Squeeze – 28 November 1998 – live at Riviera Centre, Torquay

3 Responses to "Squeeze – 28 November 1998 – live at Riviera Centre, Torquay"

KayJay says:

12 March 2010 at 3:13 pm

Well, here we are again, a different line-up to the last time I saw Squeeze in Torquay (over 3 years ago), but the same half-full house. My hearing returned to normal several days after Bristol, but this time I wasn’t taking any chances – got there early, nabbed a nice spot just left of Glenn (means I don’t have to keep looking up his nose, and have a good angle to watch Chris D’s antics!) The guys were in great form, their enthusiasm infectious and their enjoyment so obvious. Once again special mention must go to Walk Away and Fingertips, the highlights for me, but really the whole set was flawless (with the possible exception of Donkey Talk? A bit of a downer for a live set, allows those not familiar with it to start chatting). The encore was a laugh, Glenn invited the audience up on stage to join him; so many got up there was hardly any room left for the band! The genuine fans got lost at the back, leaving the front of the stage to be hogged by the exhibitionists. Poor Glenn was pawed and ruffled and even strangled by one guy, but he took it all in good humour. All-in-all, it was one of those evenings you don’t want to end.

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packetofthree says:

24 November 2014 at 12:01 pm

Chris Difford’s Tour Diary:

Torquay.

And the sun comes out for our arrival in the English Rivera, the town looks so pleased with itself in the winter sunlight. On stage we play to half a house and I feel the most relaxed I have felt on the whole tour, odd feeling to have. It says that things are running smoothly, it says that auto pilot has locked in. The show ends with another pitch invasion, I broke a string and could not do anything about it as I was surrounded by herberts breathing beer all over me. The dragons then stood on my foot switch and then I gave up and stood at the back. It was good to talk with Jim after the show, one of our sturdy Squeeze fans who has seen it all and heard it all before.

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packetofthree says:

24 November 2014 at 12:51 pm

We sat around having a relaxed chat in a local bar waiting for the show to start and I discovered there was a Squeeze fan who lived in Torquay who drove a taxi and knew everything about their back catalogue. Who knew?
I felt embarrassed for the band as the half-full venue chatted amongst themselves during every song from Domino and twitched nervously as the volume grew to drown out Donkey Talk almost completely. This crowd only knew the hits, only wanted the hits and had no respect at all for the band. They had bought a ticket for a 1980’s karaoke tribute act and wanted a drunken singalong to their youth – not a band who thought they had anything to say or any creative output since 1982.
An ill-advised stage invasion prompted mayhem as drunken people posed, danced and hogged the front of the stage determined to have the good time they thought they’d paid for. It took two strong men and four hands to push one woman’s bum up to get her on the stage. A patient hoist would have been easier. I noticed a colleague of mine – a senior nurse from the local hospital – who waves at me from the stage as she wiggles.
Musically the show was awful.
Out into the night with Mitzi, Sue and Garry and a chat with Jim, who agrees Glenn should give all that rubbish up and bring out a solo jazz guitar album. Jim says he’s only listening to folk now anyway.
End it Glenn. You’re so much better than this.

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Squeeze – 28 November 1998 – live at Riviera Centre, Torquay

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