Shooting Our Mouths Off

For one night only, two of Manchester’s finest exports, James and The Charlatans, shared the stage at a sold-out Liverpool Echo Arena – a dream double bill that had been heavily rumoured following hints from both The Charlatans’ frontman Tim Burgess and James bassist Jim Glennie.

Opening proceedings were The Charlatans, fresh from the critical acclaim surrounding their twelfth studio album, Modern Nature. Launching into the bass-driven ‘Weirdo‘, the band delivered a set packed with career highlights, effortlessly blending fan favourites such as ‘North Country Boy‘ and ‘The Only One I Know‘ with newer material including the uplifting ‘So Oh‘ and ‘Come Home Baby‘. Despite emerging from the early 90s indie explosion, their songs remain as vibrant and essential as ever, while Modern Nature proved they are still capable of creating music that feels both fresh and timeless.

The long-teased collaboration between Tim Burgess and James frontman Tim Booth finally arrived towards the end of The Charlatans’ set, as the latter and James trumpeter Andy Diagram were welcomed onstage for a cover of Echo & The Bunnymen’s ‘Rescue’. With “Team Tim” sharing vocal duties, the chemistry between the musicians was undeniable, leaving fans wondering whether this would be the last collaboration of the evening. The Charlatans brought their set to a euphoric close with the beloved ‘Sproston Green’, sending the arena into a frenzy before handing over to the headliners.

It had been a remarkable year for James, whose latest album Girl At The End Of The World reached number two in the UK charts earlier that year. After extensive touring across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the Liverpool show marked the final date of their 2016 campaign, and they ended the year in typically spectacular fashion.

From the opening notes of ‘Waltzing Along’, the band had the crowd completely captivated, with a huge singalong erupting before Tim Booth had even delivered the first lyric. While classics such as ‘Come Home’ and ‘Ring The Bells’ received the biggest reactions, James once again proved they are far more than a nostalgia act. Tracks from Girl At The End Of The World translated brilliantly to the live stage, from the politically charged ‘To My Surprise’ – dedicated to Donald Trump – to the euphoric, sprawling brilliance of ‘Attention‘.

Driven by Mark Hunter’s atmospheric keyboards, ‘Attention‘ showcased the remarkable chemistry at the heart of James, building layer upon layer before erupting into a moment of pure emotion. Equally captivating was a reimagined version of ‘Five-O‘, which featured an extended violin solo from multi-instrumentalist Saul Davies, while Tim sat in front of David Baynton-Power’s drum kit, seemingly taking in the extraordinary musicianship around him.

As expected, Tim’s connection with the audience remained at the centre of the performance. He first broke through the barrier during ‘Surfer’s Song’, crowd surfing just three songs into the set, before later wandering through the seated section during ‘Born Of Frustration’, dancing among fans as Andy delivered a soaring trumpet solo from across the arena. Yet James’ live appeal extends far beyond spectacle. Their performances are built on genuine emotion and vulnerability, with intimate moments including an acoustic ‘She’s a Star’, the poignant ‘Moving On’ and the beautifully understated ‘Feet of Clay’ proving just as powerful as their biggest anthems.

James wasted little time returning for the encore, with Tim joking that the band wanted to squeeze in as many songs as possible before the 11pm curfew. Huge singalongs erupted for ‘Just Like Fred Astaire’, ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Laid’, the latter featuring another collaboration as Tim Burgess returned to the stage alongside The Charlatans guitarist Mark Collins.

The night concluded with ‘Nothing But Love’, the second single from Girl At The End Of The World. Despite being less than a year old, the song already felt like a live staple, inspiring a sea of arms waving in unison as confetti rained down from the ceiling and covered a band still operating at the very top of their game.

One Night Only delivered exactly what its title promised: two remarkable sets from two legendary bands at their absolute best. It may have been a one-off event, but for everyone lucky enough to witness it, it was a night that will live long in the memory.