Over the course of 50 years, Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford have written a string of beloved, infectious pop hits influenced by the Beatles and the Kinks, from wry, observational kitchen sink dramas and bittersweet love songs. But before they were Cool For Cats, a then teenage Difford and Tilbrook delved into the world of rock operas. For such natural storytellers, the opportunity to spin a narrative across 40 minutes or more, rather than the three-minute pop format, was irresistible.
The result was ‘Trixies’, a concept album based around a fictional nightclub, inspired by Damon Runyon’s books celebrating the colourful world of Broadway that grew out of the Prohibition era. But while the early Squeeze cut a bunch of demos, they lacked the virtuosity to perform such an ambitious set of songs.
The music world shifted to punk and new wave. The songs gathered dust in the proverbial attic. Until now. With a road-hardened, eight-person line-up, the current iteration of Squeeze have brought ‘Trixies’ to life. It might be the best album of their careers.
It’s a cinematic, immersive dive into the glamour, sleaze and danger of the nightlife and dark underworld of the big city – be it Runyon’s New York or the backstreets of Soho. It’s a place where “models and comedians, actors and chameleons” congregate with “all sorts of people who carry something lethal”.
It’s an extraordinary achievement for two young songwriters but it’s impossible to overstate the role played by bassist Owen Biddle as producer. His sequencing maintains a constant momentum, the songs segueing seamlessly while embracing their big choruses. Difford’s vivid character sketches and darkly humorous lyrics are paired with Tilbrook’s dazzling command of the early 1970s musical spectrum and his remarkable guitar playing.
The Place We Call Mars channels ‘Hunky Dory’-era Bowie with stately Rick Wakeman-esque piano and Tilbrook shredding like Mick Ronson. They bring a sense of theatre and carnival in the style of Sparks on Hell on Earth and the tango-driven Why Don’t You, while the strut of The Jaguars evokes Marc Bolan.
Other songs channel solo Lennon and McCartney, Roxy Music, The Velvet Underground, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and more, while the influence of The Who’s acclaimed rock operas ‘Tommy’ and ‘Quadrophenia’ is writ large. Biddle painstakingly sourced instruments such as Mellotrons and Moog synthesisers they might have used had they recorded it in 1974.
But this isn’t an exercise in mimicry. Difford and Tilbrook create something truly original while staying true to the songs’ original influences. It’s unmistakably Squeeze. At the heart of ‘Trixies’ is Tilbrook’s angelic voice, barely aged, and Difford singing an octave below, sharing engaging stories set to infectious melodies. “Trixies is a gas,” they sing in the big finale. It sure is.
Squeeze Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu November 12 2026 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Fri November 13 2026 - BLACKPOOL Opera House
Sat November 14 2026 - NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
Mon November 16 2026 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 City Hall
Tue November 17 2026 - STOCKTON Globe
Thu November 19 2026 - HULL Connexin Live
Fri November 20 2026 - LEEDS First Direct Bank Arena
Sat November 21 2026 - LIVERPOOL M&S Bank Arena Liverpool
Mon November 23 2026 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Thu November 26 2026 - LONDON O2 Arena
Fri November 27 2026 - CARDIFF Utilita Arena Cardiff
Sat November 28 2026 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena Birmingham
Mon November 30 2026 - SWANSEA Building Society Arena
Tue December 01 2026 - PLYMOUTH Arena
Thu December 03 2026 - PORTSMOUTH Guildhall
Fri December 04 2026 - BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Sat December 05 2026 - BRIGHTON Centre
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