As the crowd gather for the last show of the Magners Summer Nights at the Bandstand series, the skies over Kelvingrove start to clear, this is going to be a special.
Squeeze take to the stage amid a cheering crowd and we begin with Glenn Tilbrook on keyboard and ‘Slap And Tickle’, the crowd are in their element and ‘Black Coffee in Bed’ sees the sing-alongs start.
Tilbrook introduces the new songs ‘Tommy’, the reggae inspired ‘Top Of The Form’ and ‘No Place Like Home’ before we get back to the songs folk are shouting for; ‘During Still’ is heard cheering from the back of the amphitheater as a Mexican wave started.
The acoustic section of hits begins with ‘Labelled With Love’, as ‘Another Nail In My Heart’ starts so does the rain, this doesn’t do anything to dampen the spirits, the staff start to hand out the Magners ponchos, sections of the arena are white apart from one or two ponchos held back from T in the Park.
‘Slaughtered, Gutted And Heartbroken’ sees Chris Difford take lead on vocals for the first time tonight before ‘Take Me I’m Yours’ and then we get Difford on lead vocals again for ‘Cowboys’.
‘Cradle To The Grave’ has Tilbrook on the ukulele, before ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ is followed by ‘Tempted’, which has the French girls next to me dancing away.
Tillbrook tells us that his credibility has been shot down due to, the next song, ‘Up The Junction’ being played on an episode of hit American show Breaking Bad, this sees the old men dancing begin, the band then break into a rocking version of ‘Pulling Mussels From A Shell’ to end the main part of the show.
It’s refreshing to hear the crowd shout “we want Squeeze” instead of the Glasgow awful “here we fucking go” nonsense before the band come on for a two song encore of ‘Goodbye Girl’ and fan favourite ‘Cool For Cats’, sung by so many uncool men wearing ponchos
The organisers certainly kept the best for last with Squeeze ending an excellent series of sell out gigs in the refurbished bandstand, here’s hoping this will see the start of summer gigs and show off new Scottish talent, until next year.
Words/Photos: Bill Gray
