After witnessing James put on one of the most energetic, engaging and amazing shows I have seen in a long while, I left the Showbox wondering why they're not much more than a one-hit wonder in the United States. Many fans packed the Green Room, the bar attached to the Showbox, before the show to get out of the rain, grab drinks, and reminisce with fellow fans about James in their prime. They are best known for their early '90s hit "Laid," a fact alluded to by the "Get Laid" t-shirts for sale at the merch table. Their live show hasn't lost a step since the '90s. Crowd interaction and a poignant sense of purpose made this a show to remember. James swung through Seattle in support of their two new mini-albums The Morning After and The Night Before. Fellow Brit singer/songwriter, Ed Harcourt, opened.
Ed, taking the stage in a dapper black dress coat, looked and sounded sharp as he kicked off the set with just his pitch perfect voice and his piano. He was then joined by a bassist and drummer to flesh out his sound. Ed seamlessly switched between piano and guitar. One of the most interesting aspects of his set was his use of three different microphones. One was just a regular mic, another was set up with a psychedelic echo/reverb effect, and the third was an old-time broadcast mic. The echo/reverb microphone created an illusion of background vocals while the broadcast mic added some grit to Harcourt's smooth singing voice. The highlights of Harcourt's set were largely cuts from his amazing new album, Lustre. The beautifully created soundscape of "Haywired," the piano-based blues rock of "Heart of A Wolf" and the musical heartache of "Killed By the Morning Sun" all demanded the audience's full attention.
At the beginning of James' set, the audience was surprised to turn and see lead vocalist, Tim Booth, standing on a barricade towards the back of the main floor singing the chorus of "Sit Down" with recorded accompaniment. As he made his way through the crowd, the band took the stage ready to kick into the full band version as Booth took his spot, front and center.
They began the set with what is usually the last song of their evenings, for good reason. After the song, Booth informed the audience that he had to get something off his chest. About ten to fifteen years ago, Booth's dad died and he never shared the fact with the audiences at their shows. He held it in and, as a result, the next four shows were sub-par as Booth dealt with his loss. He informed us that a couple of hours before the show he received word that his mom, who is 90, suffered a stroke. This took the audience by shock and surprise, hitting us hard. It's the horrible news that everyone dreads hearing and news no one ever expects to hear at a rock concert. With resolve he declared that James were going to put on a great show.
All seven members were musically spot on. As they flawlessly crafted the intricate, complex musical arrangements, Booth transferred a large amount of surplus energy to the crowd by what I can only describe as spaz-dancing along to the music. I swear, at times, he reminded me of Michael Stipe.
Multi-instrumentalist Saul Davies was constantly bolting around the stage. From the drums to guitars, violin and other percussion, he pulled everything off with ease. The band brought out cowbells as accompaniment on "Hymn From A Village." The new tunes sounded great even though they didn't focus on them as much as I thought they would. They played a couple from each album. Booth introduced "Tell Her I Said So" by mentioning he co-wrote the lyrics with his mom. The repeated lyric "here's to a long life," held special, added weight on this night. "Dust Motes" offered a slower ballad while "It's Hot" offered a more musically upbeat and fast-paced performance. All these songs proved to the audience that James' song writing is as strong as ever.
Lead guitarist Larry Gott kicked off "Stutter" with a lone distorted guitar riff. The full band joined in turning in one of the heaviest numbers of the night. The first chords of "Laid" coming through the speakers whipped the crowd into a frenzy, and the whole place turned into a party. Everyone sang along at the top of their lungs.
The last song of the night Booth dedicated to his mother. For "Gold Mother" he invited seven dancers up on stage. The whole main floor and most of the bar area was moving along as the night wrapped up. Out of all the musical acts I have been fortunate enough to see, James is one of the best when it comes to audience interaction and participation. As the audience left the Showbox, I'm sure the thoughts of many crowd members, including myself, were with Mr. Booth and his mother. All while still trying to process the great show we were fortunate to attend. Our thoughts are with you, Tim. Thank you for putting your all into this show.
