Chris Difford is an English singer, songwriter, and founding member of the new wave band Squeeze. With bandmate and songwriting partner Glen Tilbrook, the pair were often compared to Lennon and McCartney — Tilbrook wrote the music and Difford the lyrics.
Difford opened his night of songs and anecdotes from the last 50 years with the Squeeze song ‘Slap and Tickle’. He was complemented by Melvin Duffy on electric guitar and, later, mandolin, and he appeared to enjoy every note and joke as much as the audience.
Difford spoke about his upbringing and formative years on a south London housing estate, particularly about the friends he grew up with. ‘What Happened’ contains a verse for every friend — one of whom, Les, becomes a recurring character throughout the evening. He told the story of Squeeze’s first Top of the Pops appearance and a failed dalliance with in-house dancers Legs & Co. before playing another Squeeze song, ‘Take Me I’m Yours’.
He recalled moving into a new flat and living with a woman who worked for Spare Rib magazine and telling a neighbour to stop playing their guitar so loudly — it turned out to be Mark Knopfler, soon to be of Dire Straits. Indeed, Difford’s stories cast him as pop music’s “nearly man,” as he tells of crossing paths with Bowie, Brinsley Schwarz, Queen, and U2 all of whom went on to be huge stars, while Squeeze didn’t quite reach those heights. He played another Squeeze favourite, ‘Up the Junction’, before a solo song, ‘Freddie’, about Squeeze’s trip to America on Freddie Laker’s Skytrain and being offered in-flight hospitality in the form of cheese and Branston Pickle sandwiches. Two more Squeeze songs closed the first half: ‘Black Coffee in Bed’ and ‘Is That Love’.
The second half opened with ‘Pulling Mussels (From a Shell)’, a song inspired by Difford’s next-door neighbours when he was growing up, who had both pebble- dashed walls on their house and their own caravan at the seaside. He told of his family’s annual trip to Ireland to visit his mother’s relatives and sang a song that reflected those times. ‘Cowboys Are My Weakness’ was received warmly by the audience. ‘Labelled With Love’ exposed the lives of those living in quiet desperation and viewing life through the bottom of a glass. ‘Tempted’ was next, and by now the audience were singing along, albeit in a quiet, reserved way.
The anecdotes continued with tales of meeting Benny Hill in a pub. One punchline was spiced up with the names of Legs & Co. and Clive Dunn. A humorous aside comparing the appendages of male singers from Peters & Lee and Dollar was very much in the tradition of this country’s bawdy seaside humour. The final two songs of the night were Squeeze’s ‘Goodbye Girl’ and ‘Cool for Cats’.
Difford’s natural charm enabled him to connect with the audience in an emotional and moving way. He was particularly touched when they sang along to his classic hits. The audience's love for Difford was palpable, and the show felt special, filled with warmth and nostalgia.
Chris Difford’s tour continues, and tickets are available here, https://www.chrisdifford.com/
Reviewer – Adrian Cork
On – 2.11.2025
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