Review: Glenn Tilbrook at Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead

Nov 26 2009 Chester Chronicle
GLENN TILBROOK/Pacific Road, Birkenhead, 25.11.09
REVIEW/by Grahame Rhodes
AS PART of the 21st International Guitar Festival of Great Britain, the ever popular Glenn Tilbrook stopped off at Pacific Road as part of a large solo tour – and showed why he remains one of these shores most popular singer/songwriters, with a vast body of work to draw from – back to the marvellous Squeeze songs, co-written with Chris Difford and his own work, with his band, The Fluffers.
Away from his musical endeavours he has taken the time to trek Mount Kilimanjaro for the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a cancer charity supported by many fellow musicians – this tour must seem a doddle to him after that!
The large crowd at Pacific Road were treated to two stunning sets of around an hour each as Tilbrook rolled away the years with his amiable stage presence, engaging anecdotes and banter. Hearing all the Squeeze songs together made you realise how good him and Chris Difford are, once dubbed “the Lennon and McCartney of Deptford” – but these songs for sure have stood the test of time.
After starting “with a couple of drinking songs”, including the excellent “Cold Soulder” he dipped way back for the first Squeeze hit, “Take Me I’m Yours”, before showing off some of his acoustic guitar prowess on a very nice “Oh Well”, from the Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac heydays. The title track of “Some Fantastic Place” is a lovely song – written for his first girlfriend who sadly succumbed to leukaemia.
The first set fairly rattled along, ending with a sing-along section, featuring the country-flavoured “Labelled With Love”; the rollicking opening tune from the recent “Pandemonium Ensues” album, “Best Of Times” and possibly one of his finest songs, the superb “Black Coffee In Bed”.
For the second set he was joined by The Fluffers and Squueze drummer Simon Hanson, who accompanied Tilbrook on a variety of percussion instruments – starting off with the second cover of the night, James Brown’s “I Feel Good”, before heading way back again for “Slap And Tickle” from the second Squeeze album and then a really nice “Hostage” from his “Transatlantic Ping Pong” solo album.
Most of the rest of the show was wall-to-wall Squeeze songs – “Up The Junction”, “Third Rail” and “Annie Get Your Gun”, all immaculately delivered, with a dip back into “Pandemonium Ensues” for the great “Still” and “Black Sheep”. He regular show ended with the glorious pairing of “Is That Love?” and “Goodbye Girl” . . . before the duo were coaxed back for the mighty “Tempted” and “Pulling Mussels From A Shell”, to end a most enjoyable night.
Opening up the night were the Irish duo, The Raglans, whose short set of Celtic flavoured poppy tunes were well received . . . standouts being the opening “Stones” and a brand new song, “Two Road” . . . definitely a name to look out for.