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Manchester Evening News

Entertainment

Dianne Bourne

No phones, no clapping - but James couldn't stop the roar at extraordinary homecoming

Tim Booth Kenny Brown

James fans know to expect the unexpected when it comes to the live performances of the evergreen indie troubadours. Back in Manchester for an extraordinary homecoming celebrating 40 years in music, it's with the spine-tingling addition of a live orchestra and gospel choir for this completely sold out James Lasted tour.

On the first of two nights at the 02 Apollo, the set list takes a glorious sweep of that 40 year career, from the anthemic Sit Down through to beautiful newie Love Make A Fool, with plenty of surprises in between.

Perhaps not to be expected, given the rampant revelery of a "normal" James gig, is the strict instruction before the band arrive on stage that fans put their phones away throughout this performance.

Naturally, when frontman Tim Booth bounds onto stage, and then right into the audience for a walk through during the epic Just Like Fred Astaire, the no phone thing is a little hard for many in the audience to abide by. Security steps in to do a fair bit of admonishing to the phone-wielders while Tim leaps back onto the stage.

It becomes a bit of a stretch later in the show when Tim also asks for no clapping - when an elated audience here are keen to echo the opening pound of Getting Away With It. But guitarist Saul Davies has other ideas - cutting the music to make his own vocal proclamation.

“No no f*** it, f*** Tim," he says, before instructing us to rebel against the no clapping to huge cheers. "I'm pretty sure you've all been getting away with it for the past 40 years," he laughs.

Tim explains that the no clapping request is so as not to disrupt the timing of the orchestra. Yet the ORCA22 Orchestra are note perfect throughout this special night, even with the roar of the Manchester crowd.

They are led by Joe Duddell, who has arranged a magical collection of James songs for these shows (and the upcoming double album Be Opened by the Wonderful which, on this evidence, will be a must-by for fans).

Saul Davies on the violin at James Lasted (Kenny Brown)

The performance also features the stunning vocals of the Manchester Inspirational Voices Choir. Although on opening night at the Apollo there seemed to be some sound issues and I would have loved to hear more of their individual vocals from within the crescendo of competing sounds on stage.

Frontman Tim, however, is in the finest voice I've ever heard him, it's simply heavenly on the likes of Say Something, Sometimes and Tomorrow. His cut glass vocals soar to perfection and sound out the complex emotions of these songs, as if rising to meet the swell of the strings and brass.

Tim Booth and Chloe Alper of James (Kenny Brown)

Never is that more true than on Moving On, a true standout moment in this show, which Tim dedicates to "everyone who has lost someone recently". It was sheer goosebumps as he duetted alongside Chloe Alper on the elegy.

The effect is completed by the haunting perfection of Adam Diagram's trumpet solos. He is dressed rather fittingly like an angel for the occasion.

Meanwhile Tim, with his billowing trousers and loose shirt, is often spirited away by the music to throw his iconic wild dance moves, leading as he does the euphoria of the crowds. The improvisational spirit of the band remains - and they throw in an unexpected rendition of Someone's Got It In For Me.

Tim explains in the second half of the show that the no phone rule is "to help the intensity and our focus". Before adding: "But if you want your phone moment this is it, this is our new song Love Make A Fool" prompting a thousand mobile lights rising from the stalls.

The show heads to an all-singing and all-clapping conclusion where there is no stopping a crowd now in party mood. There is full voice for the familiar strains of Sit Down, Tomorrow and Sometimes in their reinvented new form.

The finale comes with the woo-woo wail of Tim, to herald a boombastic "second encore" of Born of Frustration. It was a near perfect setlist for me on Tuesday, but who knows what surprises the band will spring tonight?

But one thing's for sure for those heading along to the Apollo for the second sold out gig in Manchester on Wednesday is you're in for a truly memorable night.