James + Razorlight – Utilita Arena, Birmingham – 12.06.24 / Gig Review

Surfing the wave of success from the recent release of their 18th studio album Yummy, which gained them their first number one album, James have just come to the end of one of their biggest tours to date. Supported by Razorlight, the indie icons stopped at some of the biggest arenas across the UK – including a homecoming show at the newly opened Co Op Live in Manchester. We were lucky to catch their show at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena.

Twenty years since the release of their debut album, Razorlight haven’t changed a bit and they stormed through a nostalgic set of fan favourites – including ‘In The Morning’, ‘Golden Touch’ and ‘Before I Fall to Pieces’. The band sounded tighter than ever, particularly during the discordant ‘In the City’ and frontman Johnny Borrell’s voice still has that distinctive indie twang of the 2000s. Despite the set being packed with hits, they also played two new tracks that they appear to have debuted on their current run with James – ‘Dirty Luck’ and ‘Scared of Nothing’ – proving that they’re not quite done with the scene just yet. Their electrifying set reached its pinnacle with the infectiously catchy stadium ballad, ‘America’, which saw a sea of phones light up the expansive venue, transforming it into a twinkling galaxy of lights.

Having celebrated their fourth decade as a band just last year, it’ll come as no surprise that James are blessed with a wealth of material to choose from when it comes to crafting a setlist and they use it to their advantage by delivering a different set each evening – not only keeping things fresh for both them and their fans but allowing them to revisit songs from all areas of their back-catalogue. Starting strong, the band launched into ‘She’s A Star’, followed by ‘Waltzing Along’, before introducing the evenings first glimmer of new material. Bursting with an array of instruments, ‘Our World’ is a track with such a familiarity to it that it feels like it’s been in the set forever. The second single to have been released from ‘Yummy’, it highlights not just the strength of Chloe Alper’s backing vocals – which blend seamlessly with Tim Booth’s – but how much she’s enhanced the band’s sound since joining. ‘Hey’ followed, enriched by the inclusion of members from the Manchester Inspiration Gospel Choir, who previously joined the band on their orchestral tour in 2023, before Tim visited the barrier for new crowd favourite, ‘Life’s a Fucking Miracle’ – a synth heavy track with uplifting trumpet from Andy Diagram, that’s become one of their most joyous releases to date.

It’s certainly not the band’s inaugural arena tour and their seasoned experience shines through in their adept handling of large venues. Accordingly, their setlist was generously sprinkled with hits and the double whammy of ‘Say Something’ and ‘Born of Frustration’ came next, before things took an intense turn for ‘Five-O’. Boasting hauntingly beautiful violin from Saul Davies, alongside a swelling chorus, ‘Five-O’ was made to be performed live and though it seemed impossible to follow, the band did so perfectly with ‘Butterfly’ – a standout track on ‘Yummy’ that’s acoustic build up and intimate vocals climaxed with some of the most powerful vocals of the night. Introduced as an apocalyptic love song, ‘Better With You’ delivers a poignant moment as Tim and Chloe sing to each other with a sense of intimacy, as if no one else is in the room. The track’s eerie synths gradually yield to a disco beat, adding a dynamic shift to its emotional landscape.

The band’s versatility shone through in the upcoming tracks, especially in what is often described as their one true love song, ‘Just Like Fred Astaire’. The song soared as Tim took a stroll around the arena, serenading those seated and in accessible areas alike. However, the unpredictable frontman delayed his return to the stage, instead performing the synth-fuelled ‘Curse Curse’ as he made his way around the entire arena. Nicknamed the reluctant violinist, Saul elevates many live performances with his exceptional violin skills and his playing during ‘Shadow of a Giant’ was mesmerising. Accompanied by Mark Hunter’s delicate piano, the track’s emotive beauty was further enhanced by a majestic choral moment from the band. In a moment of striking contrast, the anthemic ‘Sit Down’ followed, sparking an inevitable singalong that continued long after the song’s triumphant conclusion.

Highlighting the unique charm of live events, ‘Mobile God’ had two false starts, which Tim handled gracefully, accompanied by a few witty remarks from Saul, whose tongue-in-cheek humour is well-known among James fans. It’s widely acknowledged how spectacular James’ stage lighting is during their arena tours and their current setup is no exception – especially with the addition of the vibrant visuals behind the band that dynamically changed with each track. The visuals accompanying ‘Mobile God’ were particularly captivating, utilising live AI to edit footage of both the band and the audience in real-time. This innovative approach created a unique and dynamic experience, perfectly aligning with the song’s theme of people’s reliance on their mobile phones.

After a high-energy rendition of ‘Tomorrow’ that had the crowd bouncing, the main set concluded with ‘Sometimes’. As one of the band’s most beloved hits, it never fails to ignite a mass singalong and with the addition of the choir – who joined the band at the front of the stage – this rendition made it impossible to envision the show concluding in any other manner. Though with Tim hinting that they may eventually rest it, we’re confident they’ll deliver something just as special – just like when they returned to the stage with the more subdued ‘Way Over Your Head’. A poignant piece that crescendos into a majestic choral moment delivered by the band, ‘Way Over Your Head’ is another track that underscores the band’s remarkable versatility.

The sole track in the set from the band’s last album, All The Colours Of You, ‘Beautiful Beaches’ held its ground as the penultimate track. Driven by Jim Glennie’s bass mastery, it offered a moment of pure exhilaration in the form of a drum breakdown – courtesy of David Baynton-Power and Debbie Knox-Hewson – that was such a spectacle, several members of the band sat down on stage to watch in awe. Last but certainly not least was ‘Laid’. Instantly recognisable by the gentle strums of Saul’s acoustic guitar, it captivated the crowd and proved to be the perfect track to conclude a weekday show that exuded the energetic vibes of a wild Friday night.

James have never been a band to develop one sound and stick with it or follow the patterns of their previous successes, they’re constantly evolving and aiming higher – something that comes across both on ‘Yummy and throughout their lives shows. With a setlist that seamlessly intertwined material from every era of their career, they certainly reaffirmed their reputation as one of the best live acts around.