James at the O2 Arena

It seems that no matter what’s thrown at them, Manchester band James carry on like nothing’s happened and sound all the richer for it. With their new career-spanning Nothing but Love –The Definitive Best Of, looking back at over 40 years of music, this collection neatly plays out their evolution and refusal to play safe.

Tonight, James play the mighty O2 for the penultimate date on an arena tour celebrating their legacy. They’re known for constantly switching up setlists (sometimes right before the crowd), so let’s see how London fares…

Opening with a bang, the crowd roars with delight, hearing the chugging opening chords of Sound. Frontman Tim Booth deploys his megaphone for the song’s joyful psychedelia, while trumpeter Andy Diagram begins playing under a spotlight way up in the audience and gradually journeys down to the stage. Five-O is next, with Saul Davies switching his guitar for the violin, Adrian Oxaal effortlessly playing ethereal slide guitar, and some stunning three-part harmonies between Booth, Diagram and Chloe Alper.

The current iteration of James is nine members strong, and all of them are fantastic musicians; Booth’s voice has never sounded better, hitting the low notes of Way Over Your Head and the powerful yell of Zero with the same ease as his recognisable falsetto. Alper’s vocals are a delightful addition to James’s sound, as is Debbie Knox-Hewson’s percussive power alongside longtime drummer David Baynton-Power. On tracks like the shuffling I Know What I’m Here For, the additional oomph is palpable.

Yet for all the raucous noise, James know when to slow it down. Take Shadow of a Giant, starting with an ethereal aura before building into a glorious ballad, or deep cut Greenpeace, switching between a lullaby and a crashing rush in mere seconds. They have the O2 hanging on every note, and whenever Booth steps up to the barrier, crowd surfs, or even ventures into the seats for Say Something and Born of Frustration, the connection only gets stronger. It’s no mean feat making an arena feel intimate, but for James? It’s a walk in the park.

“I don’t need to say anything, do I? It’s f**king great to be here,” says Booth, and lets his performance and trance-like dancing say everything else. There is a moment where Heads cuts short due to in-ear monitor issues, but the silence doesn’t linger and the band launch into another song (Way Over Your Head) almost immediately – “It wouldn’t be a James gig if we didn’t f**k up at some point,” Booth says with a smile.

Even with old favourites peppered throughout the setlist, the best are saved for last. Sit Down, Getting Away with It (All Messed Up), Laid and Sometimes bring the O2 to a state of eardrum-bursting elation, with the latter’s refrain long continued by the crowd after the song ends: “Sometimes, when I look in your eyes, I can see your soul…”

A joyful night from start to finish. Long may James continue.