James at the O2 Arena

James may not have filled the O2 Arena to capacity on Saturday night, off the back of what is, unbelievably, their first number one album Yummy, but it has, nonetheless, been a long time coming that one of Manchester’s most underrated bands headlines the Greenwich venue.

Though their singles output has not dented the mainstream chart since the beautiful Getting Away with It (All Messed Up), sadly eschewed from tonight’s set due to curfew demands, their indelible mark on 90s music holds firm in the minds of many of London’s concertgoers who clearly have a nostalgic urge keen to be fulfilled.

The Northern rockers, not out of obstinance, keep those members waiting as they begin with their early 80s breakthrough Johnny Yen and play three tracks from Yummy in a row as part of their opening salvo before launching into one of their last top ten singles She’s a Star, which finally rouses those previously seated for their opening songs to stand up in thankful unison.

Their gratitude seems to spur the perennially benevolent Tim Booth to lithely scale the seated area of the left-hand side of the arena to sing amongst the lucky ticket holders who get a close-up. Indeed, he remains there for the sumptuous Say Something which provides one of the most captivating mass sing-a-longs of the night.

Those seated ticket-holders are not the only fortunate members as Booth gracefully crowd-surfs over the front rows of the standing section on three occasions, despite confessing a fear of being dropped by those trying to film him on their mobile during second song Waltzing Away, something which the audience were asked to refrain from doing before the band came out but could not, understandably, resist. 

Indeed, with crowd pleasers Sit Down and Laid, it’s an impossible task for many not to dive straight into their pockets to record the O2’s rapture as James saunter through those 90s gems with the consummate ease of the seasoned veterans they all are. 

Yet, the truly spine-tingling moments come when the band, backed by members of the utterly glorious Manchester Inspirational Voices Gospel Choir, showcase their musical prowess to its full splendour. As such, tonight’s musical glory is at its most inspiring on Sound, main set closer Sometimes [Lester Pigott] and encore opener Way Over Your Head, one of the standout tracks from Yummy proving that talent has forged their richly deserved 40 years of success more than just 90s appeal.

Francis Nash
Photos: Guifré de Peray

For further information and future events visit James’s website here.

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