Friday, April 30 on the summer route to Patra and i wasn't thinking about what songs I would hear or if I'ld like them. I was sure that I would get to see something good. The road to Perivola , where the Apollo stadium is, was long and with frequent stops to ask for directions.
When around 17.30, we got there there was a little surprise waiting for us: James were rehearsing at the time and were playing White Boy. Outside the stadium and you could hear everything perfectly: Tim, Andy Diagram's trumpet, the strings and drums that would later rouse the audience in Patra.
At 19.00 we returned, this time to get inside. Few people had gathered and everyone was relaxed, calm, maybe a little tan by the first walks on the beach. One hour later the crowd had begun to thicken and the queue reached the road. Many were looking for tickets, some for friends and others an excuse to enter without a ticket.
At 9 appeared Abbie Gale who, for about an hour, kept us company until they James appeared. Very good sound and orchestration by the Greek group that, although not so well known to the public of Patra, after the live I feel that they came into its chart. With new and old songs, the band did a very good effort both in Patra and Athens with Lovesong as highlight in Athens that was accompanied by Vasilikos who was also applauded.
As soon as Abbie Gale stepped down from stage, the audience began heating up. All were saying that till then you had to go to Athens to watch the big names and that in the past year things changed. With a little conversation, a little cold beer and (a lot of) Cigarettes we reached 10 o' clock. Applauses and voices became more and more, people squeezed in to watch the best they could, and the digitals had already gotten ready to take pictures.
A few minutes after 10 the lights went out and the sound of the trumpet sounded! Not from the stage, but from the back of the stands. Members of James came among shouting, applause and Tim Booth had already started singing Sit Down in a different implementation.
Wherever he passed there were flashes, voices getting louder, spotlight focusing. A few minutes later he came close to us. Went up and sat on a railing and lifted us with the last verses of Sit Down. What better start than that?
Then followed Seniorita, Ring my Bells, while Tim Booth filled the stage with the rhythm and movements of his body, that were as graceful as an elf's. He dedicated the song Upside from Hey Ma to Greece, thanking us and showing gratitude that despite the difficult economic situation, the fans responded and sold out both shows. He promised that even when the show ends we'll see that we did not spend our money unfairly.
At Say Something he went on the front railing to sing along with the public. Everyone photographed and tried to touch him. At 23.30 they said goodbye with songs like Tomorrow and Sound and the familiar, trumpet.
Lights remained open and of course people did not budge from his position because there were a lot of songs they've been waiting to hear for encore.
Indeed, a few minutes later, lights, discoballs, attuned to Larry Got's guitar and Sometimes began. The whole stadium danced and Tim Booth along with us. In Laid he got 6-7 people on stage and danced together and the evening ended with the theme song, as they themselves call it, Getting away.
Shortly after midnight, the lights were lit, people left and headed towards the center of Patra. So did we hoping that we will find the band having fun in one of the bars, since as we learned, they were staying overnight in Patra and left next morning for Athens. We heard James being played, but we did not see them again though. Till the next evening...
Set list Patra:
Sit down
Senorita
Ring my bells
Dr. Hellier
Ten below
Upside
Come home
Out to get you
I wanna go home
Porcupine
Say something
Follow me
Crazy
Tomorrow
Sound
Dream Thrum
Sometimes
Laid
Getting away
When around 17.30, we got there there was a little surprise waiting for us: James were rehearsing at the time and were playing White Boy. Outside the stadium and you could hear everything perfectly: Tim, Andy Diagram's trumpet, the strings and drums that would later rouse the audience in Patra.
At 19.00 we returned, this time to get inside. Few people had gathered and everyone was relaxed, calm, maybe a little tan by the first walks on the beach. One hour later the crowd had begun to thicken and the queue reached the road. Many were looking for tickets, some for friends and others an excuse to enter without a ticket.
At 9 appeared Abbie Gale who, for about an hour, kept us company until they James appeared. Very good sound and orchestration by the Greek group that, although not so well known to the public of Patra, after the live I feel that they came into its chart. With new and old songs, the band did a very good effort both in Patra and Athens with Lovesong as highlight in Athens that was accompanied by Vasilikos who was also applauded. As soon as Abbie Gale stepped down from stage, the audience began heating up. All were saying that till then you had to go to Athens to watch the big names and that in the past year things changed. With a little conversation, a little cold beer and (a lot of) Cigarettes we reached 10 o' clock. Applauses and voices became more and more, people squeezed in to watch the best they could, and the digitals had already gotten ready to take pictures.
A few minutes after 10 the lights went out and the sound of the trumpet sounded! Not from the stage, but from the back of the stands. Members of James came among shouting, applause and Tim Booth had already started singing Sit Down in a different implementation.
Wherever he passed there were flashes, voices getting louder, spotlight focusing. A few minutes later he came close to us. Went up and sat on a railing and lifted us with the last verses of Sit Down. What better start than that?
Then followed Seniorita, Ring my Bells, while Tim Booth filled the stage with the rhythm and movements of his body, that were as graceful as an elf's. He dedicated the song Upside from Hey Ma to Greece, thanking us and showing gratitude that despite the difficult economic situation, the fans responded and sold out both shows. He promised that even when the show ends we'll see that we did not spend our money unfairly.
At Say Something he went on the front railing to sing along with the public. Everyone photographed and tried to touch him. At 23.30 they said goodbye with songs like Tomorrow and Sound and the familiar, trumpet.
Lights remained open and of course people did not budge from his position because there were a lot of songs they've been waiting to hear for encore.
Indeed, a few minutes later, lights, discoballs, attuned to Larry Got's guitar and Sometimes began. The whole stadium danced and Tim Booth along with us. In Laid he got 6-7 people on stage and danced together and the evening ended with the theme song, as they themselves call it, Getting away.
Shortly after midnight, the lights were lit, people left and headed towards the center of Patra. So did we hoping that we will find the band having fun in one of the bars, since as we learned, they were staying overnight in Patra and left next morning for Athens. We heard James being played, but we did not see them again though. Till the next evening...
Set list Patra:
Sit down
Senorita
Ring my bells
Dr. Hellier
Ten below
Upside
Come home
Out to get you
I wanna go home
Porcupine
Say something
Follow me
Crazy
Tomorrow
Sound
Dream Thrum
Sometimes
Laid
Getting away
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