Bad to the Bone

Sunday 9th November - Billy Idol

With my heart somewhere in lost property at the union chapel - I wasn't sure that I was ready to get dance happy again just 24 hours later, but when the archetypal 80s bad boy comes to town, well it would be rude not to.  So, Sunday night saw me heading to the Hammersmith Odeon (it will always be The Odeon to me) to see THE beautiful punk who cracked MTV Billy Idol.

There was a very shouty support band which may have been called YEAH YEAH FUCK YEAH INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOUD SOUND with a guitarist who may or may not have been blind.  

Billy kept this audience of 40 and 50 somethings waiting; crushed up against complete strangers, shoes sticking to the beer sodden floor and backs aching from the effort of standing upright on the seriously raked floor for bloody ages.  But to a heart thudding base from amidst an array of strobe lighting the somewhat vampiric and ridiculously sexy Billy Idol stepped forth and we were willing to forgive him anything.

This blond bombshell has sold his soul to the devil (possibly Steve Stevens) as age doesn't seems to have touched him - he's in great shape and he leapt around the stage with the energy of a man 20 years younger.  There were sneers and snarls and occasional devastating smiles, dressed in leader and studs, except when he wasn't :)  

  

Steve Stevens is Idol's right hand man, a sneering, snarling, chain smoking, devil of a guitarist who is an incredibly talented ego maniac.  His solo spot was, in Janie's words, "one huge wank"but hey, don't knock it, I needed a loo break.

The setlist was strong with enough to keep ageing punks and fair-weather fanciers happy.  It was glam punk theatre at it's finest.  Billy - you're a hero!

1. Postcards from the Past 
2. Cradle of Love 
3. Can't Break Me Down 
4. Dancing With Myself 
   (Generation X song)
5. Flesh for Fantasy 
6. Save Me Now 
7. Whiskey & Pills 
8. Sweet Sixteen 
9. Kings and Queens of the Underground 
10. Eyes Without a Face 
11. L.A. Woman 
    (The Doors cover)
12. Steve Stevens - Guitar Solo 
13. King Rocker 
    (Generation X song)
14. Ready Steady Go 
    (Generation X song)
15. Blue Highway 
16. Rebel Yell 
17. White Wedding 
18. Mony Mony 
    (Tommy James & the Shondells cover)
    
    

Is that love?

Well. I can't think of a better word for the emotion that I felt sitting in the union chapel last night (8th November) listening to the inimitable Chris Difford and Glen Tilbrook sing the soundtrack to my life.  (I am hoping of course that my life doesn't end a la labelled with love)

I've seen Chris Difford perform before, at an intimate event called dinner with Difford, and I fell for the humble charm and deep voice of the man who penned 'Up at the junction' aged just 16 years old.  Then he had spoken candidly about the band which he had clearly loved and loathed in equal measure during its turbulent years but last night was a much more guarded set. This tour has been dubbed 'The At Odds Couple' and this isn't entirely tongue in cheek.  

I loved the start - the visual nod to the 50p stolen from mum Difford's purse to place the ad in the newsagent for a guitarist for his, as yet, non-existent, band and the one and only response from a young Glen.  Or maybe it just allowed the diehard squeeze fans to feel a little smug at getting the references.

Despite starting in bed together with a nod to Morcombe and Wise there was a definite lack of warmth between Difford and Tilbrook.  There were several instances in each half when one of them would leave the stage allowing the other to perform alone "Black Coffee in Bed" for Tillbrook  "Fat as a fiddle" for Difford and Tilbrook's instance on Christopher Difford galled a little, but when they perform together - that's when the magic happens.  That's when you realise what a dynamite couple they are. 

This dance happy girl is decidedly Team Difford.

The voices are still amazingly strong - black coffee in bed brought down a little for Tillbrook but undeniable squeeze.  I was a little confused by Tempted which sounded different from my memories of it until I realised that Paul Carrack took lead vocals on the original - hold that thought for a pub quiz.  

No mention was made of Carrack or Holland, in fact Squeeze itself appeared to be the elephant in the room.  This was Difford and Tilbrook, Tilbrook and Difford "Don't mention the band"

There was a fleeting moment of togetherness when making it through 'Slap & Tickle' they shared a brief celebratory hug which left us wondering why it had all gone so horribly wrong (the relationships as opposed to the song)


It was a dynamite set only lacking one real gem with my favourite Squeeze line of all time "I wanna be good - is that not enough?"

• 1. Take Me I'm Yours 
  2. Black Coffee In Bed 
  3. Slaughtered, Gutted and Heartbroken 
  4. Halfway (1974 Squeeze song) 
  5. Electric Trains 
  6. Is That Love 
  7. Beautiful Game (new Difford & Tilbrook song) 
  8. Pulling Mussels From A Shell 
  9. Wrecked (Chris Difford solo) 
  10. Fat As A Fiddle (Chris Difford Solo) 
  11. Cowboys Are My Weakness (Chris Difford solo then re-joined by Glenn Tilbrook) 
  12. Up The Junction 
  13. Encore:
  13. Some Fantastic Place 
  14. Cold Shoulder 
  15. Ray (Glenn Tilbrook solo) 
  16. Ice Cream (Glenn Tilbrook solo) 
  17. Persephone (Glenn Tilbrook solo) 
  18. Points of View 
  19. Slap & Tickle 
  20. Everything In The World 
  21. Annie Get Your Gun 
  22. Tempted 
  23. Cool For Cats 
  24. Encore 2:
  24. Cradle to the Grave (new Difford & Tilbrook song) 
  25. Labelled With Love 
  26. Goodbye Girl 

I

I just loved the whole night!  Having forced 

Janie to 'yeti up' and queue in the pouring rain to be in with a hope of seeing the whites of their eyes we did indeed grab a pew within 'eye-meeting' distance and I fear I may have left my heart in the Union Chapel on Saturday night.  Wonder if it's in lost property?