The Psychedelic Furs and Squeeze

British post-punk band The Psychedelic Furs along with Squeeze, celebrating their upcoming 50-year anniversary, will bring their Fall 2023 tour to Vina Robles Amphitheatre Thursday, October 12, at 7PM. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster, Friday, May 19, at 10AM.

The Psychedelic Furs may not have invented rock & roll per se, but their influence since arriving on the post-punk scorched-earth landscape more than four decades ago has reverberated and resonated among all those who cherish the sweet-and-sour spot where rawness and romanticism meet. Born out of the UK rock scene and led by vocalist and songwriter Richard Butler, and his bass-wielding brother Tim, the Furs quickly developed as one of the premiere bands at college and alternative radio scoring a multitude of major hits with "Love My Way," "Pretty In Pink," "Heaven," "The Ghost In You," and “Heartbreak Beat” in all releasing eight studio albums, spawning several compilations, a boxed set, a live concert DVD and inspiring one of the most iconic motion picture soundtracks of all time. Their latest release “Made Of Rain” became the Furs’ second highest charting UK Album ever and was prominently featured in the end of year “Best Albums” roundup in a multitude of publications worldwide. The Furs especially thrive live in concert having headlined the U.K.’s famed Glastonbury Festival, performing at sold-out gigs at the California’s Hollywood Bowl and continuing to tour quite regularly around the globe.

In 1978, Squeeze blasted to the forefront of the U.K. music scene during the height of the punk revolution. A three-song EP landed them a deal with A&M Records leading to the release of their debut self-titled album. With songwriting hooks and melodies that harkened back to the 60’s British Invasion, the groundbreaking L.P. featured “Take Me I’m Yours,” followed by a cadre of U.K. hits, including “Cool for Cats,” “Up the Junction,” “Pulling Mussels From A Shell,” “Black Coffee in Bed,” and “Labeled With Love.” The band made an indelible mark on the U.S. in 1981 with the release of their classic hits, “Tempted,” “Hourglass,” and “853-5937” (from East Side Story.) Squeeze disbanded in 1999, then reunited in 2007, releasing three new albums; Spot the Difference (2010), Cradle to the Grave (2015), and The Knowledge (2017.) in 2022, The Food for Thought EP was released featuring one new song, two reimagined songs, and three exclusive live tracks. Profits from the digital EP will go to benefit independent UK Food Banks. Additionally, both Difford and Tilbrook have released various solo projects.

In addition to Chris and Glenn, Squeeze currently features keyboardist Stephen Large and drummer Simon Hanson (since 2007), percussionist/backing vocalist Steve Smith (Dirty Vegas) along with pedal/lap steel guitarist Melvin Duffy (Since 2019) and Owen Biddle, former bassist for The Roots, (who joined in 2020.)