Ronnie Scott’s October 2000

TWENTY two years after Squeeze emerged from the post-punk London pub circuit, frontman Glenn Tilbrook is striking out alone.
Armed only with an acoustic guitar and plaintive vocal, Tilbrook turned back the clock with stripped-down renditions of classics like Goodbye Girl and Up The Junction.
Squeeze earned fame with the perfect marriage of Tilbrook’s catchy melodies and Chris Difford’s witty lyrics and he was generous enough to pay tribute to his erstwhile songwriting partner during a memorable set.
A new solo album is in the pipeline and there were glimpses of the fresh material scattered throughout the set plus cover versions galore - some, frankly, less than memorable.
But it was the halcyon days of two decades ago that the audience had come to celebrate and the 43-year-old duly obliged, the highlight, mass sin-galongs to Labelled with Love and Pulling Mussels From a Shell.
Unsurprisingly, the 30-somethings enjoyed the trip down memory lane but fans of Blur, Pulp and the rest could do worse than check out one of Britpop’s unsung architects.
David Jones, 18 October 2000, Evening Mail

Glenn Tilbrook has a fine pedigree as co-founder and front man of Squeeze and a prolific songwriter in his own right.
There was a packed audience to welcome Tilbrook back to the venue which had been such a success for him at the 1999 Songwriters’ Festival.
The singer soon won over his audience by engaging it as an impromptu Miracles to provide backing to Smokey Robinson’s Tracks of my Tears.
Tilbrook’s versatility and brilliance on the guitar came to the fore on an outstanding version of the old favourite Hour Glass.
But the singer cleverly divided the set between a selection from his Squeeze back catalogue and new songs like Conservatory, Parallel World and a tune co-written with Ron Sexsmith By The Light of the Cash Machine.
Tilbrook also paid tribute to several other artists whom he admires, highlights being outstanding versions of songs by the likes of Willie Nelson, Jimi Hendrix and even early Sonny Terry and Sticks McGee.
Tilbrook accompanies himself throughout on six- and 12-string guitars and used the club’s excellent sound system to great effect.
The singer obviously believes involving the audience is an important part of his act and he gave 16 audience members something to tell their grandchildren as they came on stage to provide the vocal assistance on Perfect Day.
Stephen King, 19 October 2000, Birmingham Post