Photo by Amy Linton/Courtesy of www.babylonandon.com
Manitowoc’s Metro Jam is a two-day concert event of local bands, regional acts, and a few touring headliners. While to many in our small city it is mainly beer party, the organizers truly have gotten some great performers onto the Washington Park stage for this free event.
This year was no different featuring Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers on Saturday night. Tilbrook was part of Squeeze, forming a tremendous songwriting partnership with Chris Dilford. Squeeze rose out of the New Wave environs of late 70s Britain, mixing Beatles and Pistols, humor and love, R&B, soul, and jazz, into some of the best melodic pop songs.
Tilbrook, touring to support his most recent solo effort, Transatlantic Ping Pong, opened with the Squeeze hit, “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell).” This could’ve easily been the beginning of a show by a washed-up has-been “playing all the old favorites” to the pleasure of the middle aged, a show without any surprises. It could’ve easily been this, but from the first few notes of “Mussels,” there wasn’t even a hint of such complacency.
Tilbrook launched into an evening of Squeeze hits and his own new songs, but it all sounded fresh and vibrant. Immediately on “Mussels,” I realized just how lasting Squeeze’s songs are, and he and the Fluffers attacked them with new energy. Tilbrook was in great voice with great guitar licks to boot. (Hats off here to the sound crew who kept Tilbrook’s voice up in the mix, not letting such a voice/vocals get swallowed up by the other sounds).
The Manitowoc crowd of drunks has a tendency to distract from the music, as evidenced 2 years ago at Acoustic Fest during an outstanding set from guitarist Pierre Bensusan—beautiful, intricate music interspersed by our own local drunk hecklers. Tilbrook faced an equally divided crowd of music enthusiasts and those just there to drink. However, when Tilbrook grabbed an acoustic guitar, calling on us to join him in an unplugged sing-along, that’s when he took control, separating the sheep from the goats.
Tilbrook stepped off the stage to lead us in “Goodbye Girl,” encouraging those who didn’t remember the song to still join in on the chorus. The Fluffers grabbed hand percussion instruments and a mouth organ, making it a regular Pied Piper thing around the park. “Goodbye Girl” ended at the sound table with a little more encouragement from Tilbrook to join in, giving us instructions for “Black Coffee in Bed” (saying he normally tells the UK crowds not to sing/hum the melody parts). We completed the circle back to the stage in time for the band to go electric again for the second half of “Black Coffee.” Meanwhile, the Pied Piper had gathered the faithful near the stage to enjoy the rest of the evening, leaving the rest of the crowd wondering what was going on.
The version of “Black Coffee” then swept right into Tilbrook’s own “Parallel World,” only to return for a “Black Coffee” reprise. His set was full of great transitions like this. “Black Coffee” ended in a great jam, and from the silence at the end of the song, Tilbrook sang the chorus of “Hourglass” acappella, getting us ready to go again. The Attractions-like “This is Where You Ain’t” went from the drum/keys chaos at the end right into the harder, punkier “Is That Love?” This song came to a Who-like jam falling into a balladic ending which led to the ballad, “Domestic Disturbance.”
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The main set ended with the blazing, synth-dance beat of “Slap & Tickle.” Here the Fluffers really shined; keyboardist Steve Lodge acting like a human loop, keeping that great pulse going. New Wave was still very much alive in Manitowoc on Saturday as Tilbrook used the mic stand as a slide for the guitar and the Fluffers pounded their way to an ecstatic end.
Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers Set List
Saturday, June 19, 2004, Washington Park, Manitowoc
1. “Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)” (Squeeze)
2. “Hot Shaved Asian Teens” (Transatlantic Ping Pong)
3. “This is Where You Ain’t” (The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook)
4. “Is That Love?” (Squeeze)
5. “Domestic Disturbance” (Transatlantic Ping Pong)
6. “Tempted” (Squeeze)
7. “Neptune” (Transatlantic Ping Pong)
8. “Another Nail for My Heart” (Squeeze)
Tilbrook solo electric guitar
9. “Hostage” (Transatlantic Ping Pong)
10. “Annie Get Your Gun” (Squeeze)
Acoustic guitar among crowd with the Fluffers on hand percussion and mouth organ
11. “Goodbye Girl” (Squeeze)
12. “Black Coffee in Bed” (Squeeze)
Return to stage/electric for second half of “Black Coffee”
Transitioned right into. . .
13. “Reinventing the Wheel” (Transatlantic Ping Pong)
14. “Black Coffee” reprise
15. “Hourglass” (Squeeze)
16. “Parallel World” (The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook)
17. “Up the Junction” (Squeeze)
18. “Slap & Tickle” (Squeeze)
Encore
1. “Untouchable” (Transatlantic Ping Pong)
2. “Take Me, I’m Yours” (Squeeze)
Main set: 1 hour, 10 minutes; Encore: 11 minutes
A review of Transatlantic Ping Pong is posted here. Thanks to Glenn Tilbrook,Quixotic Records, Compass Records, Tilbrook’s tour manager, and Corina at the Unofficial Tilbrook site.
More from Music Spectrum at musicspectrum.blogspot.com.
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