James – Co-op Live, Manchester – 18th April 2026

IT’S COMING HOME

e’re in Manchester for the final night of a tour that’s seeming to become an annual event with James – making hay while the sun shines. A Manchester love-in, with Doves along for the ride, in the city’s newest and hugest area under the umbrella of Love Is The Answer on a Saturday night. What’s not to like?

No holds are barred for LITA’s big production – the trucking lined up around the rear of the building carrying the massive lighting rig and video screens that provide the spectacle such an arena needs. A partisan home crowd is packing in, queues still snaking up and down a half hour before kick off yet there’s some space for grooving along and dancing around the sound desk.

A band and tour that’s noted for changing the setlist every night (Tim’s been heard to self-deprecatingly tease “we fuck around and fuck off“), they maintain the trend of emerging with a low key opening number. Eschewing the explosive release associated with gig openings, instead the Co-op gets filled with the aching flow of Saul Davies violin and some lovely slide from Adrian Oxtall. As if to make up, Tim Booth is immediately challenging the heath & safety measures by the time Five-O has ended and Waltzing Along begun. Making the most of the walkway in the front of stage no man’s land he’s up close and personal with the hardy souls who’ve spent the last few hours making sure they’re at the barrier.

SIT DOWN

The one everyone knows – perhaps changing the band name would help (“who are you going to see tonight?” – “James” – “James who?” – “James – Sit Down“) gets rolled out early doors. A chance to air the lungs and get what’s not quite yet become the albatross around the neck, done and dusted.

Those trademark, tried and trusted James bangers that pepper the set give goosebumps to the goosebumps and have close to twenty thousand on their feet, the brave few on their mates’ shoulders, and arms aired in triumph. Amongst those , Zero is an oasis of calm. “We’re all gonna die, that’s the truth” should be sung with as much gusto as “si’dhan next to me” but gives way to Say Something and a chance for some lucky soul like your pal to earn bragging rights by getting the chance to duet with Tim. A mention in dispatches too for Way Over Your Head; another low key highlight – a lush hymn that’s also deserving of its own communal singlaong.

COMMUNAL

The second wind ticks off the hits that have the Manchester worshippers in full throaty in/out of tune voice. The roots showing with the Nineties Post Punky and electro diversions reaching from Come Home to Tomorrow and a surprise trip way – waay back to Stutter that will have delighted long term James watchers. Closing off the circle they’ve been bringing the story right up to date with the newest Nantucket earning a place in the hallowed run that includes the expected finale.

Sometimes sums up the evening. A giant singalong with Tim crowd surfing again as virtually all the band line up across the front of the stage like an Nineties Madchester E Street band banging out the riff as he returns safely and fully charged from his fourth wall breaking adventures. A moment where James become the outfit that the overused cliche “we’re essentially a live band” was made for.

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