James to complete hattrick of Scarborough Open Air Theatre gigs on September 9

The poster for James’s return to Scarborough Open Air Theatre in September

WHERE better for James to announce a summer show on the day they release new single Beautiful Beaches than at Scarborough Open Air Theatre?

The Manchester legends will play on the East Coast on Thursday, September 9 in the wake of launching their new album, All The Colours Of You, on June 4. Tickets will go on sale on Friday (23/4/2021) at 9am at scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.

This will be the third that James, led by Clifford-born Tim Booth, have played Scarborough OAT after shows on May 22 2015 in the venue’s hindersome moat days and post-moat redesign on August 18 2018.

Bassist Jim Glennie says: “We always have a great night there – even back in the days when you had to cross the old moat to get to the audience! We’re looking forward to another very special night on the Yorkshire coast.”

“After all these years, we are still challenging ourselves and our fans,” says bassist Jim Glennie of James’s new album. “Enjoy.”

Peter Taylor, venue programmer for Scarborough OAT promoters Cuffe and Taylor, says: “We are absolutely delighted James are returning here this summer. They continue to be one of the UK’s most relevant and influential bands – pioneers of the Manchester music scene since the 1980s – and a must-see live act. Roll on September 9. It’s going to be an amazing night.”            

New single Beautiful Beaches was written by Tim Booth in response to climate change migrations and the subsequent increasingly regular Californian fires bringing devastation to the community where he lived before moving to Costa Rica.

All The Colours Of You, James’ “sweet 16th” studio album, follows last December’s release of Live In Extraordinary Times, a double-CD and DVD concert recording built around their last studio album, 2018’s Living In Extraordinary Times.

Recorded in part before the Covid pandemic struck, All The Colours Of You was produced by Booth’s neighbour in Topanga Canyon, the Grammy award-winning Jacknife Lee, who has worked previously with U2, REM, Taylor Swift, Snow Patrol and The Killers.

Surfing in Scarborough? How can Tim Booth resist on September 9?

On production duties with James for the first time, Lee has bought a fresh approach to their sound, working remotely from his studio as he liaised with Booth and Glennie, reimagining, deconstructing and reassembling their demos and capturing a band in all their virtual glory.

Reflecting on the album’s creation, Booth says: “With all the s**t that went down in 2020, this was a miraculous conception and another big jump forward for us on the back of the last three albums. I hope it reflects the colours of these crazy times. Sweet sixteen is a proper album, no fillers and is up there with our best. With love, Tim.”

Glennie is pleased, proud and surprised by the record in equal measure. “Jacknife has pushed us and the songs somewhere new and it’s very exciting,” he says. “After all these years, we are still challenging ourselves and our fans. Enjoy.”

The track listing on James’s first album on Virgin Music will be: ZERO; All The Colours Of You; Recover; Beautiful Beaches; Wherever It Takes Us; Hush; Miss America; Getting Myself Into; Magic Bus; Isabella and XYST.

The artwork for James’s “sweet 16th” studio album, All The Colours Of You, out on June 4

Looking ahead, James will open their seven-date 2021 tour at Leeds First Direct Arena on November 25, supported by fellow Manchester maverick institution Happy Mondays. “Soo looking forward to seeing you,” said Booth, when announcing the gigs last November on Twitter and at wearejames.com

“We’re playing with the brilliant Happy Mondays. Last played with them in 1988, hopefully this time they won’t steal our rider or try and spike my drink…”

The tour has sold faster than any previous James tour, chalking up 60,000 ticket sales for shows in Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Dublin, Manchester and London. Remaining tickets are available at: https://wearejames.com/live/

In the summer, James will play a second North Yorkshire outdoor gig, headlining the Saturday bill at Deer Shed Festival 11, confirmed to run from July 30 to August 1 at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, near Thirsk.

Who are the new additions to the Deer Shed 11 festival this summer?

Cate le Bon: Deer Shed 11 this way

DEER Shed Festival’s second wave of acts for July 24 to 26 at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, near Thirsk, is confirmed today.

Ghostpoet, Cate Le Bon, Tim Burgess and Warmduscher are among more than 30 new additions, complementing a bill that already features Stereolab and Baxter Dury among its headliners.

Two-time Mercury nominee Ghostpoet will join headliners Stereolab on the Friday Main Stage line-up, while Welsh avant-pop singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon will play before Deer Shed’s yet-to-be-revealed Saturday night Main Stage headliner. 

Tim Burgess, frontman of Madchester icons The Charlatans, will headline In The Dock, Deer Shed’s second of four live music stages, on the Friday, followed by The Twilight Sad and Kate Tempest on the Saturday and Sunday respectively. 

Boy Azooga, Dream Wife and Jesca Hoop are all artists familiar with performing at Baldersby Park, 100 acres of North Yorkshire parkland, woodland, lakes and rivers that Deer Shed calls home. Boy Azooga will be on the Main Stage on the Sunday, Dream Wife have been elevated to In The Dock headliners on the Friday and Jesca Hoop will join Roddy Woomble as a Lodge stage headliner on the Saturday. 

Warmduscher will play at Deer Shed on the Saturday, bringing their industrial post-punk sounds to the Main Stage after Tainted Lunch was named among BBC 6 Music’s 2019 Albums of the Year. 

As is Deer Shed tradition, Yorkshire and North East acts will be well represented: step forward Hull punks LIFE; Leeds indie bands Marsicans and Ruthie; Sheffield nerd disco trio International Teachers Of Pop; North York Moors alt rock band Avalanche Party; Leeds folk singers Serious Sam Barrett and Gary Stewart and north easterners Mt. Misery, Tom Joshua and Beccy Owen. 

A wealth of folk-influenced artists have been added too, among them Erland Cooper, Admiral Fallow; I See Rivers; Kitt Philipa; Rachael Dadd; Eve Owen; Irish Mythen; Conchúr White and The Magpies. 

The alternative rock contingent is bolstered by the additions of hotly tipped bands W.H. Lung, Do Nothing, Egyptian Blue, Kate Davis and Friedberg. 

Irish folk duo Morrissey & Marshall will present their Dublin Calling radio show live from Balderbsy Park, featuring live performances by Steo Wall, Brigid Mae Power and Padraig Jack. 

Harrogate Big Beat producer Rory Hoy and Newcastle producer Meg Ward will be Deer Shed’s first DJs, spinning tunes back to back at the Friday late-night silent disco, while Happy Mondays’ Bez will take to the decks and dancefloor for Sunday’s closing party. 

The festival team still has a handful of high-profile names left to reveal, but cards will be kept close to the chest for the time being. 

Festival director Oliver Jones says: “There has yet to be a year at Deer Shed where we haven’t significantly expanded the music offering. The day may eventually come where we decide we have enough amazing bands, but that year certainly isn’t 2020. 

“Ghostpoet, Cate Le Bon, Tim Burgess and Warmduscher, joining headliners Stereolab and Baxter Dury, plus a mass of artists ready to break the big time in 2020, are all ensuring the music line-up is once again brimming with world-class talent, and we still have an ace up our sleeve for the Saturday headline slot.” 

The second tier of tickets for Deer Shed’s 11th summer festival are expected to sell out at midnight on Friday, January 31. Tier 3 tickets will be available from Saturday at an increase of £10 per adult ticket. For tickets and more information, go to deershedfestival.com.

Full list of artists confirmed for Deer Shed Festival 11 (additions in bold):

Stereolab (headline); Baxter Dury (headline); Ghostpoet, Cate Le Bon; Kate Tempest (Telling Poems); Tim Burgess; The Twilight Sad; Sinkane; Warmduscher; Boy Azooga; Dream Wife; Roddy Woomble; Jesca Hoop; Snapped Ankles; Melt Yourself Down; Liz Lawrence; LIFE; Marsicans; Erland Cooper; Dry Cleaning.

Admiral Fallow; W.H. Lung; Ren Harvieu; International Teachers of Pop; Avalanche Party; I See Rivers; Kitt Philippa; Rachael Dadd; Native Harrow; Kate Davis; Big Joanie; Do Nothing; Egyptian Blue; Rina Mushonga; Friedberg; Heidi Talbot & Boo Hewerdine; Ruthie; Serious Sam Barrett; Eve Owen.

Irish Mythen; Tom Joshua; Brigid Mae Power; Conchúr White; Gary Stewart; Beccy Owen; Mt. Misery; Morrissey & Marshall present Dublin Calling; Steo Wall; The Magpies; Padraig Jack; Bez (DJ); Rory Hoy (DJ); Meg Ward (DJ)