vocal performance from a cockney-accented Chris Difford. The complex keyboard played towards the end, originally played by Jools Holland, was expertly and faithfully reproduced here, much to my delight as I simultaneously recalled the tune in my head as the song was playing. Also, the synth backbones of Slap And Tickle and Take Me I’m Yours, were faithfully recreated, as was the forceful military style stomp of the latter, but missing, alas, was the clockwork like synth accompaniment to Goodbye Girl, though an enjoyable rendition was played here.

Tilbrook announced that two new album releases can be expected in the near future, one of new songs, and another containing 50-year songs he and Difford wrote when they were first together that where “really good”, but they never got round to recording them. This will be the first new material since 2017’s The Knowledge.

Squeeze were supported by Mercury Prize-winning and multi-instrumentalist Badly Drawn Boy – aka Damon Gough – with his brand of indie folk and rock, and who also recently celebrated a musical milestone of 25 years of releasing music. His eclectic discography spans over nine albums.

Live review & photography of Squeeze at The Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 6th October 2024 by Kieran Atkinson

Squeeze Are Cool For Cats As Pyramid Stage Openers At Glastonbury 2024

 

Santana (Press)

Carlos Santana Teams Up With Grupo Frontera For Norteño-Rock Fusion ‘Me Retiro’ — Ahead Of UK Tour Dates

Rock legend Carlos Santana has surprised fans yet again—this time by merging his iconic guitar-driven rock sound with...
Blink-182 @ Reading Festival 2024 (Nick Allan)

Reading Festival 2025 Preview: Glitter, Guitars & Glorious Chaos Incoming

Hold on to your bucket hats – Reading Festival 2025 is about to blow the roof off Richfield Avenue from August...

Iggy Pop’s Raw Power Hits Ally Pally

There’s some shows you just can’t miss in good conscience. Iggy Pop, the godfather of punk, last hit the UK for Dog Day Afternoon with Blondie two years ago, and he’s back for a short run of dates. When other punks from the same era are slowing down, settling into nostalgic anniversary shows or stately home summer shows, Pop is sticking to what he knows best: his iconic back catalogue, spread out across a full band, tied together with hypnotic charisma.

Chesney Hawkes (Press)

Chesney Hawkes Announces 2026 ‘Smash It To Pieces’ UK Headline Tour Following A Triumphant Year

Chesney Hawkes, once dubbed the quintessential British pop prince of the early ‘90s, has proved he’s more than just The One And Only. With a creative fire that burns brighter than ever, Hawkes is celebrating a year of musical and personal triumphs as he announces his 2026 Smash It To Pieces UK headline tour — a bold new chapter in a career that continues to evolve far beyond its nostalgic beginnings.

James Morrison (Tom Oxley)

James Morrison Announces Long-Awaited New Album ‘Fight Another Day’, UK Headline Tour This September

BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter James Morrison returns this autumn with his most personal, soul-stirring work to date. His sixth studio album, Fight Another Day, lands on 3rd October 2025, marking his first full-length release in six years — and with it comes a UK headline tour this September, including dates in Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and London.

Calva Louise (Henry Calvert)

Calva Louise Walk The Edge Of The Abyss With Cinematic New Single ‘Impeccable’

If the edge of reality had a soundtrack, Calva Louise just wrote it. With new single Impeccable, the genre-fluid...
MJ Lenderman (Shervin Lainez)

Alt-Americana Star MJ Lenderman Begins UK / EU Tour – New Dates Announced

MJ Lenderman has had a whirlwind 12 months. His fourth studio album Manning Fireworks was lauded by critics and made...
People and Atmosphere @ Download Festival 2024 (Simon Reed)

Download XXII: An Era Of Fresh Headliners And Hidden Surprises At Donington

Liquid Death presents Download XXII is almost upon us, so get your battle jackets ready and prepare to raise those...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing