Review: Squeeze man shines at Warehouse gig in Harrogate

Take Me I'm Yours, Up The Junction, Tempted, Pulling Muscles From A Shell, Goodbye Girl, Cool For Cats...
Chris Difford at Warehouse Recording Co in Harrogate. (Picture by Stuart Rhodes)Chris Difford at Warehouse Recording Co in Harrogate. (Picture by Stuart Rhodes)
Chris Difford at Warehouse Recording Co in Harrogate. (Picture by Stuart Rhodes)

When you actually hear truly great songs played live, even if by only one half of the classic songwriting team responsible for them, that's when you realise exactly how good they are and Squeeze's songs performed by Chris Difford and a small band are revealed to be very good, indeed, at this exclusive gig inside the new live room at Warehouse Recording Co in Harrogate.Yes, that's right, Harrogate. Right now in Harrogate, legendary music broadcaster Bob Harris, who has an interest in Warehouse, is introducing Difford to a hot, packed, excited room with a capacity of 100 to 150.Difford is superb and not only boasts some impressive solo material such as Cowboys Are My Weakness, a superb song off his 2003 album I Didn't Get Where I Am which he claims to have written with KD Lang in mind, but also a droll sense of humour when it comes to anecdotes about Squeeze and Jools's early years of fame on Top of the Pops.In truth, this would be an outstanding gig even without Difford's presence or without the great food by Harrogate chef Andy Annat or even without the brand new bar in this high-quality studio complex where Harris records many of his Under the Apple Tree sessions for his own YouTube music channel.The bar itself is worth a mention (honest) - Whispering Bob's Bar Americana it's called serving local microbrewery Bad Co's Comfortably Numb craft beer - though the renowned BBC Radio 2 presenter forgoes pulling any pints himself.It's bettered by the rest of the night's bill in what is becoming a monthly gig worthy of Manchester or London, never mind little old Harrogate.Who can withstand the modern Roy Orbison-like spell cast by the talented and tall Rob Vincent?What about current UK Americana Awards favourites Lewis & Leigh, a haunting girl-boy duo in the mould of Hank Williams if the country legend had been influenced by Beck's brand of spacey country music?Last but not least, the hot country-pop band Dexeter making a return visit to Warehouse after a memorable visit last year when they proved as irresistible as peak-era Scissor Sisters - if the Scissor Sisters weren't so damn annoying.

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