James and Razorlight ignite Leeds First Direct Arena

Written by Joe Nozedar, edited by Millie Cain.

A glorious Saturday in Leeds saw the city centre become awash with
hundreds of daisy T-shirt wearing James fans, cramming rooftop bars and
beer gardens whilst eagerly awaiting the band’s performance at First Direct
Arena. Evening approached as I settled into my seat high above the steep
colosseum that is the First Direct Arena where special guests Razorlight were taking the
stage. The floor was half-full. Razorlight immediately stirred the Yorkshire
crowd, diving in with their huge hit “In the Morning” an almost poetic choice for
the dawn of an unforgettable evening.

Those that were running late or lingering over one last drink were in a state of
blissful ignorance, missing this incredible opening performance. It felt more
like a joint headline show rather than a headliner with an opener— in my eyes
it was a two-for-one sort of billing. This would be Razorlight’s second
performance on West Yorkshire soil this year, having recently headlined the
smaller Leeds 02 Academy where they gave a ruckus performance, proving
they are so much more than a support act. The London boys provided a set fit
for both the sweaty basement clubs of Camden and the class to ignite full
capacity arenas.

Frontman Johnny Borrell declared ‘there’s just four of us, no backing
track…this is pure music.’ GIfted with an impressive classical rock voice, at
points reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne, with the force of nature that is Andy
Burrows back behind the drum kit, the stellar 4 piece produced an electric set.
Showcasing a softer, more compassionate sound compared to the ragged
punk edge of contemporaries such as The Libertines, Razorlight offer a totally
different energy. They present a lighter, yet equally compelling, set flowing
beautifully with a consistent, hazy punch throughout. Leaning more into
classic rock loaded with a swaggering 1930s prohibition-era sleaze, their back
catalogue of hits which include the infectious ‘Golden Touch’ and ‘Vice’ from
infamous debut album Up All Night (2004), were played to the ever-filling
Leeds arena, which by the time the iconic riff of ‘America’ rang out, was
packed. The band’s rendition of ‘America’ was quite frankly stunning; a hair-
raising, surreal moment pounced upon by the incredibly receptive Leeds
crowd who lit the arena with phone torch fireflies. James clearly has a
competitive streak, literally setting themselves up with an extremely tough act
to follow.

Razorlight’s dynamic set left you wondering if the night had peaked early,
some bands might be intimidated by such a strong opening performance but
having had the pleasure of watching James earlier this year at a smaller
venue in Madrid, I knew of their prowess as a band and it was soon apparent that both acts were brilliant in their own right. The Madchester shape shifting
powerhouse of James have an equally brilliant yet incomparable sound.

For Bradford born lead singer Tim Booth, the performance was a homecoming
of sorts, adding an extra layer of excitement to the evening. The twelve piece
consisting of founding and new members, including violinist Saul Davies,
trumpeter Andy Diagram and backing vocalists from the Manchester Voices
Inspirational Choir. The band’s dynamic rhythm section, with David Baynton-
Power joined by Debbie Knox-Hewson on drums. This combined power and
drive elevated the songs, adding an extra layer of intensity to the
performance.

The first part of the set featured a strong emphasis on the new album, very
well received by the audience. It was evident the crowd were already familiar
with many of the lyrics, singing along enthusiastically. Highlights included the
live debut of new track ‘Butterfly’ with hundreds of butterflies swarming the
screens behind the stage and of course, Tim Booth’s now iconic liquidly fluid
dancing. The first “huge” song to be played was a personal favourite, ‘Getting
Away With It (All Messed Up)’ setting the arena into raptures, just before it
descended into a Hacienda style rave club with the classic opening strains
‘Come Home’ ringing around the arena. There wasn’t a single person left
seated as the crowed ebbed and swayed. This was followed by the equally
anthemic ‘Sometimes’ which kept the club feel and marked the end of the set.
The encore featured perhaps the bands biggest hit ‘Sit Down’ but was
interrupted before the final chorus due to a medical emergency in the crowd.
The audience responded with commendable composure, and the venue’s
efficient handling of the situation allowed for a swift continuation of the
concert. The venue kindly allotted the band extra time in which the crowd’s
empathetic restraints were instantly rewarded by the raptures that followed the
rattling opening chords of fan favourite ‘Laid’.

Booth, stated earlier this year to Channel 4 that him and his band are “Not
nineties musicians but belong now”. Longevity is a luxury not many bands
experience, but this was not the performance of a band of has-beens – a barn
storming night of brilliant new music. James’ new album Yummy (2024),
topped charts becoming their only No 1 album after 42 years in the industry
with their last no 1 single coming in in 1988. Tim Booth has spoken out openly
against ageism in the music industry and when you can make stage diving
look effortlessly cool at the age of 64, he definitely is the man to raise the
issue. He went on to show his disdain for what he called “the once great Radio
One”, the radio station that had promoted Queen, the Beatles and pioneered
Britpop but will no longer play artists over the age of thirty (even when they
are producing new and popular music).

Even though you may say that guitar driven music and bands are no longer in
fashion, 2024 has seen a renaissance in guitar-heavy music with many bands
snatching the number one spot but having limited airtime. While it may be
some time before the habits of certain radio stations change, the new material
of constantly innovative bands like James must not go unnoticed.