As part of this year’s events at Colchester’s Lower Castle Park, Out of Time delivered a spectacular night of music, headlined by indie legends James. The bill also featured unforgettable support sets from The Lightning Seeds and Happy Mondays, making for an evening packed with iconic performances.
Despite grappling with technical issues throughout, The Lightning Seeds delivered a joyous set that felt worthy of a higher place on the bill. Opening with Marvellous, its slow-building intro made for the perfect scene-setter, before the band powered through a string of classics, from Pure to The Life of Riley. Decades on from the breakthrough success of the former, Ian Broudie’s vocals remain as assured and distinctive as ever. And when he stepped forward to let his guitar work take centre stage, it served as a welcome reminder of just how underrated a musician he is.
Happy Mondays have undergone a major lineup change recently, and it’s fair to say it hasn’t been universally welcomed. The departure of beloved vocalist Rowetta left many fans skeptical about how the band would fare on stage. Kicking off with Kinky Afro, they leaned heavily on their greatest hits, with the spotlight often falling on Bez, whose trademark dancing and crowd interactions kept the energy high. Musically, the band still sounded as tight and familiar as ever, though Shaun Ryder’s vocals at times struggled to keep pace. New addition Firouzeh Razavi slotted in comfortably, confidently tackling the songs, but while technically strong, it's an impossible task for anyone to replace the unique distinctive power and presence that made Rowetta such an integral part of the Mondays’ sound.
Most bands would launch into a Friday night set with an instant crowd-pleaser, but James have never been a band to follow convention. Instead, they chose to ease the audience in with a spellbinding rendition of Five-O. Its brooding intro built with intensity as bassist Jim Glennie and violist Saul Davies locked into one another, their urgent playing setting the tone before the track unravelled and eventually folded back in on itself. The glorious Seven followed, its soaring melodies perfectly suited to the warmth of the summer evening, before the mood shifted with the pounding, synth-fuelled energy of Come Home.
After teasing the prospect of a brand-new track, frontman Tim Booth instead threw the crowd a curveball, launching into one of James’s oldest numbers, Johnny Yen. Despite its longevity in their setlists, the band continue to inject it with a freshness that shines through both the instrumentation and Tim’s delivery. True to form, it provoked a raucous reaction from the crowd - a high point that many acts would struggle to follow. Yet James did so with ease, opting for contrast rather than competition, bringing the tempo right down for a tender rendition of Way Over Your Head.
As the twinkling synths of Leviathan filled the park, a wide grin spread across Tim’s face as he made his way straight to the barrier, dancing among the front rows, clasping a fan’s hand before balancing on the rail itself. It’s moments like this that set James apart - their ability to dissolve the line between stage and audience, treating that connection as the heart of their performance. Clearly revelling in the exchange, he remained offstage for Say Something and Getting Away With It (All Messed Up), turning the set into a shared celebration between band and crowd.
After two huge crowd-pleasers, the band shifted gears with Out to Get You - its tender lyrics delivered with raw emotion by Tim and Chloe Alper, underscored by Saul’s gorgeous violin lines. The hauntingly beautiful Shadow Of A Giant followed, opening with Chloe’s ethereal vocals, made all the more affecting by the picturesque backdrop of the castle grounds. The mood lingered with Attention, anchored by Mark Hunter’s intricate keyboard textures. What began as a restrained, almost meditative performance gradually erupted into a soaring climax - a perfect example of James’s experimental spirit and their unwavering commitment to evolving their sound.
Drawn from one of the band’s most experimental records, Living in Extraordinary Times, Heads has quickly established itself as a live favourite. Its thunderous, climactic beat and impassioned vocals channel a pointed critique of U.S. politics - a message that feels more relevant now than ever. Instrumentally, it’s a rich tapestry of sound, with Andy Diagram’s electronic trumpet effects adding texture and Adrian Oxaal’s cello deepening the tension. It’s a tough act to follow, but James managed it with characteristic ease, pivoting into the uplifting Tomorrow. Driven by Saul’s acoustic guitar, the song soared from its very first notes, made even more radiant by Andy’s jubilant trumpet lines - a reminder of why it remains one of the most beautiful and enduring songs in their catalogue.
As the show approached its finale, James rolled into Sit Down. Normally kicked off by David Baynton-Power’s commanding drum intro, technical issues forced a change, but the band adapted seamlessly, opening instead with Mark Hunter’s delicate keyboard lines. One of their signature anthems, Sit Down combines an irresistible singalong chorus with some of Tim’s most heartfelt lyrics. Performing from the barrier, Tim connected directly with fans who have grown up with the song, creating a moment that was both celebratory and deeply intimate. The main set closed with Laid, a lively number that clearly brought joy to the band as much as the crowd. With Chloe, Debbie Knox-Hewson, and Tim dancing freely across the stage, grins all around, it was evident that James still relish performing the track, even decades after its release.
The sole track from All The Colours Of You in the set, Beautiful Beaches, has become a live favourite despite not being a major single - and it’s easy to see why, given the rapturous response it always receives. Juxtaposing poignant lyrics about people displaced by Californian wildfires with an irresistible melody and singalong chorus, the song built to a stunning finale: Chloe delivering soft, hushed spoken-word vocals, while Dave and Debbie engaged in an epic drum exchange.
With the crowd enthusiastically singing along to every word, Sometimes proved the perfect choice for the open-air setting, as the evening’s triumphant finale approached. The band closed the show with Sound - an unconventional but masterfully executed choice. Known for its extended runtime and improvisational sections, Sound allowed the band to play off one another seamlessly, culminating in Andy making his way to the barrier for a soaring solo. James’s cohesion as a live unit was on full display, particularly in the moments when Tim looked around the stage in awe, clearly revelling in the musical synergy with his bandmates.
Out Of Time was a celebration of enduring artistry, connection, and joy. From the finely tuned classics of The Lightning Seeds and the spirited, if slightly altered, energy of Happy Mondays, to James’s masterclass in both musicianship and showmanship, the evening offered something for every fan.
James' official website can be found here. They are on Facebook and Twitter. Some of the band - Tim, Andy and Dave - are also on Twitter.
We also run the One Of The Three James archive, the most detailed resource for information about the band, and the site also has a Facebook and Twitter page.
TimBoothLyricADay, whose posts often lead to Tim explaining his thought processes behind the lyrics, can be found on Twitter and Facebook
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