I never thought I'd get to see James live.

I never thought I'd get to see James live. Not only had they officially broken up a few years ago, but even before that they had very little to do with the US in terms of promotion and touring, so I was thrilled to see that they were coming to town. I only have one friend that has really shared a love of that band with me, and I tried to get her to fly in from out of state to see the show with me, but it just wasn't going to work out logistically and financially. I did have one other friend that was going to the show, but for some reason I kind of felt like going alone, which is actually very unlike me. I suppose it's because James has always been a band that was (with that one exception) pretty much just mine, as far as my friends were concerned, and so I felt like it was more appropriate to be solo for the concert as well. Considering what a wonderful experience I had that night, I think I probably made the right decision.

Many concerts I've seen have a very clear feeling of distinction between the performers and the audience, the observers and the observed. Even when an artist tries to interact with the crowd, it takes a certain skill and/or type of person to be able to break that barrier, and make the audience feel like they're really connected with the performer as an actual person, both sharing the same experience. James, and in particular Tim Booth, was able to create that connection more effectively than any performer at any other show I've ever seen.

The set started with with Tim and the guitarist (Saul?) in the middle of the crowd singing "Sit Down", and walking up to the stage as they played. It was a pleasant confusion not knowing where the music was coming from right away. The audience felt like a whole; all of us trying to figure it out - quickly letting each other know what was happening - all turning towards that central point where Tim and Saul had seemed to appear. It served to immediately break the fourth wall of the performance, and so from the very first note there was a feeling of being involved in the concert.

The next song was the gorgeous "Out To Get You", and it was performed sweetly and beautifully. After it was over, Tim paused to greet the crowd. He asked for a minute to talk to us, which immediately indicated that this was going to be something other than the usual "HELLO SEATTLE!" type of greeting. He then told us a story about his experience of playing a show just after his dad died a number of years ago; he talked about how bad that evening felt, and that in retrospect he felt that it was mostly because he didn't let the audience know what had happened. It's obvious that performing is a meaningful and personal thing for him, but during that show he felt disconnected from the music, from the crowd, and from the experience. He said that he didn't want that to happen again, so he wanted to let us know that a few hours before our show he'd gotten a call informing him that his mom had had a stroke. There was of course an immediate reaction of shock and sadness from the crowd, but he assured us that he was ok, and that we'd still have a good time together. But he wanted us to understand that if he seemed a bit emotional or off-balance, that it was because of that call. He then told us a little about his mom; that she was quite old, and that she had been living in a nursing home for some time. He said that the lyrics for the song they were about to perform, "Tell Her I Said So", were co-written with his mother about her experience of the last few years, and of her changing views of what it would mean to die. The repeated theme in part of that song is the line "Here's to a long life, here's to a long life", and Tim asked if we would help him to sing that part in particular. It was deeply moving, and I felt very emotionally connected to him and to the performance as I helped to sing that refrain.

It seemed moving for him as well, especially based on what happened during the next song they played, "Say Something", which is essentially a song about asking for emotional support and connection. Tim was walking along the stage, and people in the front row were reaching their hands towards the stage like usual. Fairly early in the song he walked over towards stage right, took the hand of one guy from the audience and held it tightly. He ended up holding this fan's hand for the rest of the song. Holding it like it was an important thing, like it was a meaningful connection. Again, it made me feel very much connected; this anonymous man represented us as a whole, and it felt like the crowd was holding Tim's hand.

The set list was great. James has such a large repertoire that there are dozens of songs I'd have liked to see performed live, but I was happy with the selections they made. Of course the new album was given preferential treatment with 4 songs, but out of 19 songs that's hardly the lion's share. At one point Tim asked rather sincerely if we were having a good time, since the set they had decided on wasn't just a collection of their big radio hits; he said that they try to make the set fit the city, and they felt like Seattle was a good candidate for the more esoteric set. This, of course, quite pleased our elitist sensibilities. :)

The highlights for me were "Ring The Bells", "Sound", and the absolutely wonderful rendition of "Sometimes" during the encore. During that song there was a period of crowd-only singing of the chorus, which was really powerful. The audience was so very into the show, and feeling so high from the performance, that it felt like everyone was putting all of themselves into the song. When you have a large group of people giving their full, synchronized energy to something, it creates a palpable, and for me, almost spiritual feeling; it's like feeling waves of energy crashing around the venue, washing over and through everyone.

The final song was "Gold Mother", which was always a track I could take or leave. They did a good job of it, though, and pulled some of the audience up on stage to dance for the last few minutes, making the crowd feel involved in the show right up until the end.

I had a wonderful time. I hope that I'll have more opportunities to see James in concert in the future, but if that ends up being the only time, I couldn't be happier with the experience.

Review of "A Tale of Two Cities"

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As one reviewer stated after watching "The Wrath of Khan": "Now that was more like it". My opinion of Dickens is restored from the blow it took after "A Christmas Carol" ("Star Trek: The Motion Picture", in this analogy).

Like all Dickens I've read, it had that bombastic nature that characterizes a lot of English literature of the time. This tends to make the characters slightly unbelievable, as they are at any time utterly consumed by a single emotion or state of being. That said, this book has some of the most evocative passages I've ever read, particularly when it comes to describing the feeling and character of a society as a whole. I loved the personification of the cities and social classes as individuals.

I was also extremely impressed by Dickens' even-handed view of the French Revolution. He neither glorified nor denounced it, and he neither shied away from the horrors and insanity that characterized it nor discounted its importance and inevitability. He showed it as important, just, and horrific.

Something I always appreciate about Dickens is the fact that he'll inject humor into the most depressing and terrible situations, and will inject subtle horror and discomfort into otherwise light and funny passages. He reminds me of a mid-19th century David Sedaris - or, to be fair, I suppose I should say that in that way David Sedaris reminds me of a modern Dickens. You find yourself simultaneously laughing and disturbed.

My friend referred to this book as funny - personally I think that the word "droll" was all but invented for Charles Dickens.

Plus, as a Star Trek fan, I now hold a deeper appreciation of Star Trek II, which was book-ended by the opening and closing lines of "A Tale of Two Cities"! Only now do I truly appreciate Spock's sacrifice...



View all my reviews

Learned tonight while running

Tonight I learned many things while exercising:

1) If you clip your keys to the inside of your waistband, don't wear thin Jockey shorts.

2) Many people don't understand that running along an unlit path, at night, without a safety light, without reflectors, dressed in all dark gray or black, will make you hard to see. Remember that SNL Weekend Update skit from the 70s where Dan Aykroyd played the slimy Halloween costume maker, with costumes like a bag of oily rags and a lighter called "Johnny Human Torch"? There was one that was just an all black jumpsuit and hood called "The Invisible Pedestrian", which apparently is making a big comeback. (My favorite, by the way, was the bag of broken glass. I don't think it even had a name.)

3) Sometimes more even-paced music can help you get into a groove better than really hyper/hard music. I was zoning out to Joy Division for miles, and that is definitely not the band I would usually pick for a kick-ass cardio workout soundtrack.

4) Seriously, about the keys thing. Ouch.