May Your Eyes Be Opened By The Wonderful

My first memories of James, like many, are of sitting down and jumping up and sitting back down again in near enough rhythm to their 1991 hit, "Sit Down." This track remains their most well known song though their Woolwich Arsenal of a back catalogue  has more well known tracks than they're often given credit for. James are, Tim Booth, Jim Glennie, Larry Gott, Saul Davies, Mark Hunter, David Baynton-Power and Andy Diagram.."on trumpet". 

Whenever the Madchester scene is remembered, The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays leap to the front of the queue of peoples' minds, while James modestly, politely stand patiently behind. As with all those that offer some restraint, James offer so much more than their louder, brasher counterparts. Despite a quiet period for most of the 00's where Tim Booth (lead singer) explored other ventures, James returned, firing on all cylinders with their back catalogue, creating new music as good as the emotionally charged, frantic and Proustian classics that they are loved for. "Waterfall" and "Of Monsters And Heros And Men" being as good as any of their earlier work. They still got it.

          The band perhaps best known for "Laid" in the US thanks to the American Pie soundtrack

I didn't get the chance to see James live pre-hiatus but have made up for it by being immersed in their emotional farewell gig at the Manchester G-Mex, recorded live in 2001. Luckily for me and many others, the James return meant I could make up for the many lost live chances, seeing than perform at festivals and venues across in the UK, The Royal Albert Hall, Shepherd's Bush Empire and the legendary Brixton Academy to name a few.

Singing along to "Ring The Bells" V Festival, 2007

I have so many wonderful memories of live music, being at one with the crowd, hundreds or thousands of voices singing with you, yet it still feels as though the band are playing just for you, straight to you. This for me is what live music is all about. It takes great skill, humility and boldness to win the crowd and James make up so many of these memories. 

When Oasis finally split halfway through the V Festival of 2009, James got bumped up the bill. Tim Booth, in an impromptu tongue in cheek nod to the temper tantrum toddlers of chart rock, inhaled from one of the onstage helium balloons and chipmunked out a few bars of "Wonderwall." Considering Oasis had let their fans down, this was a fitting nod to their childishness.

A Boothian walkabout

Great though this moment was, the standout memory for me was when Tim headed down to the crowd for one of his signature walkabouts. At one point he handed over the microphone to me for a few short seconds during "Born Of Frustration." It was no matter that a combination of shock, exuberance and that festival feeling meant that I could hardly remember the words. I may also have been distracted by my frantic hat waving which for some reason became my dance of that summer. Yet again James had broken through the proscenium arch and enjoyed the moment with their fans and I had made my debut on the V-stage with my favourite band. Well, sort of.

                         From 4.20 onwards is where the action really is or not really but I loved it 

This week, James embark on an American tour structured around their Coachella dates (details at www.wearejames.com). My heart sank when I heard that they were playing the festival, having had such a great time there last year and missing out on tickets this time. It leapt  though when news of an SF gig came out. Oh to experience their performance at that beautiful desert festival.

So I'd lucked out on Coachella and having missed The Morning After The Night Before Tour in 2010, being in London when the band played SF and vice versa when they played London, there was no chance of missing out again. In two days time James will play the Independent in San Francisco, I'll even get to experience the sound check. I cannot wait to enjoy the band nail it live once again. 

I'll be committing another fantastic James experience to memory for they have been a soundtrack to my growing up and to my adulthood. Sitting on the floor at a school disco - "Sit Down". Leaving uni and driving to London with my best mate, car full of swag and an ironing board constantly threatening to decapitate us on the M6 - "Come Home". Playing Goldeneye endlessly on the Nintendo 64 (and I don't do gaming) - "Tomorrow". Sitting on a beach in Mexico stunned as the waves emulated and lulled with the music - "Of Monsters And Heros And Men". Singing as loud as I can with my best friend at Brixton Academy - "Out To Get You".  Loving another friend enjoy a song so much - "Sound". Jumping up and down like an idiot every time, everywhere  - "Ring The Bells". 


Every band should have a bit of brass, in their delivery and an instrument. James also mix in violin. They're not afraid to experiment onstage and rumour has it, according to the internet pixies, they've rehearsed over 60 songs for the current tour. Who knows what Wednesday's setlist will be. James prove that the best live music is not about lights, staging and fancy presentation but musicians who connect with their audience, enjoy their music, enjoy their time onstage together and make each night special.


So whatever songs James choose to bring to San Francisco, I can guarantee you they're going to be great and there will be a raving review here soon afterwards. As soon that is, as I am peeled back down from the roof. It's not English to be so openly and publicly enthusiastic perhaps the US is getting to me.