Squeeze
with Boy George
The BayCare Sound, Clearwater, Florida • September 20, 2024
by Michelle Wilson
British alternative artists Squeeze and Boy George brought their outstanding retro coheadlining tour to one of Florida’s premier outdoor venues, The BayCare Sound at Coachman Park in Clearwater. Everything about this west coast amphitheater rocks, from the covered seating to the great lawn to the pristine sound, and it is one of my favorite outdoor spots to enjoy a concert. Weather can be tricky here, but on this hot, humid evening, the rain stayed away and the sold-out crowd got a double dose of two eighties darlings.
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Donning a black pants and shirt ensemble accented by white anarchy symbols, a short, black jacket, a hot pink hat with stars, and black high top sneakers sporting one yellow lace and one red lace, a buoyant Boy George bounced on stage singing the iconic title-track lyrics to Prince’s “Purple Rain” (1984) while the band executed the music beautifully. Backup singer Natalie Palmer’s stellar vocal range was the perfect complement to Boy George’s mature, huskier voice. After Boy George’s “Let me see you Clearwater!,” badass lefty guitarist Hattie Moran slayed the searing Prince licks, and then the eight-piece ensemble segued into a rousing cover of “Get It On” from T. Rex (Electric Warrior, 1971, written by Marc Bolan). The touring band also includes bassist Kevan Frost, drummer Jermaine Whyte, keyboardist Carmelo Caruso, saxophonist James Gardiner-Bateman, and additional backup vocalist Vangelis Polydorou. The sax truly accented the music throughout the set.
“Karma Chameleon” (Colour By Numbers, 1983, Culture Club) kept the dance vibe going followed by a new release, “Faster.” “It’s stating the obvious to say it’s hot in Florida, and as you can see I’m dressed appropriately. But I always think, like, don’t let the weather dictate an outfit, because you turned up so I might as well look nice.” Boy George joked that Natalie was his “wife” and explained that “Faster” was about getting to a happy place “faster” during a relationship fight. Culture Club classics “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me” (Kissing To Be Clever, 1982) and “Church Of The Poison Mind” (Colour By Numbers, 1983) were next, with the Wham! single, “I’m Your Man” (1985) sandwiched into the middle of “Church…” in a bittersweet homage to the late George Michael. Palmer’s off the chain ending note of “Church…” definitely would garner high praise from Helen Terry, who originally sang it on the record.
Prior to performing the title cut off 1995’s solo effort, Cheapness and Beauty, Boy George discussed a recent article about him. “We’re in a very good mood this evening because we got a really good review in Forbes. FORBES! I posted this on Facebook. I wrote: I didn’t write this, but I would have. [Insert Boy George high-pitched laugh, one of many during the evening.] You know, it’s kind of nice. You spend years doing what we do. Always being told what I feel on stage, what I was trying to say, what my message was, all this crap. I read it and I’m like, what are you going on about? But when people say nice things, it’s always good. It’s much easier to agree with that.”
After singing the 2019 unreleased track, “Grossly Overrated” (cowritten with Luke Begley and We Are Brando), Boy George concluded with “Sorry, not sorry!” and then relayed the backstory of the 1992 release of “The Crying Game,” a Geoff Stephens-penned haunting piece that was used in the movie of the same name. Boy George explained that he got a call from Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys, who thought it was a perfect song for the one-time Culture Club frontman. Pet Shop Boys went on to produce the record with Tennant on backing vocals, and it was a chart success.
While Boy George momentarily headed off stage for a wardrobe change, the spotlight shifted to The Voice UK 2016 finalist and backup singer, Vangelis Polydorou. The piano-driven, stunning ballad, “Kylie T-Shirt,” released in 2022, showcased the stirring vocals of the Boy George protege. Reemerging on stage in a fascinating yellow jacket with black, graffiti-type verbiage on front, back, and down the sleeves with such words as “freek,” “punk,” “cool,” “joy,” “weirdo,” “Super Model,” and “Panic in Hoxton Baby” across the back, the colorful singer told the audience that he and Polydorou had cowritten “Kylie T-Shirt” (along with Jessica Sawers-Warren) and that the music could be found on forums such as iTunes and Spotify, “all those places where they still hear music. This is on there too.”
Lightening the mood after the prior two heavy tracks, many people were up, dancing and singing to a Latin-infused, harmony-laden version of Culture Club’s “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” (Kissing To Be Clever, 1982). “Obviously I don’t want to encourage bad behavior, but we are here to have a good time. Dancing is good for the soul!” Boy George followed this statement with another Culture Club song backstory, this time about “It’s A Miracle” (Colour By Numbers, 1983). He explained that the first time Culture Club was in Los Angeles, the limo that they were riding in stopped at a red light on Sunset Boulevard, and the actor, the late Telly Savalas of “Kojak” fame, was in the next car. Boy George went back to the hotel room and wrote the song.
“Mrs. Blame,” a deeper cut that Boy George wrote and recorded in 2018 after the death of longtime friend and designer Judy Blame (Chris Barnes), was an upbeat, seat-bouncing, dance-inducing song that Boy George has called “very Irish.” Blame and his groundbreaking talent helped many artists reinvent themselves, Boy George included.
Before belting out Bronski Beat’s “Small Town Boy” ( The Age of Consent, 1984, written by Jimmy Sommerville) with Polydorou slaying the Sommerville high notes in the background, Boy George mentioned, “It’s always good to be in Florida, getting you warmed up for Squeeze coming on soon! Are you in the mood for some London soul? Well, this year was the 40th anniversary of this particular song. Nothing to do with me although everything to do with me in a way.” [Insert Boy George high-pitched laugh, again.] Everyone was on their feet dancing, clapping, waving and having one hell of a good romp down New Wave Lane.
Skipping the traditional quick exit and reentrance before the encore, the collective segued straight into a reggae-flavored cover of Bread’s “Everything I Own” (Baby I’m-a Want You, 1972, written by David Gates), a gem that Boy George covered on 1987’s Sold. It was his only Number One solo hit in the UK. The 70-minute set was over all too quickly at 8:55, and the crowd cheered and clapped for an amazing performance.
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After a 30-minute intermission, it was time for Squeeze.
At 9:25 with the lights dimmed and SQUEEZE projecting across the screen in multicolored radiance, the driving beat of 1978’s “Take Me I’m Yours” from the first eponymously named album boomed through the air. The impeccably dressed band took the stage, and frontman Glenn Tilbrook asked a quick “Hey, how are ya?” followed by a small jump toward the drummer, something he would do throughout the evening to kick off each song. The eight-piece crisp ensemble then ripped into the fan favorite with its quirky lyrics and classic Squeeze harmonies, transporting the crowd back to the New Wave heyday. In addition to Tilbrook, the current members of Squeeze, who all sing, include Chris Difford (guitar), Melvin Duffy (pedal/lap steel, mandolin, guitar), Steven Large (keyboard, accordion), Simon Hanson (a beast on drums), Steve Smith (percussion), Owen Biddle (bass), and newest member Danica Dora (keyboard, tambourine). Not only is this a tight band, but it is blatantly obvious that these cool cats are still having an absolute ball. There was minimal chatter and maximum music, with most people on their feet for a good portion of the show. Material spanned several Squeeze albums plus “new old” material written pre-Squeeze in 1974 but never released, as well as one new track. Two new Squeeze records are on the horizon, one featuring songs from this never-released treasure trove (produced by band bassist, Riddle), and the other showcasing new material.
Squeeze staples “Hourglass” (Babylon and On, 1987) and “Up The Junction” (Cool For Cats, 1979) were next, followed by the one new song, “One Beautiful Summer.” The bass-driven, percussive rocker is a song about hope and the possibility of love, as Tilbrook explained. I loved it instantly, and it seamlessly wedged right into the set. Chris Difford’s rich, deep vocals took center stage on “Someone Else’s Heart” (East Side Story, 1981). “We’re gonna do a trio from Argybargy now,” announced Tilbrook, and the crowd was thrilled to hear “If I Didn’t Love You,” “Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)” and “Another Nail In My Heart” from the 1980 release.
The “new old” cuts came next, including “You Get The Feeling” and “Trixie’s Hell On Earth,” the latter especially Squeeze-esque with a funky, lively beat. Somewhere in the middle of the show, Tilbrook relayed a funny story about an RCA producer wanting them to record a song like Bay City Rollers, which elicited hearty laughter from the crowd.
Three more selections from Cool For Cats were another highlight, including “Goodbye Girl,” as Large walked across the stage playing the accordion, “Slap and Tickle,” and the title track. Two more from East Side Story were sandwiched in, including “Is That Love” and a crowd singalong during “Tempted.” Before “Slap and Tickle,” Tilbrook announced “I’ve had a word with security and you can feel free to get up and dance,” which brought on claps, cheers and a quick rush of the stage by eager fans.
Closing it out with “Black Coffee in Bed” (Sweets From A Stranger, 1982) complete with a back and forth with the crowd on the lyrics, Tilbrook followed with band intros and solos, and then the band took a bow. Difford and Tilbrook both still sound amazing, and Tilbrook is truly an underrated guitarist. Both men thanked everyone several times, calling the crowd lovely and beautiful. With heartfelt emotion, Difford went on to say “Thank you for coming out to see us. It means the world to us,” and at 10:35 the 70-minute set was all over, definitely leaving fans wanting more. But as they filed out onto the great lawn and headed toward their cars, the overall vibe was one of complete joy.
The uptick in New Wave coheadlining tours has been exciting for me, a total child of the Eighties Alternative era. I somehow missed Squeeze and Culture Club/Boy George back in the day, so I’m thrilled to check them off my Bucket List now. Boy George will be touring in Europe this winter followed by dates in New Zealand and Australia, while Squeeze is about to embark on their 50th Anniversary Tour in the UK, most of which is sold out. I highly recommend grabbing tickets as soon as possible, because you do not want to miss either of these acts. ◼
