James proved they have lost none of their old sparkle at a special warm-up gig in the North East on Friday night. Andrew White was there.
Has there been a more consistently brilliant band over the last 40 years than James?
It would be difficult to find another, judging by the evidence of their set at The Globe on Friday night (May 31).
I'm biased as James has been one of my favourite bands since my student days in the 1980s. But I'm sure that the adoring fans lucky enough to see the energetic indie-rock band at the sensitively revamped art-deco venue in Stockton would agree.
They've long been viewed as one of the best live acts around, but rather than rest on their laurels and rely on their biggest hits, this most creative of bands have continued to experiment, take risks and record new material.
Indeed, as they embark on a national tour - their biggest ever - they will be showcasing tracks from their most recent offering, Yummy, their 18th studio album, released to great acclaim this year.
And it is a testament to the continued quality of their work that the newer tracks sit so well with the classic 'bangers' from their extensive back catalogue.
In Stockton, that was best demonstrated right at the start of the night. They opened with Johnny Yen, a track from their 1986 debut album Stutter, followed immediately by Is This Love from 2024's Yummy - the uninitiated would have been hard pushed to work out which song was four decades older than the other.
Sometimes, when a band tries out new material for the first time, you get a sense that the crowd is patiently enduring those less familiar tunes and waiting for those songs they know so well and love.
Not so here. The tracks from the new album are so good that they were received enthusiastically - Hey, Life's A F***ing Miracle, Shadow of a Giant and Better With You among them. And those of us who were there also had the privilege of the live debut of Mobile God. It's too early to know if any of these new tracks will become James standards in years to come, but I wouldn't bet against it.
That's not to say the classics weren't warmly received. Ring The Bells was greeted with an exuberant roar, alongside other crowd favourites like Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) and We're Going To Miss You.
But even in more accustomed territory, James continue to take risks. They performed a low-key, pared-down version of their best-known hit, Sit Down - still belted out with gusto by those uber fans near me. This was followed by one of the highlights of the night and a tremendous rendition of the unashamed love song Just Like Fred Astaire.
This was billed as a warm-up gig, so it was not without a few false starts and technical hitches as the final polishes were made. The crowd later learned, from the multi-talented Saul Davies, that lead singer Tim Booth had not been well and indeed had spent some time in hospital earlier that day.
Not that you'd have known it, as the quality of Booth's voice was as strong as ever. Most bands need a strong leader - and Booth is a superb frontman. Some in his position engage the crowd with banter or attempt to whip them up into a frenzy. Not so Booth. He doesn't say much, but he doesn't need to - the man simply oozes charisma.
Recommended reading:
- Why it took me 35 years after buying a ticket to see James play live in Darlington
- In pictures: James take to the stage at Darlington Arena
- James Arthur to perform at Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, next week
And by the end of the concert, he had the crowd in the palm of his hands, with late set classics Sometimes and Laid - the latter performed in the encore - being particularly well received by the appreciative audience.
Joyous, energetic and always - well nearly always - performed with a smile on their faces, James clearly love what they do. And fans attending any of the shows on their big national tour - which includes a date at the Utilita Arena Newcastle on Wednesday (June 5) - are in for a rare treat.
Has there been a more consistently brilliant band over the last 40 years than James? I don't think so.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here