Setlist
n/a
Support
Shea Segar
Review
by Allen James
My review of the exeter gig is maybe a bit of a weird one, because of the events that took place that day. It all started when my friend pulled out of coming due to work,and the fact that I had noone to replace him with.
I finally did persuade a friend to come along and we left Cornwall early so I could hopefully get to meet the band as they arrived from Bristol.
About 2:45pm we arrived in exeter and headed for the venue straight away. Once we got there, I tracked down one of the concert organisers who said the band were due any minute. Sure enough they arrived and we got to meet all the band except Tim, who was asleep on the coach.
I had photos taken with all the lads and they were all very obliging if not knackered from the previous nights celebrations!! I left Tim to sleep on the coach and returned an hour later to find him walking about the venue. After a good chat with him discussing my future appearance on Stars In Their Eyes, I shook his hand and made my way to the ever growing queue outside.
Once inside we watched Shea Segar perform their set, which personally I thought went well for them with one or two songs very catchy.
The atmosphere was building and by 9:15pm everyone was ready to party. Down went the lights and the butterflies inside went berserk. On came James to a great reception and they came in with three new songs. Then the most exciting thing in my life happened as Tim spotted me in the crowd and said “hello” in his yipnotic voice. He then carried on with, “actually there’s a guy at the front here who sounds like me”, the crowd roared and the next thing I knew I was onstage with Tim shouting, “Let’s do Destiny Calling”,
Side by side we sang, and that just made the day for me afterwards we were invited backstage where we mingled with the band and discussed the day and the forthcoming gigs.
I cannot actually let the memory fade as I have not yet let it sink in!!, but I know that all the songs they played such as Coffee and Toast, Senorita, Junkie and all the other new ones sound great and leave you aching for the months to pass before you can annoy the neighbours with another James album. But what I will say is that I won’t let Tim down on Stars in Their Eyes, and I hope he watches and asks me to be his backing singer to do great harmonies together….
The day ended with me crashing my car at 2 oclock in the morning on my way home, after the car in front lost his roofrack. If I had died then I would have died a happy man!!!!!!!
by David Chapple
Security could not have been more laid back at Exeter and were surprisingly pleasant. It was pity then that I did not have a video camera, as it would have been easy to have taken one in. In addition, using my girlfriend’s charm we were able to sit down up stairs with the prefect view (thanks to the security).
I should say that I am very critical and not easily pleased – and that anyone who knew me may say that, I speak the truth, even when I should not. I am also not a keen fan of live music, and never go to gigs, but as my favourite band were playing less than a mile from my home, I made an exception and I was not disappointed.
Shea Segar, the opening act, was a little disappointing, I am sure somewhere in there is a good voice, with good songs but we couldn’t hear a thing, as her sound system was very poor. Why drown out her voice with so much bass? Later on, she sat near me whilst James were playing and seemed to be enjoying herself dancing away.
On to James, do not ask me what they played as I have forgotten, well sort of. I think that other correspondents have covered their set. Their new stuff was to me just as good as their old stuff. James certainly knows how to play live and give it all. Tim’s trance like dancing has to be seen to be believed. All my favourite tracks were covered. Sometimes, Johnny Yen and Laid were just brilliant and if they had just played one track I would have thought the whole event awesome.
A few people on the way out were heard to say they wanted to hear ‘Sit Down’. However, to me although it is the song they are known best for, there was no disappointment in the tracks they played.
I only have one criticism and that is, does it have to be so loud that it hurts, or am I missing the point?
And I am depressed, how can you follow an experience like going to see James Live, the studio CDs seem very flat or I have gone very deaf.