Tag Archives: song-alaskan-pipeline
Leicester De Montfort Hall – 4th July 2023
Setlist
Magic Bus / We're Going To Miss You / The Shining / The Lake / Dust Motes / Beautiful Beaches / Space / Moving On / Ten Below / Nothing But Love / Born Of Frustation / Tomorrow / Sit Down / Love Make A Fool / Medieval / Someone's Got It In For Me / Alaskan Pipeline / She's A Star / Hello / Riders / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Say Something / SometimesSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“Saul makes a point of dedicating Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) to the crew who make this whole thing work, and watching it at closer quarters this really wouldn’t be possible without their skill, expertise and ability to adapt quickly to whatever ideas the band throw at them last minute. The audience starts clapping along to which Tim says they have to be really in time otherwise it’ll completely fuck up the timing – Joe conducts the audience clapping and it all stays intact. They then finish the main set with an uplifting All The Colours Of You, where again the song’s inherent dramatic cuts and pastes of its creation in a studio with Jacknife are brought to life with live instruments before it segues into Many Faces, the choir in a line at the front as they improvise their way through repeatedly singing the song’s core message that ‘there’s only one human race, many faces, everybody belongs here.'”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Be Opened By The Wonderful
Summary
James’ 17th studio album recorded with the Orca 22 orchestra and Manchester Inspirational Voices choir conducted by Joe Duddell at Blueprint Studios in January 2023.
Track List
2CD / Download
Disc 1: Sometimes / Love Make A Fool / We’re Gonna Miss You / Tomorrow / The Lake / She’s A Star / Lookaway / Sit Down / Alaskan Pipeline
Disc 2: Someone’s Got It In For Me / Hey Ma / Hello / Beautiful Beaches / Why So Close / Medieval / Hymn From A Village / Say Something / Top Of The World / Moving On / Laid
Double Vinyl versions (Black / White / Green):
Side A: Sometimes / Love Make A Fool / We’re Gonna Miss You / Tomorrow
Side B: The Lake / She’s A Star / Lookaway / Sit Down / Alaskan Pipeline
Side C: Someone’s Got It In For Me / Hey Ma / Hello / Beautiful Beaches / Why So Close
Side D: Medieval / Say Something / Top Of The World / Moving On / Laid
Details
ReleaseAboutSongsListenVideosGalleryArticlesGigs
| Release Name: | Be Opened By The Wonderful |
| Artist Name: | James |
| Release Date: | 9th June 2023 |
| Format: | Studio Album |
| Catalogue: | |
| Related Release(s): |
Be Opened By The Wonderful was recorded at Blueprint Studios in Manchester, orchestrated and conducted by Joe Duddell with the ORCA22 Orchestra lead by Andra Vornicu featuring the Manchester Inspirational Voices choir, directed by Wayne Ellington.
Tim Booth says “Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts. If you already have a golden ticket, you’ll be catching this on tour and at Latitude festival. Bring your wings and come ready to fly.”
Reviews
EvenTheStars.co.uk – Review: James - Be Opened By The Wonderful
06th June 2023 |EvenTheStars.co.uk | David Brown
Be Opened By The Wonderful is a perfect capture of the evolution of a project that might well have had a different tracklisting and arrangements had it been recorded after the recent tour which saw over a dozen more songs performed. It eschews the easy path of an orchestral Best Of, giving Joe the freedom to select the songs that he feels work best with the addition of orchestration and a choir and allowing his ear and love of the band to combine to create magic. James are at their best when they work with kindred spirits who understand the unique and complex DNA that make up a band that has shape-shifted through four decades refusing to stand still and compromise.
EvenTheStars.co.uk – TRACK OF THE DAY: James - She's A Star (Orchestral)
23rd March 2023 |EvenTheStars.co.uk | David Brown
James have announced details of their “Be Opened By The Wonderful – 40 Years Orchestrated” album and revealed the first track to be taken from it, a version of their 1997 Top 10 single She’s A Star. The album was recorded at Blueprint Studios in January 2023 with the ORCA22 Orchestra lead by Andra Vornicu and the Manchester Inspirational Voices choir, directed by Wayne Ellington. The album was orchestrated and conducted by Joe Duddell, who performed those duties with the band on their 2011 orchestral tour.
Tim Booth says of the album which celebrates forty years since the release of James’ first single Jimone on Factory Records – “Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts. If you already have a golden ticket, you’ll be catching this on tour and at Latitude festival. Bring your wings and come ready to fly.”
Joe Duddell commented “Having attended the first 6 years of Latitude Festival, I’m excited to be involved in James’ special Main Stage Show this year in a UK Festival exclusive. James have always been a great band at Festivals, mixing their extensive well loved back catalogue with newer songs which immediately sounds as they too have been around forever.”
- Alaskan Pipeline :2001
- Beautiful Beaches :2021
- Hello :1999
- Hey Ma :2008
- Hymn From A Village :1985
- Laid :1993
- Lookaway :2010
- Love Make A Fool :2023
- Medieval :1988
- Moving On :2014
- Say Something :1993
- She’s A Star :1997
- Sit Down :1989
- Someone’s Got It In For Me :1999
- Sometimes (Lester Piggott) :1993
- The Lake :1993
- Tomorrow :1994
- Top Of The World :1990
- We’re Going To Miss You :1999
- Why So Close :1986
- James – Beautiful Beaches
- James – Beautiful Beaches (Conservatory Version)
- Laid (Version 2) (Clean)
- Laid (Version 3) (Explicit)
- Love Make A Fool
- Moving On
- Say Something (US Version)
- Say Something (Version 1)
- She’s A Star
- She’s A Star (Orchestral Version)
- Sit Down
- Sit Down ’98 Apollo 440 Mix
- Sit Down (Original)
- Sometimes
- Tomorrow
- We’re Going To Miss You
- Nottingham Royal Centre – 25th October 2023
- Bath Forum – 24th October 2023
- Jersey Weekender Festival – 3rd September 2023
- CA Vilar De Mouros – 26th August 2023
- London Crystal Palace Bowl – 11th August 2023
- Darlington Arena – 5th August 2023
- Y Not Festival – 29th July 2023
- Dundee Slessor Gardens – 28th July 2023
- Latitude Festival – 23rd July 2023
- County Laois Forest Fest – 21st July 2023
- Thessaloniki Moni Lazariston – 12th July 2023
- Athens The Odeon Of Herodes Atticus – 10th July 2023
- Halifax Piece Hall – 8th July 2023
- Halifax Piece Hall – 7th July 2023
- Leicester De Montfort Hall – 4th July 2023
- Liverpool Pier Head – 2nd July 2023
- Bristol Canons Marsh Amphitheatre- 23rd June 2023
- Wolverhampton Civic Hall – 20th June 2023
- Margam In It Together Festival – 28th May 2023
- London Royal Albert Hall – 17th May 2023
- Blackpool Opera House – 12th May 2023
- Manchester Apollo – 10th May 2023
- Manchester Apollo – 9th May 2023
- Liverpool Philharmonic Hall – 7th May 2023
- Birmingham Symphony Hall – 5th May 2023
- Sheffield City Hall – 4th May 2023
- Newcastle City Hall – 2nd May 2023
- Glasgow SEC Armadillo – 1st May 2023
- Edinburgh Usher Hall – 29th April 2023
- York Barbican – 28th April 2023
- Cardiff St David’s Hall – 26th April 2023
- Brighton The Dome – 25th April 2023
London Royal Albert Hall – 17th May 2023
Setlist
Magic Bus / Beautiful Beaches / The Lake / Dust Motes / The Shining / Seven / We're Going To Miss You / Ten Below / Moving On / Say Something / Born Of Frustration / Nothing But Love / Sit Down / Love Make A Fool / Medieval / Hello / Someone's Got It In For Me / Alaskan Pipeline / She's A Star / Just Like Fred Astaire / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Hymn From A Village / Tomorrow / SometimesSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“She’s A Star has the crowd back on their feet where they remain for the rest of the show. The orchestra are the stars here on this one and getting a huge ovation at the end from both the audience and everyone else on stage. The song’s uplifting message is accentuated by the strings as they build into the chorus. Just Like Fred Astaire and Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) might not have undergone the same type of transformation as much of the set around them, but their status as later first-edition James classics has been cemented well before now and the crowd are now completely lost in the moment. Tim playfully teasing “Albert Hall, be careful” at the end of the latter.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Manchester Apollo – 10th May 2023
Setlist
Sit Down / Top Of The World / Dust Motes / Lookaway / The Shining / Space / We're Going To Miss You / Ten Below / Seven / Say Something / Nothing But Love / Magic Bus / Love Make A Fool / Medieval / Moving On / Of Monsters And Heroes And Men / Riders / Alaskan Pipeline / She's A Star / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Someone's Got It In For Me / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) / Born Of Frustration / Laid / Sometimes / Hymn From A VillageSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“The crowd move into the aisles to dance and some head down the front for the final two songs of the main set Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) and Born Of Frustration as James seek to finish the night on a bang. The security are a little unsure of what to do but as there’s no danger of a stage invasion a la 1989 they try and keep the front free without being heavy-handed. People just want to be a bit closer, Tim lets the audience sing the chorus which they do with gusto and the whole Apollo is now on their feet, not to sit down again until they leave. Born Of Frustration’s ecstatic windswept moments are even more so with the choir and orchestra augmenting the band and the audience casting off any remaining inhibitions that might have reigned them in earlier in the evening.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall – 7th May 2023
Setlist
Dream Thrum / Alaskan Pipeline / Dust Motes / The Shining / Space / Seven / We're Going To Miss You / Hello / Ten Below / Say Something / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) / Magic Bus / Love Make A Fool / Tomorrow / Beautiful Beaches / Moving On / The Lake / Laid / Medieval / Hymn From A Village / Someone's Got It In For Me / Sometimes / Nothing But Love / Sit Down / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Born Of FrustrationSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“They start with Dream Thrum, which Tim says at the end is the first time that they’ve played it on this tour and it’s a way of getting the adrenaline going for those on stage at the start of the night. Adrenaline might take the room away later in the evening, but the early part of the show is about demonstrating the band, orchestra and choir’s mastery of the more subtle and demanding songs in this collaboration. Alaskan Pipeline is haunting and ethereal, Tim losing himself in letting his body immerse itself in the music so much that he almost misses coming in. One of the most striking aspects of this tour is the vocal interactions, first here with Tim and Chloe and then Chloe and Wayne from the choir who comes down to the front.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Birmingham Symphony Hall – 5th May 2023
Setlist
Magic Bus / The Shining / We're Going To Miss You / Space / Hello / Dust Motes / Laid / Say Something / Ten Below / Nothing But Love / Tomorrow / Sit Down / Love Make A Fool / Beautiful Beaches / Moving On / The Lake / Alaskan Pipeline / Riders / Medieval / Hymn From A Village / Someone's Got It In For Me / Sometimes / Born Of Frustration / All The Colours Of You / Many FacesSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“Someone’s Got It In For Me is another song that hasn’t been played since the previous orchestra tour in 2011. It’s a song that thrives and blossoms in this environment in a way, if memory serves well, that it never did in the standard show. The strings accentuate the sadness and helplessness of the lyrics, the guitars at the start as Saul and Adrian combine from either end of the stage create the tension and Tim loses himself completely in it.
The main set finishes with Sometimes, the choir coming down to the front of the stage as the song builds and takes twists and turns. The crowd singalong isn’t unexpected, but the magic is the route it gets there and then how it unfolds once it does. The choir take over then drop out, the orchestra and drums dip in and out and somehow it all finishes at the same time. The crowd are on their feet by this point, unified with the band in celebration of one of their most enduring songs.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Sheffield City Hall – 4th May 2023
Setlist
Laid / Beautiful Beaches / The Shining / Say Something / Space / We're Going To Miss You / Hello / Ten Below / Tomorrow / Nothing But Love / Magic Bus / Love Make A Fool / Born Of Frustration / Alaskan Pipeline / She's A Star / Moving On / The Lake / Hymn From A Village / Medieval / Sometimes / Sit Down / All The Colours Of You / Many FacesSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“Magic Bus opens the second half of the show with Tim starting out in the audience before heading back to the stage where he sits down and watches his band and orchestra play out the extended instrumental outro with the same awe and wonder as the rest of us. He tells us that we can use our cameras for one song only, making the point that it’s a very different show with people’s full attention on the music rather than their screen, gently mocking people’s addiction to the screen.
Born Of Frustration is the second debutant tonight and the magic in these reinterpretations from Joe is the way that the song still retains its intrinsic appeal even though many of the elements of it have been stripped away and replaced by something more subtle. The roar of appreciation at the end tells its own story, the quality of the audience’s listening on this tour has been sublime.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Newcastle City Hall – 2nd May 2023
Setlist
Dust Motes / Hello / Alaskan Pipeline / The Shining / Say Something / Lookaway / We're Going To Miss You / Riders / Ten Below / Tomorrow / Nothing But Love / Magic Bus / Someone's Got It In For Me / Love Make A Fool / Seven / Of Monsters And Heroes And Men / Moving On / The Lake / Hymn From A Village / Medieval / Sometimes / Sit Down / All The Colours Of You / Many FacesSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“Say Something is celebratory, a release valve for some from the challenging setlist around it. Whilst it’s sometimes a little “James by numbers” if such things exist, a surefire crowdpleaser, here it sounds reinvigorated. One of the most magical things about this tour has been the song selection, choosing what works best with the orchestra and choir rather than simply picking the singles. We’re Going To Miss You has stepped out of the shadow of bigger singles from its time, combined with the lighting that perfectly captures what’s going on musically. Ten Below and Riders may have been written a quarter of a decade apart and be never seen again in most band’s back catalogues, but here they’re two of the most exciting and vibrant rediscoveries. The former, about Tim’s time at the boarding Shrewsbury School – “people say school days are the best time of your life, mine were the most miserable” – fizzes and bursts into life whilst Riders is dark and brooding, the orchestra left to their own devices by Joe.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Glasgow SEC Armadillo – 1st May 2023
Setlist
Magic Bus / The Shining / She's A Star / The Lake / Dust Motes / Someone's Got It In For Me / We're Going To Miss You / Hymn From A Village / Hello / Ten Below / Tomorrow / Sit Down / Beautiful Beaches / Say Something / Love Make A Fool / Alaskan Pipeline / Moving On / Riders / Seven / Medieval / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Sometimes / Nothing But Love / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)Support
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“A light appears up on the balcony, but as Andy plays his first note, Tim asks him to “hold that trumpet” before commenting how weird it is to get to Glasgow and play on a Monday night to a seated crowd rather than the usual chaos. He notes the two security sat at the front of the stage and says they’ll be moved for the second half, but how beautifully quiet it is and how it makes them play better. Andy fashions to play again and then Saul jokes that maybe the audience thinks they’re shit. Whilst Andy gets impatient and tries again, Tim tells us 500 people got kicked out of their last Glasgow gig at the Hydro. When Hymn From A Village finally starts, it’s fast and frenetic and a few very old school heads stand up and dance to the James that they first fell in love with. It finishes with Debbie on the drums standing up as the song accelerates to its conclusion.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
Edinburgh Usher Hall – 29th April 2023
Setlist
Magic Bus / Dust Motes / The Shining / She's A Star / The Lake / Someone's Got It In For Me / We're Going To Miss You / Hymn From A Village / Moving On / Ten Below / Tomorrow / Sit Down / Beautiful Beaches / Say Something / Love Make A Fool / Alaskan Pipeline / Hello / Riders / Seven / Sometimes / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Nothing But Love / Medieval / Top Of The WorldSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“The Lake is simply stunning, a woman behind us comments that she’d watch a gig of that song being played over and over and over again and nothing else. The poignancy of the original, hidden away on a b-side of the Laid single, still underpins it but the stings, brass and the gospel vocals elevate it to a different plain completely. It’s a million miles from the 90s hit machine side of the band that grants them the commercial power to do this type of thing in 2023, but it’s the true essence of this band and one that is quite often easily overlooked by fools.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk
York Barbican – 28th April 2023
Setlist
Magic Bus / Dust Motes / The Shining / She's A Star / We're Going To Miss You / Hymn From A Village / Laid / Moving On / Ten Below / Tomorrow / Sit Down / Beautiful Beaches / Say Something / Love Make A Fool / Alaskan Pipeline / Riders / The Lake / Hello / All The Colours Of You / Many Faces / Sometimes / Nothing But Love / Medieval / Top Of The WorldSupport
N/AMore Information & Reviews
Review: EvenTheStars.co.uk
“It’s testament to the bloodymindedness of the band that they hadn’t played She’s A Star, the lead single from the orchestral album Be Opened By The Wonderful, until tonight. This version is stripped back to let the orchestra take over whilst Tim sings the build into the final chorus stood facing Chloe. As it finishes he tells us they only chose the set within the last hour before they go on stage, which Saul says is a sign that they’re not over. Jim adds that you’d think after forty years they’d know what they’re doing by now to which Saul jokes that this is a celebration of their inadequacy. In many ways this is absolutely perfect.”
Read the full review at EvenTheStars.co.uk