JAMES // SLESSOR GARDEN'S, DUNDEE
The Dundee Summer Sessions in the city’s Slessor Gardens are beginning to establish themselves as a must attend event that pulls fans from across the country. This year’s headliners James and Bastille proved a big draw with large crowds attending both days.
★★★★★ (5/5)
JAMES PERFORMING AT DUNDEE’S SLESSOR GARDENS
PHOTOCREDIT: GRAEME WHITE
Friday’s action was kicked off by a lively Arms Against, Tom A Smith, a man identified for stardom by none other than Sir Elton John and Birmingham groovers, The Clause. They set the stage for the better known Razorlight and James, the crowd building as the evening progressed.
Indie rockers Razorlight were one of Britain’s most popular band’s in the mid noughties with their eponymous album giving the band a number one single and 3 top 50s. They kicked their set off with one of their first singles ‘Rip it Up’, but it was their number 3 single ‘In the Morning’ that got the crowd belting out the lyrics.
The band is led by singer and guitarist, Jonny Borrell, with Björn Ågren on guitar, bass player Carl Delemo, drummer Andy Burrows and multi-instrumentalist, Reni Lane. Together their performance is immaculate, showcasing the bands musicality and lyricism. They have a great back catalogue and shared fourteen songs with the crowd. At their heart they are a guitar driven rock band but their style varies from the 60’s vibe of ‘In the City’, the jazzy ‘Los Angeles Waltz’ and the jangly guitar ‘Somewhere Else’.
The crowd and band had great fun bouncing along to ‘Good Night’ and shouting out the lyrics of ‘Before I Fall to Pieces’ before the set climaxed with the feel good number one single, ‘America’ introduced by Johnny as a song where “We attempted to right a rock song but wrote a pop song by accident!”.
That was the set and the crowd roared its approval as the band left the stage.
The excitement built as the stage was reset for 90s indie rockers James and with a band of 9 multi-instrumentalists there was a crowd of experienced roadies scurrying across the stage to turn the set around. Set up in 1982, the band is best known as playing a key role in the 90s Madchester scene and had 4 number ones in the decade.
Cheers go up as the band takes to the stage, confident and cool, they stationed themselves by their instruments ready for the off. The crowd noise raised to a new level as showman and shaman, Tim Booth arrived. The set began with Booth growling the lyrics of ‘Sound’. Ape your father's sins, your mother's mood swings/To perfection/ Fall into a spin, shed another skin /Strip away all your protection accompanied by the super tight band with trumpet guru Andy Diagram’ unique sound setting the tone for an immense gig. The super hooky chorus howl was belted out by the Dundee crowd.
Tim originally joined the band as a dancer which is hugely plain as his sinuous movements, he’s a devotee of 5Rythm, took centre stage for ‘Isabella’.
The band’s next song ‘Waltzing Along’ saw Booth leave the stage and climb up onto the pit barrier, supported by his passionate fans, in a sea of camera phones. It was obvious that both Tim and the audience loved every minute.
THE CROWD AT DUNDEE’S SLESSOR GARDENS
PHOTOCREDIT: GRAEME WHITE
With Booth’s magnetic personality and amazing showmanship, it’s possible to overlook the rest of this extraordinary band. The other members are founder member, Jim Glennie, bass guitar, Adrian Oxaal, lead guitar and cello, David Baynton-Power drums, Saul Davies, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, violin, percussion, Mark Hunter, keyboards, piano and programming, fascinator wearing Andy Diagram on trumpet and percussion, Chloe Alper on guitar and drums. All the band provided backing vocals.
Each song had a distinct flavour, trance, dance and rock were melded all with the James signature sound. After dancing through the next three songs the crowd erupted when an acoustic version of the band’s ‘She’s a Star’ started. The song showcased Tim’s extraordinary vocal range. The Dundee crowd choir joined in full voice.
The band dedicated their next song, ‘Out to Get You’ to Sinead O’Conner who passed away in the days before the gig. They then played a song not normally on their set list, ‘I Defeat’ which Sinead sang on with Tim. It was a lovely moment.
The spell was broken by the horns as the band moved into ‘Tomorrow’ the crowd favourite ‘Sit Down’. Booth is an excellent front man and he held the crowd in the palm of his hand building the excitement track after track. He praised their singing as “Drunk but beautiful”.
An 80s synth and thumping bass introduced the next song, ‘Beautiful Beaches’, a great showcase for the band’s musicianship and amazing singing with 9 differently textured voices harmonising in the chorus.
As the night drew in, Booth donned his coat, put his hood up and the whole band launched into ‘Ring the Bells’ and a party broke out on stage. The band sharing the crowd’s excitement dancing and leaping across the stage. It was infectious.
Booth told the crowd that the band were doing away with the whole walking off the stage to come back for an encore thing, but would get on with the last few songs. Each song got a better reception than the last. With ‘Sometimes’, and ‘Come Home’ acting as a launching pad, the night was completed by the raucous ‘Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)’. A huge roar went up at the finishing chord. A great night that will be long remembered.
JAMES PERFORMING AT DUNDEE’S SLESSOR GARDENS
PHOTOCREDIT: GRAEME WHITE