Squeeze Flexes Muscles, Gives Solid Concert

Uncertainty continues to dog Squeeze.

The veteran Brit-pop band has gone through numerous label and personnel shake-ups since forming in 1975. It has three new members, and the band boasts multiple album releases in England (its most recent titled “Domino”), but the quintet has yet to secure a U.S. distributor.

More bad news: Only four band members began their new stateside tour. Founding member Chris Difford, Squeeze’s froggy-voiced rhythm guitarist, is reportedly at home recuperating from an undisclosed illness.

At Wednesday’s performance at the Galaxy Concert Theatre in Santa Ana, lead singer-guitarist Glenn Tilbrook told the audience: “You’re probably wondering where that guy is who’s normally right here beside me. Well, Chris has checked himself into a clinic, and when he checks out, we’re hoping he’ll join us.”

Despite it all, Squeeze put on an impressive performance for an enthusiastic packed house. Familiar favorites--”Up the Junction,” “Another Nail in My Heart,” “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” and “Tempted” were delivered with panache.

More important, by sprinkling in an assortment of rarely played selections and worthy new numbers, the band refuses to become a predictable oldies act. The current plugged-in format--featuring ex-Youssou N’Dour bassist Hilaire Penda, ex-Del Amitri drummer Ash Soan and keyboardist Christopher Holland (the younger brother of ex-Squeezeman Jools Holland)--constitutes a more muscular, harder rockin’ outfit.

At times, the foursome sounded downright garage-y, especially when the propulsive rhythms got funky and Tilbrook unleashed torrents of noise on his electric guitar. Fans preferring the pop music side of the band may have been overwhelmed by such aggressive sonic textures.

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For the most part, though, the increased volume meant more intensity. The new “Sleeping With a Friend” and “Little King” were played with a welcome ferocious bite. And Tilbrook bared a part of his soul during “It’s Over,” a bitter kiss-off song from 1993’s “Some Not everything was turbo-charged. In fact, what puts Squeeze in the highly regarded company of the Kinks, Crowded House and Elvis Costello is Difford and Tilbrook’s remarkable song-crafting abilities. Catchy melodies, spot-on harmonies and mature perspectives on romantic entanglements are trademarks of the Squeeze canon.

The band eased back numerous times to allow the audience to absorb its more complex virtues.

Dedicated to Tilbrook’s sons, Ted and Louis, the new “To Be a Dad” offered a heartwarming tale of reconciliation and hope. A dark, disturbing portrait of sex and foul play surfaced in the rarely played “Melody Motel,” and “The Prisoner” was a sobering look at marriage on the rocks.

Still, as satisfying as the concert was, it suffered without Difford. Musically, Tilbrook’s sweet tenor and Difford’s hoarse voice blend exceptionally well during the harmonies. What this particular show needed even more was their playful banter, which has radiated warmth during past concerts.

Without his longtime sidekick, Tilbrook called on the audience to generate some spark. Fans streamed onto the stage to dance and sing to rollicking, set-ending versions of “Footprints,” “Hourglass,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Black Coffee in Bed.”

Remarkably, Squeeze carries on.

* Squeeze plays tonight at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. The Frias Brothers open. 8 p.m. $29.50-$31.50 (949) 496-8930.