James
11th November 2018
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Leah Victoria. Photography by Chris Zwaagdyk.
Two years have flown by since the last time James took to the Auckland stage. With fans waiting at the doors for entry and packing the venue out entirely early on a Sunday night, it’s clear they could’ve come back sooner.
Auckland’s Alt-Rock band Tablefox take to the stage first. Their Brit Pop like lyrics and funky drums compliment the main act perfectly.
It’s a calm but excited crowd. A sea of salt and pepper and bald heads waiting eagerly but patiently for their favourite band to make their appearance. James fans are old skool, they come from the 80’s also. After what seemed like an eternity we hear music. Fanfare trumpet bleats out above our heads, but the stage is dark and no one is around. Heads start turning looking for the musician who’s getting this party started. It took a while before I noticed Andy Diagram stood on the balcony above the crowd opposite me, serenading the crowd from a height. The fans below me start to shuffle and part, revealing our man Tim Booth as he wanders from the bar to the stage through the crowd stopping and hanging with his fans while treating them to a beautifully sung acoustic version of 1990’s hit Lose Control. He’s dressed in his classic baggy pants and white shirt with some funky furry hooded jacket.
What an entry!
The Manchester legends take to the stage and head straight into the new stuff, with some thunderingly loud drum beats and electric guitar licks they deliver Hank, fresh from their latest album Living In Extraordinary Times. James have just released their 15th studio album. With so much well loved material under their belts, seeing James play live is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get… Tim commented on how they had to remind themselves what they played for us last time so as not to repeat too much.
Tonight was a great mix of old and new, flitting back and forth between 90’s hits and fresh 2018 sounds. Producing music for 30 plus years with a distinct character and style is no easy task. James pull this off flawlessly every time. Living In Extraordinary times is no exception, it’s classic James with a modern twist. One of the hardest working bands I know, they haven’t gone more than 3 years without releasing an album since I was born!
Tim’s weird and wonderful spaced out dance moves encourage movement. Front-man Tim danced like no one was watching as the band played tightly through Waltzing Along, Seven, Leviathan and How Was It For You, the crowd well versed with those lyrics joined in. Tim touched upon the fact that Trump was elected the last night they played in Auckland. And tonight his family are being evacuated from their California home due to fire risk. I’m hoping he doesn’t see it as a bad omen and cancels any future plans to return!
Tim soaks up the atmosphere around him, and is clearly grateful to have so many people out to see them play late on a Sunday night. He spends so much time off the stage and down among the crowd and balancing precariously on the barrier, he’s one of the most humble performers I’ve ever bore witness too.
I was stoked to hear them play Star this time, a big high school favourite of mine! But with such a huge back catalogue and the fact this is only my second time seeing James Live, there is so much more I’d love to hear, I don’t think I’m only speaking for myself when I say I’d love to see them play again as soon as possible!
Many Faces was one of the last few songs to be performed, it sounded like there wasn’t one person in the room that didn’t know the lyrics, and Tim and his fans sang together in harmony. Closing with Sometimes, the end of a huge 18 song set had come too soon, the audience enthralled – we could have stayed for hours more.
Even after all these years, James are still killing it!
Were you there at the Powerstation for this superlative Brit-pop rock show? Or have you seen James perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Lose Control
- Hank
- Living In Extraordinary Times
- Waltzing Along
- Seven
- Leviathan
- How Was It For You
- Come Home
- Feet Of Clay
- Heads
- What’s It All About
- Stutter
- Star
- Frustration
- Sit Down
- Many Faces [encore]
- Tomorrow [encore]
- Sometimes [encore]
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Fantastic band, just a shame the sound guys had it TOO LOUD, to the point where, especially during the encores, you could barely discern Tim’s vocals.
What an amazing gig from one of the best ‘live’ bands around. I’ve seen James many times over the years including the Manchester Apollo, GMEX and Alton Towers, and Sunday night at the Powerstation James were as good as they have ever been. Ending on Sometimes with endless rain outside the venue, classic!
Great review.
You really captured the essence of a superb gig.
Not sure what you are implying about the average age of James fans, though…. 😉