Squeeze frontmen Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook are playing and joking together again, sharing songs and stories on their The At Odds Couple tour.
Responsible for some of the most popular hits of British pop music, the pair were hailed as "the heirs to Lennon and McCartney's throne" during the height of their popularity in the early 1980s, and have continued to enjoy success both individually and together.
As the lights went down the audience fell into a hushed silence, only to burst out laughing as the lights went up again and revealed Difford and Tilbrook lying in bed together, in pyjamas, surrounded by gaudy Seventies' decor. The duo then proceeded to launch into a hearty two-man rendition of Take Me I'm Yours, still in pyjamas, before getting dressed and starting properly.
Clearly having a ball, they played an enthusiastic mix of Squeeze hits and solo songs, ranging from cool and collected to plain old silly, Difford's hilarious Fat As A Fiddle and Tilbrook's ridiculously simple I'll Buy You An Ice-Cream As Big As Your Head being particular highlights.
The show also gave the audience several chances to ask the pair some personal questions about their careers, providing some very amusing moments between songs, including the origin of the expression "Pulling Mussels From A Shell", Tilbrook's most embarrassing moment in music and a discussion on the whereabouts of his band The Fluffers, among other things.
All this wonderful nonsense culminated in a great finale and encore, featuring some of their biggest and best hits including Cool For Cats, Labelled With Love and Goodbye Girl, which had the audience singing along throughout and applauding long after.
Difford and Tilbrook delivered a brilliantly funny and excellently performed night of music and mirth, more than earning the standing ovation that followed them off stage.
- Robert McKelvey
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