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The return of James in Athens

Their name is in the proposed lives every summer. What is it about those British that they cause so much hysteria?
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Is it luck to go two consecutive nights with James in different cities? Is it worth it to pay 35 or 40 euros to see them every year? Will we ever get bored of listening too Sit Down and Laid? Does the Earth spin?

Some things are constant values and the Greek public appears not to change its mind easily. After their reunification, the group appeared Saturday for the third time in Athens, in the indoor Tae Kwon Do stadium in an explosive sold out show.

The evening had many differences from that in Patra. The most basic was clearly more space, and therefore more people, more quantity of equipment for lights and headlights, the traffic to get to the stadium, and some changes in the set list. The crowd waited to find a solution even at the last minute and find a way to get in was too big and already the site of the arena was chock full and finally, the sound was an ally of both the two groups and our ears.

Abbie Gale had more confidence and with the help of Vassilikos showed us how beautifully is paved the way of the new Greek scene with a sound missing from our listenings. The voice and presence of Evira make her a promising and impressive front woman.

At the same time as in Patra, shortly after 10, the lights went out and a single spotlight lit the arena and ended up at the upper tiers. Almost simultaneously, the same trumpet sounded, this time with Lose Control.
 

The second night I had the opportunity to observe the band better. Larry Got and Andy Diagram got my attention, and apart from good musicians they're the second soul of the band. The solos of both of them in different parts of the concert were impressive and even Booth appeared as if he were enjoying himself as a spectator.

The discoballs justify the name of the tour, Mirrorball  and the highlight was when the frontman wore a shiny coat, climbed the highest point of the stage and sang Porcupine. The latter, I noticed flirts incredibly with the audience and does not hesitate (both nights) to smile for those who take pictures and stop to hear us sing, to observe and then lose himself again in the notes. On the way back I listened to Laid and I decided that in this like several pieces, I prefer the live performance than the studio one.

As encore they sang five pieces instead of three in the live in Patra, but there were no spectators on stage nor did Booth himself climb down to the crowd.
At the end of the concert as I was coming out of the arena, the crowd had gone wherever they could to see and applaud James.
After all this it's no coincidence that either in August, as rumored, or next year they come back again there will be a sold out.

Set list Athens

Lose Control
Senorita
Ring my bells
Dr. Hellier
Upside
Come home
Stutter
Out to get you
Dream Thrum
Porcupine
Say something
Follow me
Crazy
Sound
Tomorrow

Sometimes
Laid
Getting away
On the top of the world
Sit down

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