Glenn Tilbrook – Nottingham Rescue Rooms – 12 December 2009

Glenn live at the Rescue Rooms:

You know what you’re getting with Glenn Tilbrook – solid entertainment from a grown-up artist (shockingly, the Squeeze front man is now in his fifties) carrying a back catalogue you could choke several boy bands with.

Rounding off a 2009 in which he’s visited stages in the USA, Japan and UK festivals as a solo artist – and worked with fellow Squeeze songwriter Chris Difford (with whom he also briefly formed an ’80s pop duo) – Glenn showed no signs of flagging in Nottingham, towards the end of a 24-date UK tour supported by melodic acoustic band The Raglans.

This is how you ensure career longevity – pure sweat.

And giving the punters what they want.

We got plenty of the old favourites – Take Me I’m Yours, Goodbye Girl and Up the Junction – plus Glenn’s use of an enthusiastic audience as backing vocals on songs like Coffee In Bed.

But there was also plenty of the new stuff; three songs alone – the Best of Times, Through the Net and Relentless Pursuit – from ‘Pandemonium Ensues’ (with The Fluffers), one of two albums released this year.

Did I mention that the man works hard?

Glenn also found time for a tale about discovering his ‘real’ father was Jimi Hendrix, sliding into a rousing performance of Voodoo Chile’, playing a guitar backwards across his shoulders.

With a party pleaser like that surely there’s still time for old bandmate Jools Holland to book him for the pianist’s annual BBC TV New Year Hootenanny.

SEAN KIRBY

Fantastic review! I love the idea of Glenn’s back catalogue choking several boy bands!