The English Beat, Squeeze

THE ENGLISH BEAT, SQUEEZE, Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA, July 28, 2010

The 80’s returned to party in the 21st Century when two beloved bands from the era shared the stage at the Gibson Amphitheatre on a hot summer night. Bringing back a lot of memories from the past, both bands presented solid sets to a near sold out house. Demonstrating just how timeless a truly great song is, the night was filled with classic tunes that had the audience standing and singing along for a good deal of the show.

First up was Dave Wakeling and The English Beat, presenting the audience with a shortened set due to Gibson time constraints. The band managed to pack their brief moments onstage with many of their hits, as well as some good-natured banter between Wakeling and the various members of his band.

Founded in 1978, The English Beat became one of the most recognized ska bands on the planet, influencing such later days acts as Reel Big Fish and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. In 2010, the band remains on fire, opening their set with a rousing cover of The Staple Singers classic I’ll Take You There.

If the excitement wasn’t at a fevered pitch by then, their second song I Confess brought the entire Gibson Amphitheatre to their collective feet. The song still sounds as fresh and lively today as it did when KROQ was granting it massive airplay back in 1982. Another cover followed, a skankin’ version of Tears Of A Clown, originally by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.

Save It For Later was unleashed next, turning the Gibson into a huge dance party. And following was the real surprise of the evening – a new song – a rather effective ballad entitled Said We Would Never Die, clearly demonstrating how versatile of a songwriter Dave Wakeling is. Never fear though, as the familiar tunes were to return, with sparkling renditions of Never You Done That, Ranking Full Stop, and Mirror In The Bathroom dazzling the crowd.

Many of the songs featured wonderful three-part harmonies that sent the material soaring. Wakeling mentioned something about having, “A broken heart and half a liver” and passed on many a humorous anecdote throughout the set. As express by his band, it was a rare night of “Peace, Love, and Unity” – and for a little less than an hour, people of different races and backgrounds celebrated as one to the big ska sounds of The English Beat.

According to an interview The Wright Stuff did with Wakeling earlier in the day, there is a new album on the horizon. Judging by the new song heard in their set tonight, The English Beat is more than ready to skank it well into the 21st Century and beyond…

Squeeze took to the stage next, opening their set with Take Me I’m Yours from their 1977 debut self-titled album. The show ran the full spectrum of a brilliant music career spanning several decades; and although there has been past friction within the ranks, the Squeeze of 2010 looked like they were having a mighty grand time on the stage.

One of their biggest hits, Black Coffee In Bed, was played early on in the set. A bit of history on that song – the original version from their 1982 album Sweets From A Stranger featuring the odd pairing of Elvis Costello and Paul Young on backing vocals. A classic song whose sweet melancholic tones enveloped the cavernous Gibson walls, still emotional and effective nearly 30 years after its initial release.

A big surprise in the set was the performance of Hope Fell Down from the Difford & Tilbrook album – what a treat that must have been for the hardcore Squeeze collector to hear this terrific song in a live setting.

Glenn Tilbrook performed lead vocals on most of the songs, and his voice remains as expressive and impassioned as ever. Chris Difford was able to shine as well, and delivered a pitch perfect rendition of the new wave influenced Cool For Cats that sent the throngs bopping along with its quirky vibe.

If I Didn’t Love You was another set highlight – delivered with vigor and flair by a band whose sound was tighter than ever. Other songs performed included Goodbye Girl, Slap & Tickle and their signature tune Tempted.

And for the encore, the fans were presented with the double whammy force of Another Nail In My Heart and Pulling Mussels (From A Shell). When the show let out well after 11, the fans left the amphitheatre surely humming whatever Squeeze or English Beat tune was buzzing around in their heads. It was a magical night – one that many a music fan will recall with fondness for some time to come. Be sure to check out Spot The Difference, their new album of classic songs re-recorded by the Squeeze 2010 lineup – available August 3rd! The disc will contain classic Squeeze tunes painstakingly reproduced in such a fashion that fans are invited to ‘spot the difference’ from the original versions. New material is rumored to be on the way as well…

(Review and Photos by Kenneth Morton)