Glenn Tilbrook always puts on a great show whether he’s solo or with Squeeze. For this outing at City Winery there was no opening act but Tilbrook did give up part of his show to his son, Leon. rtb and I were supposed to be joined by mollyT and Mrs. Devereaux but neither one could make it. We asked and Binny was able to take one of the tickets. We haven’t seen her in a long while and it was great catching up. At our table were two guys from New Jersey who also enjoy going to concerts so we talked with them also.

Tilbrook started out solo with an acoustic guitar and didn’t like the way it sounded so he switched to an electric. First song out was “Nirvana” from Squeeze’s Cradle to the Grave. There was a very nice guitar solo during “Is That Love?” Tilbrook then brought his Leon on stage for Peter Green’s “Oh Well.” Leon played a solo set and you can hear that he’s going to be as good a guitarist as his father. He doesn’t have his father’s stage presence yet, but that may come with practice. Tilbrook’s older two sons have their own band and now his two younger sons are also following in his footsteps.

Tilbrook came back out and they both performed “Persephone.” Then Leon left the stage and his father played another solo set with more incredible guitar solos that always leave me gasping for air. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tilbrook happier than when he and Leon are soloing off each other.

At the end of his set came several Squeeze songs – Tilbrook laughed and got thrown off when the audience clapped after his solo and the claps during the chorus (in place of the cymbals) in “Another Nail in My Heart.” For “Tempted” he did Chris Difford’s part in a deep voice. Tilbrook is always funny and engaging.

The first song for the encore was another solo song by Leon. This time I could hear Tilbrook in his son’s voice as well as in his guitar playing. Then Tilbrook came out and together with Leon and his younger brother Wesley on keyboards for “Take Me I’m Yours.” They ended with “Goodbye Girl” with the audience supplying the “goodbye girl.”

Set List (I wrote down lyrics for songs that I wasn’t familiar with but I can’t find the titles online)

Nirvana
Patchouli
Is That Love?
Oh Well
[four songs by Leon Tilbrook]
Persephone
Ter-wit Ter-woo
The Truth
Messed Around
Someone Else’s Bell
Woman’s World
I’ve Returned
[new song “innocence of childhood/the comfort of a good friend”]
Up the Junction
[?? “I knew you were right/I was wrong/what’s her game?”]
If I Didn’t Love You
Another Nail in My Heart
Points of View
Tempted
Annie Get Your Gun
Black Coffee in Bed

Encore

Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee [(cover) Leon Tilbrook]
Take Me I’m Yours
[?? “slept outside to vaporize/cast on mottled skin”]
Goodbye Girl

By Carene Lydia Lopez