Squeeze Live At The Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, 7/28/10

Summertime concert-going can be an exercise in “pick your nostalgia.” Do you want to see Heart or Pavement? The Scorpions or Cheap Trick? Last night, I chose the early ‘80s New Wave-y variety of nostalgia, going to see a double bill of the English Beat and Squeeze at Los Angeles’ Gibson Amphitheatre.

Opening the show was the English Beat, which is now original frontman Dave Wakeling and a younger supporting cast. While professing to having some “weak knees” about playing in front of his adopted hometown audience, Wakeling enthusiastically ran through a set featuring key Beat tunes: “I Confess,” “Save It For Later, “Can’t Get Use To Losing You,” and their version of “Tears of a Clown.” His supporting cast was game, with toaster Antonee particularly enlivening the festivities with some nimble wordplay. Wakeling’s voice came off a little thin and got swallowed up a bit by the Gibson’s acoustics; however, the appreciative audience didn’t seem to mind. The band wrapped up their nearly hour-long performance with an especially energetic performance of “Mirror In The Bathroom,” which stood out as a set highlight.

Squeeze got the crowd on its feet from the opening notes of their lead-off tune, “Take Me I’m Yours.” It was a rousing rendition that set the tone for the rest of the evening. Lead singer Glenn Tilbrook showed that his voice is still as strong as ever, and he also flashed some aggressive guitar playing, which signaled that this just wasn’t a night for rote renditions by a band reuniting for a cash-grab. Tilbrook’s guitar work is something that often gets overlooked in the praise for his songwriter skills with longtime musical partner Chris Difford.

The band didn’t overlook their popular numbers; they filled the night with many fan favorites, like “Goodbye Girl,” “Black Coffee in Bed,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Tempted,” “Slap & Tickle” and the Difford showpiece “Cool For Cats.” They also displayed a genuinely fun vibe to their performance. In “Black Coffee,” for instance, Tilbrook sparred instrumentally with keyboardist Stephen Large. In fact, one of the show’s surprises was the strength of the band beyond Tilbrook and Difford. Large was a not only talented on the keys (his karate chops keyboard moves on “Slap & Tickle” were quite impressive) but also revealed an endearingly humorous presence. Both he and drummer Simon Hanson play in Tilbrook’s “other” band, the Fluffers, so it’s easy to see how they slip in naturally as Squeeze men. Similarly, the bassist John Bentley is a familiar face having played in the band back in the ‘80s.

The thoroughly entertaining concert also served as a reminder of the massively impressive song library that Difford and Tilbrook built over the years. Not only have they composed hooky, literate tunes like “Tempted” or “Is That Love” but they really crafted some truly unique numbers. It’s hard to think of rock songs that are crafted as inventively as “Up The Junction” “Pulling Mussels From A Shell” or “Cool For Cats” that are also catchy and memorable.

Although Difford and Tilbrook have had some rough patches in their professional relationship over the years, they now seem to be enjoying playing together. Tilbrook, in fact, told the crowd that they “love each other again,” while Difford said that standing next to Tilbrook on stage was one reason that his job was one of the best in the world. The band is releasing soon a disc entitled Spot The Difference, on which they re-recorded their classic tunes. While this could seem like another way to repackage their greatest hits and regain some publishing rights, the skill and enthusiasm that the band brought to this concert suggests that the album should also be just as joyous a journey down memory lane as the show was.

Go See Hear in L.A.: July 25-Aug. 1

This week I want to start at the end as the “Show of the Week” takes place on Saturday. The big Roots Roadhouse (www.myspace.com/thegrandoleecho) takes over the Echo and the Echoplex. The headliners are California honky tonk icon Red Simpson, legendary bluesman Model-T Ford, and the “King of California” Dave Alvin. If this trio isn’t enticing enough, the lineup also boasts terrific local acts as the Chapin Sisters, Leslie and the Badgers, Old Californio, I See Hawks In LA and Pete Anderson, as well as visiting dignitaries like Chatham County Line and Frontier Ruckus. It shapes up to be a fantastic day of American roots music.

There will also be another visiting dignitary performing on Saturday night who deserves "Show of the Week" considerations. The one and only Kinky Friedman (www.myspace.com/kinky_friedman) will be making his first LA appearance in nearly 20 years with a show at McCabe's. The Kinkster certainly has been busy over the years, becoming a celebrated mystery author and running for Governor in Texas. But he first got notoriety as a singer/songwriter and, with the help of two members of his old Texas Jewboy band, he’ll playing tunes that made him infamous (like “Sold American” and “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore.”).

For those in a different mood, freak folk goddess Joanna Newsom (www.myspace.com/joannanewsomfansite) also plays in town July 31 at the Orpheum Theatre.

Now, going back to earlier in the week. The Troubadour presents a terrific bill on the 27th featuring J. Tillman (www.myspace.com/jtillman) and Phosphorescent (www.myspace.com/phosphorescent). Tillman, who playing in the Fleet Foxes, crafts lovely spare music on his own while Alabama-born, Brooklyn-based Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) really impressed him with the songs that I’ve heard off on his critically acclaimed new disc Here’s To Taking It Easy.

Another expert crafter of quiet tunes, Peter Bradley Adams (www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams) returns to LA for a show at the Hotel Café on 7/28. Adams, who now lives in the Nashville area, has a way with gently alluring, intimately heartfelt tunes. If you want to get Peter's music, you can go here Also playing that night will be the Guggenheim Grotto (www.myspace.com/guggenheimgrotto), continuing their July Wednesday Hotel Café residency.

On the 28th, the Gibson Amphitheatre hosts two key members of the ‘80s UK New Wave scene: Squeeze (www.myspace.com/squeezeofficial) and English Beat (www.myspace.com/officialbeatspace). The English Beat’s debut is one of the liveliest, more dance-happy albums of its era (or maybe any era), while Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford have a true gift for writing literate and hooky tunes. They have made a “new” disc Spot The Difference, where they re-do some of their greatest hits.

Paul Thorn (www.myspace.com/paulthorn) is a wonderful Southern storyteller with a uniquely colorful past (he has been a prizefighter and a skydiver). Touring behind his powerful Pimps & Preachers album, Thorn appears at the Mint on July 28 and the Brixton in Redondo Beach on the 29th.

Here We Go Magic’s “Collector” (www.myspace.com/herewegomagic) is one of my favorite tunes of the year. Its infectious melody and pulsating rhythms recalls the ‘80s dance-pop without sounding like they just want to be the next hip thing from Brooklyn. They bring their eclectic beats to the Troubadour on 7/29.

The Pousette-Dart Band was an act from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that I associate with folk-pop-country acts like Pure Prairie League, Firefall and, particularly, Jonathan Edwards. The PDB tune that I remember best is the dandy, humor-filled number, “Amnesia,” which still holds up very well. I don’t know what Jon Pousette-Dart (www.myspace.com/pousettedart) has been doing over the years, but he will be playing Genghis Cohen on July 30.