search
date/time
Yorkshire Times
A Voice of the Free Press
frontpagebusinessartscarslifestylefamilytravelsportsscitechnaturefictionCartoons
Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
8:30 PM 29th November 2014
arts

Gig Review: James - Leeds Arena

 
James has been out of the spotlight for a few years but the band returned earlier this year with one of their strongest albums yet in La Petite Mort.

Although often thought of as a student band these days the fans are now middle aged. It is nearly 30 years since the band supported The Smiths at St Georges Hall in Bradford!

Lead singer Tim Booth informs the fans to respect his age before he throws himself into the crowd as he surfs over their heads, well, there is no harm in not growing old gracefully.

The tracks off the new album sound good with Walk Like You and Frozen Britain coming on early in the set. Booth still does his dance like he is having a fit and it could be the early 90's all over again. He is a good storyteller too as he informs the fans what each song is about before he introduces each track.

It is an interactive show, as well as his crowd surfing he invites some fans to join the band on stage to dance along with them as they perform Gone Baby Gone.

A rousing Come Home closes the night before the band return with Out to Get You and Sound as Booth appears at the back of the arena ensuring that no one felt left out.

Like fine wine the band get better with age.

Although the band did not play Sit Down, it did not matter as the other hits they sang justified why we have missed them so much.