Glenn Tilbrook
13 April 2022
We probably all know the feeling when you go to a concert you have been really looking forward to and, just as it is about to start, you realise there is going to be a support act before the main attraction. But the support act slot is where many artists get their first break, and I have seen many really impressive support acts. I often wonder how artists choose their support acts: I guess you would want someone who your fans will appreciate - so music of the same broad genre but not too close to your own style because you don't want anyone outshining you at your own game. So when we went to The Stables in Wavendon last Friday to see Glenn Tilbrook from Squeeze, I was surprised that the unintroduced young male singer-songwriter who strode on stage to open the concert seemed to echo Glenn Tilbrook's impressively intricate guitar style and had a falsetto voice that sounded remarkably like the Squeeze front-man. Then, from a few of his comments between songs, I realised we were watching Leon Tilbrook - Glenn's son. Like his father, he is an amazing guitar player and his songs were catchy and likeable. And, like all the best support acts, he didn't outstay his welcome (and returned to duet with his dad in a couple of encores later in the evening). When we last saw Squeeze (at Milton Keynes Theatre, reviewed here in October 2015) Glenn Tilbrook's voice was sounding as good as it had in Squeeze's 1980s heyday. Though he is now a few years older (and strangely looking increasingly like Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys) his voice is still pure and clear. This solo performance gave me a chance to hear most of my favourite Squeeze songs in stripped down arrangements - and to appreciate even more the songwriting genius of Tilbrook and Chris Difford. As I've said here before, you know more Squeeze songs than you realise you do: they have an incredible back catalogue. But it was also interesting to hear Glenn Tilbrook performing some of the covers he recorded for his YouTube channel during lockdown, including the Human League's 'Don't You Want Me'. It was a fantastic gig.
posted by Robin Simpson @ 4:45 pm
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