See press clippings above.
See press clipping above.
There’s not a cardigan in sight as Manchester oddballs James prepare to launch their most recent bid for major success.
Previous attempts have tried and failed, but James have survived. Now they’re back, and as they take the wraps off their new material in the concrete confines of Manchester’s newest venue, they look likely to succeed this time around.
They have shrugged off the born again Vegan label. although their angular folk leanings poke through the pop shroud every now and again. They kick off a 14 song set with ‘Johnny Yen’, an awkward, tottering song, but delivered with a crisp confidence, suggesting that James know where they are heading. They pile into the new single ‘Ya Ho’ and it becomes obvious that nothing is going to go wrong in front of the sell-out home town crowd. As James go from strength to strength, the dancing, ringing guitar style of Jimmy Gott turns tonight into a celebration. With the wind behind them and the crowd on their side, ‘So Many Ways’ was staggeringly good.
But the most valuable player award for the best performance goes to Gavan Michael Whelan, the drummer without whom James could kiss their ambitions goodbye. His subtle stickwork does much to bring power and panache to the James sound and if anyone deserves credit. it’s him. And as if to prove that they can do it that way as well, the encore is a three vocal version of ‘Folklore’, accompanied only by the bass, Judging by the reactions of the crowd. James did more than enough to keep their foot in the door Now all they need is to get their fingers in the pie.
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Fairground / Really Hard / So Many Ways / Hymn From A Village / Scarecrow / What For / Vulture / Stripmining / Riders / Medieval / Charlie Dance / If Things Were Perfect / Johnny Yen / What’s The World / Why So Close / Fire So Close
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The madness of James is much less bluff. Their return to London was never short of triumphant. Tim’s epileptic dance punctuates this loaded noise, grating away at itself, tied up in a sack and dropped down a deep deep well to fend for itself. ‘Hymn From A Village’ twitches impatiently, ‘Johnny Yen’ rustles to a rousing climax, ‘Skullduggery’ falls apart magnificently. James don’t get any more assured; they’re just a needle pricking the skin.
While Tim freaks out, positively the most hapless dancer ever invented, three other Jameses follow some private maze of their own choosing. This is no longer one tinny, snoring noise, inverted and anti-climatic. ‘Stutter’ has already demonstrated their scope. And live, they now shimmer like uncooked liver, all slippery and slovenly but damned dandy.
James seemed to have renounced those earlier illusions of order and normality, letting all the crankiness float to the surface and scream. Booth keeps toppling and falling and rolling. Manic admirers wrestle in the dust with him. All are now part of the mad spectacle,
James at last sound completely frightening, totally involved. I unbuttoned my blouse and threw myself forward. Gig of the year so far, strange as it may seem.
See attached press clipping.
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Black Hole / Really Hard / Riders / Fairground / Stripmining / Bonjour (What For) / What In The World Are You Waiting For / Ripcord (Leaking) / Just Hip / Charlie Dance / Whoops / Hymn From A Village / Hup-Springs (Sandman) / Fire So Close
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