News

Today’s Album of the Day on the excellent BBC 6 Music is Laid.  Tracks from the album will be featured on programs throughout the day, so do tune in.

The album has also been given a fresh review on their site by Ian Wade for the occasion.

“James’ masterpiece from 1993 marked the beginning of their work with Brian Eno.

By the time of this fifth album, Radio 1 was holding James Days and the band had graduated to football ground-sized shows, while stateside they were supporting the likes of Neil Young.

Another sign of their status the arrival of Brian Eno as producer — Laid is the first of several collaborations between man and band. His presence was made perfectly clear when James’ sixth album, Wah Wah, collected textural and ambient pieces and improvisational jams from the Laid sessions.

But this set was one of solid songwriting, showcasing James at their finest, relaxing into their own skins.”

You can read (and comment on) the full review here, and listen live to 6 Music via their homepage.

The band will have a full weekend of festival performances in Portugal later this month, with a headline slot at Feira de São Mateus now confirmed for Saturday 20th August, in between the Cascais and Funchal appearances.

Tickets are on sale now from the venue box office – it is a council-sponsored event so the price is a rather reasonable 5 €…!

After a long absence, the band will finally return to Spain this October to headline FIZ 2011 – Festival de Música Independiente de Zaragoza.

Fiz is an intimate festival with a capacity of just 5000, which will be held at Auditorio de Zaragoza on 1st October.  James will be on stage around midnight.

Tickets are on sale now, please see the live page for ticketing links.

The new date for Thessaloniki has now been confirmed – James will play at Paok Sports Arena on Tuesday 4th October.  Tickets will be on sale shortly from ticketarena.gr.

We’re very sorry to have to confirm that the second day of 2310 Festival in Thessaloniki, which the band were scheduled to headline this Thursday 7/7, has had to be cancelled due to general strike action in Greece.

James were very much looking forward to this show and we apologise on behalf of the band to all the fans who were planning to attend.

There is some good news though…  We’ll be announcing a new James date in Thessaloniki as soon as we have it confirmed – the show should be in October, so please keep an eye on the site for details.

Refunds for the 2310 tickets are available from point of purchase.

Due to the overwhelming demand for tickets this morning, an additional show has been added for Friday 28th October at the Liverpool Philharmonic – on sale now.  V.I.P. packages plus a small number of standard tickets available here.  Standard tickets priced from £22.50 – £45 available from gigsandtours.com and others.

The general sale for the very special tour this autumn ~ with Orchestra of the Swan & the choir from The Manchester Consort, conducted & arranged by UK composer Joe Duddell ~ commences today at 9:30am.

You can read all about the tour, and check out some great photos of James and Joe from their first collaboration, in the mailer we sent out earlier this week – if you’re not on the list you can view it online here.  Sign up on the home page if you want to be the first to know next time.

Please see the Live page for the full itinerary as well as a range of ticketing links and telephone numbers for each show.  Good luck.

This autumn, an idea and creative ambition the band have long harboured is finally coming to fruition. James will be touring the UK, playing at many of the country’s most beautiful and prestigious classical venues, with a full orchestra and choir.

‘Do something out of character…’

With the help of renowned UK composer & conductor Joe Duddell, the band are enthusiastically delving deep into the back catalogue selecting songs to adapt for orchestra and choir, many of which they haven’t performed in years.

‘…Something you’ve never done before’

The idea of touring with a full orchestra was conceived in 2009 when the band collaborated to magnificent effect with Duddell & the BBC Philharmonic for the Manchester Versus Cancer benefit concert at M.E.N. Arena.

Unfinished business

The band had a ball (as anyone who witnessed the ear to ear smiles all ‘round will attest) and the set, which included both oldies and goldies – from Fairground and Hymn From A Village, to Don’t Wait That Long, Waltzing Along, and She’s a Star, as well as a simply stunning cover of Joy Division’s Atmosphere — went down a storm. The seeds were sown.

It’s all about translation

Speaking of their progress with fellow Mancunian Duddell, the band revealed, “It’s a bit more gritty than you would expect from a classical collaboration and it has a Northern edge!” Booth adds, “The arrangements are really different, our songs are open-ended which is anathema to an orchestra.” Duddell remarks, “James never play the same song twice so the orchestra has had to adjust.” What makes it work is that James have become part of the orchestra itself.

We proudly present

Organising a tour of this nature is not for the faint of heart, and at times we feared it would never come together. But the band were passionate about the idea and persevered, and we are thrilled to finally be able to announce that this October James will hit the road accompanied by Joe Duddell, the highly acclaimed 22-piece Orchestra of the Swan, and a 16-piece choir from The Manchester Consort, for nine very special concerts across mainland Britain:

• Sun 23 Oct ~ Cardiff ~ Wales Millennium Centre
• Mon 24 Oct ~ Birmingham ~ Symphony Hall
• Tue 25 Oct ~ Glasgow ~ Royal Concert Hall
• Thu 27 Oct ~ Nottingham ~ Royal Concert Hall
• Sat 29 Oct ~ Liverpool ~ Philharmonic Hall
• Mon 31 Oct ~ Manchester ~ Bridgewater Hall
• Tue 1 Nov ~ Manchester ~ Bridgewater Hall
• Wed 2 Nov ~ Gateshead ~ The Sage
• Fri 4 Nov ~ London ~ Royal Albert Hall

There is an exclusive fan pre-sale for subscribers to the wearejames.com mailing list beginning at 9:30am on this Wednesday (29th) – if you subscribe please check  our most recent communique for the link.

We will again be offering a very limited number of V.I.P. packages, which include access to a portion of the soundcheck and a short Q&A session with the band, Joe Duddell, and the musical participants. These will be available through our own ticketing shop on Friday morning if they haven’t sold out during the pre-sale.

Sale to the general public begins on Friday 1st July at 9:30am and tickets will be available from gigsandtours.com and other vendors.

The tour this October is quite likely a once in a lifetime experience – for band and fan alike – and we hope you will be there to share and enjoy it with us.

Longtime James supporters Absolute Radio are set up in Hyde Park for the weekend and will be broadcasting live throughout the festival.  We’ve been advised James will definitely feature on the two hour highlights program on Sunday night from 8 – 10pm, and possibly the Saturday night round-up after Bon Jovi’s set too (latter end of 7 – 11pm).  

There will also be an interview with the whole band on the Hometime Show this evening between 5:30 and 6pm.

Tune in on 105.8FM in London, DAB and 1215AM Nationwide, or you can listen online from further afield.

Please note, the stage time for tonight has been moved forward slightly and the band will now take the stage at 5:45pm for a one hour set.

We are pleased to announce we have now confirmed the band’s only Scottish festival appearance for 2011, a headline performance at the tenth annual Wickerman Festival, held near Dundrennan in the southwest of the country.

This alternative festival, often likened to a mini-Glastonbury, is set in a natural amphitheatre amongst the rolling hills of Dumfries and Galloway.  It is a particularly family-friendly event, and offers regular camping facilities as well as luxury tipis for hire, and excellent access for campervans (including electrical hookup for an additional fee) so you can bring the family and be sure of a comfortable weekend whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at you.

The festival takes place over two days, with James closing the Friday night (22nd July), with support over the course of the weekend from a diverse range of bands including The Coral, Echo & The Bunnymen, the Noisettes, The Damned, and hotly tipped singer-songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff, rounded off by a set from Feeder on the Saturday. 

There will also be a giant wicker man set alight at midnight, reenacting the infamous scene in the 1973 horror movie which lent its title to the festival and was filmed in the area.

Jim had this to say of the event: “We’ve heard great things about Wickerman and it’s a joy and a privilege to be playing the festival on its 10th Anniversary. Over the years we have enjoyed incredible support from the Scots and have shared in some unforgettable concerts. As our only festival appearance north of the border this year, we expect a party!”

Tickets are on sale now – see the live page for ticketing links – priced at £90 for the weekend for adults 16 and over, and £45 for 13 – 15 year olds, with those 12 and under (accompanied by a paying adult) going FREE of charge.  For those of you who prefer to maintain a certain degree of comfort and hygiene over camping weekends, you can pre-book unlimited access to hot showers for £8, but you’re advised to book early as numbers are limited.

Hope to see you there!