Shooting Our Mouths Off

At Mexico’s Corona Festival, James closed their five-date Latin American tour with a set that felt like a story coming full circle. Each song unfolded like a chapter – some soaring, some tender, all delivered with the grace and urgency of a band cherishing its final moments on this side of the world.

At festivals, bands tend to launch straight into something high-tempo to fire up the crowd – but not James. They stepped onto the stage and opened with ‘Five-O‘, letting Saul’s exquisite violin introduction cast a spell over the audience. It was so captivating it could have played on endlessly. Though the song may not be one of their chart-toppers, it remains a beloved favourite among fans worldwide. ‘Tomorrow’ followed, its current live form still soaring and drawing a gorgeous reaction from the crowd. Driven by Saul on acoustic guitar, the song has always featured a beautifully vulnerable vocal from Tim, but the added harmonies from him and Chloe – paired with the electric, almost intertwined energy of Saul and Jim playing side by side – elevated it even further.

‘Born of Frustration‘ soundtracked Tim’s first venture into the crowd that evening, thousands of voices rising with him to deliver the iconic “woo” vocal in perfect unison. The song felt fresher than ever, thanks in part to Andy’s soaring trumpet lines, which provide a layer of jubilance. Before launching into ‘Way Over Your Head‘, Tim explained that now that the band and crowd had been properly introduced, it was time for something new. With lyrics that hit straight to the heart and an outro that often stretches depending on the crowd’s response – which, as always, was full of enthusiasm – the Yummy track landed beautifully. Vibrant visuals of butterflies fluttering across the screen behind them lifted the performance even higher.

Introduced by Tim as a song about the “fucking chaos that’s going on in North America”, ‘Heads‘ somehow landed with even more force than usual. Its opening – several band members clapping in unison – set the perfect stage for vocals that bordered on shouts, reverberating as they channelled all the frustration and anger bound up in the song’s subject matter. Dave and Hannah were absolute powerhouses, delivering pummelling beats that drove the track’s urgency, while Saul’s violin and Adrian’s cello added a dark, menacing edge.

In stark contrast, ‘Shadow of a Giant‘ slowed the pace, offering a delicate moment that most bands might shy away from at a festival. But James aren’t most bands, and taking risks is something they embrace. Tim and Chloe sat as Mark’s tender piano intro filled the air, their voices intertwining beautifully – hers high, his low – during the opening lines. Saul added more of his stunning violin work, a highlight in a year already full of memorable performances from the so-called “reluctant violinist.” Gradually, the song’s tempo lifted, drawing the crowd on a sonic journey as the beat kicked in, before reaching a triumphant climax with another spellbinding vocal collaboration. ‘Out to Get You’ followed, pairing perfectly. Though a slower, more introspective track on Laid, it comes alive in a live setting, with Mark’s melodica setting the tone before a furious collision of drums, guitar, and violin unleash pure chaos, building to a moment that feels like the end of everything – then vanishes in an instant.

Though inspired by the dark reality of people fleeing their homes during the Californian wildfires, ‘Beautiful Beaches‘ carries a deceptively jolly melody that gets everyone moving. The energy peaked when Tim made his way to the barrier, eventually crowd-surfing and disappearing into the sea of fans as the lights dimmed for Hannah and Dave’s epic drum battle. Barely a beat later, the band plunged into ‘Sound’, with the audience roaring as Tim delivered the opening verse through a megaphone, before Adrian’s slide guitar rippled through the song with tense, thrilling precision. A perfect demonstration of the band’s improvisational chemistry, ‘Sound’ is a track that especially showcases Andy’s trumpet skills – and he certainly delivered, performing his solo from atop the PA stack. A feat he’s only attempted once before, back at the same festival in 2010. Some might say he was destined to climb that PA stack!

‘Laid’ hit with its usual jubilant rush, setting the stage for the night’s finale. Then came ‘Sit Down’, a communal anthem that united every corner of the crowd in song and celebration. It was a euphoric closing to James’ Latin American tour, a moment where the energy of the band and fans collided in pure, uncontainable joy.