Shooting Our Mouths Off

James have had several career-defining moments in Glasgow. In 2022, they paid tribute to one of them by heading to the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh to perform a setlist inspired by their iconic 1998 show at the Barrowlands. On this tour, they performed at the larger venue of the OVO Hydro.

Soundcheck opened with the new song ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’, a perfect slice of pop that had already been aired at the warm-up shows and in Birmingham. ‘Nantucket’ followed and, as it has done each night, sounded a little more polished. It also drew its best reaction so far, with several people dancing along. The final song was ‘Stay’, which Tim introduced as the sister song to ‘Tomorrow’. During the Q&A, one of the most interesting questions concerned Tim’s songwriting and whether the things he writes about have actually happened to him. Spookily, he said that once he has written the lyrics and the song has been released, a line will often later come true, helping him understand where it came from.

Saul and Mark took to the stage first, teasing the opening strains of ‘Tomorrow’ and giving the night an instantly euphoric lift. ‘Waltzing Along’ followed, prompting Tim’s first trip to the barrier. Completing a trio of anthemic singles that had the whole crowd bouncing was ‘I Know What I’m Here For’.

Introduced by Tim as a song addressing the current turmoil in the United States, ‘Heads’ came next. From the outset, it was driven by pounding percussion, later joined by Chloe on a solitary drum, ratcheting up the intensity. Adrian’s low, brooding cello and Andy’s booming trumpet line locked in perfectly with Tim’s impassioned, almost shouted lyrics, underlining the gravity of the issues at its heart. ‘Way Over Your Head’ was the perfect song to follow, offering a moment of quiet introspection. As ever, it delivered a beautiful exchange between Chloe and Tim, the pair singing to one another with striking tenderness.

‘Attention’ and ‘PS’ sat side by side as two of the band’s great journey songs, perfectly capturing the sheer talent onstage. James are so much more than the traditional four-piece of guitarist, bassist, singer and drummer, yet they never sound discordant. Instead, every element compliments the next, allowing the songs to build to extraordinary heights. ‘PS’ in particular delivered a huge moment of improvisation at the end, with Adrian’s guitar and Chloe’s vocals playing off one another, Andy’s trumpet soaring through the air and Saul’s violin positively ablaze.

‘Say Something’ and ‘She’s a Star’ saw Tim leave the stage to sing from the seats. So many questions at VIP soundchecks centre on how much the band mean to people and the role they have played as a constant in their lives, which made it all the more heartwarming to see him continually break down the barrier between artist and fan, whether by dancing with people, holding their hands or singing directly to them. The latter brought a particularly emotional moment, as he sang the closing lines of the song to a woman who was visibly overcome.

‘Five-O’ was next, with Saul’s electrifying, extended violin solo providing the perfect introduction as Tim made his way back to the stage. James are the kind of band who could deliver a sublime show in the plainest of venues, with no production at all, but the visuals and lighting on this tour somehow elevate them even further. ‘Greenpeace’ saw the stage drenched in lasers as Tim and Chloe shared vocals, while Debbie and Dave thundered through the track, making full use of the two-drum-kit setup. ‘Shadow of a Giant’ was another visual triumph, with Chloe seated at the front of the stage beneath a lone spotlight as she delivered the song’s haunting harmonies, before being joined by Saul with his violin. Later, she stepped down onto the walkway, holding hands and singing with fans at the front. Both Chloe and Debbie have now been part of the band for eight years, and it is hard to imagine James without them.

One of the most beloved things about James is the way Tim’s lyrics feel so deeply relatable, making people’s connection to the songs all the more powerful and meaningful. Before ‘Moving On’, he explained that it was for anyone who had lost somebody, adding that many people write to him about how the band have helped them through their grief. Driven by Jim’s bass-line, the poignant track received a huge response and was accompanied by its beautiful stop-motion video, created by BAFTA-winning director Ainslie Henderson. ‘Stay’ followed, serving as the third track from Yummy of the night.

A triple whammy of hits and high-energy tracks brought the main set to a thrilling close: the synth-fuelled ‘Come Home’, which the band had opened with at the last few arena shows, followed by ‘Ring the Bells’ and ‘Getting Away With It’. The latter saw Tim not only make his way to the barrier and climb up with the help of a fan, but then spread his arms and, without hesitation, throw himself into the crowd. He surfed all the way to the back of the standing arena before making his return, even finding time for a brief dance with the crew member shepherding him safely back to the stage.

The two-song encore began with ‘Sometimes’, with Debbie joining the rest of the band at the front of the stage on acoustic guitar. The crowd, already in tremendous voice throughout the night, sang every word, and were it not for time constraints, the euphoric outro could easily have carried on much longer. ‘Laid’ brought the show to a close, with Tim stepping out onto the walkway and encouraging the audience to take over the opening lines. Dave then restarted the instantly recognisable drum intro, allowing Tim to come back in with the first verse himself. It was a playful, joyous end to a perfect night in Glasgow, a city that has supported James ever since their earliest days.