Down in Yorkshire’s biggest city there is a sense of excitement in the air.
Walking through the streets of Leeds there a sea of people wearing t-shirts with the ‘James’ logo plastered across it so it wouldn’t take many guesses who’s playing the arena tonight.
Bevved and ready for tonight’s show I head up through the arena doors to a crowd slightly more mature than my normal shows.
Its packed already and the support haven’t even come on so you know this concert is eagerly awaited by every fan in the venue.
After stopping for a refreshment we make our way to our seats with a brilliant view of the stage surrounded by a fiery atmosphere as we wait for the bands to hit the stage.
Right on time at 7.30 on the dot the lights lower and Razorlight grace the stage to get this crowd warmed up for James’ arrival later on.
The sound is sensational as the band moved through many crowd favourites such as ‘In The Morning’, ‘America’ and ‘Before I Fall To Pieces’.
After a short interlude which includes back to the bar for another refreshment and hastily walking back to our seats: it’s time for our headliners to kick off their Leeds Saturday night set.
James kick off their set list with ‘Johnny Yen’ which is well received by this adoring Yorkshire crowd. Tim Booth is decked out in his fur coat dancing with his hippie movements as he feels the music moving through his veins and laps up the cheers from their adoring fans.
The set design tonight is incredibly engaging it has to be mentioned and the lighting is pristine from the venue.
James launch into ‘Life’s A Miracle’ where Tim Booth ends up launching into the crowd surfing around his adoring fans, but leaves them with a stern warning that “If I see a bank of cameras I’m not going to come out” and the use of camera phones is visible reduced after this.
The vocals, the sound, the riffs, the beat of the drums: it’s just all there with this band, the complete and utter package and the crowd belt out each line mirroring each other’s intensely passionate energy.
As we reach the end of a fan favourite ‘Sometimes’ the crowd repeatedly rejoice in singing out the chorus over and over, looking at the smile of Tim Booth’s face his feels the same utter emotion we all feel deep in our hearts while seeing and experiencing this beautiful scene.
The way music can connect strangers is something that’s always fascinated me and James have displayed that perfectly tonight.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a James show without closing the set with ‘Sit Down’ and ‘Laid’ those fan favourite which got them where there are today.
There’s not a single person in the venue who isn’t linked arm in arm with another singing along to these tracks: what a sublime ending to an utterly impeccable show.