Live Review: James, Nadeah

Arriving on stage in an air conditioning defiant Cossack hat, Victoria’s own Nadeah was the informed James fans’ smart choice to set the mood. Y’see, Tim Booth contributed vocals to Ordinary Colours from her second album While The Heart Beats. A two-piece tonight with touring partner Marc Scollo and armed with nary more than a drum machine, guitar and bass, Nadeah breathed gonzo electronic blues. The former Nouvelle Vague and Lovegods star’s quality control was tight, restarting Ain’t Got Time due to Scollo being lost too low in the mix. One couldn't help but think of a less reserved Hope Sandoval.

Ever eager to confound expectation, James kickstarted their final Australian date with a choice. Do they wind their way from the back of the Astor to the stage to the gorgeous swirl of Just Like Fred Astaire, or the more unsettling Lose Control? ‘Unsettling’ it was to be as Tim Booth, trumpeter Andy Diagram and guitarist Adrian Oxaal wowed an unsuspecting Astor Theater by singing, blowing and strumming their way through the crowd, parting people with ease.

Breaking the performance-audience divide and then moving forward with a predictable ‘Greatest Hits’ set would not be very James. Instead, this unusual entrance paved the way for a lyrically fiery 90 minutes that leaned heavily on the fury of new album Living In Extraordinary Times. 

The thunderous Hank and the desperate Many Faces pointed sharpened barbs bluntly in Trumps’ direction, but there was real, palpable hope as the Astor carried forth the latter’s refrain “There’s only one/Human race/Many faces/Everybody belongs here” long after the band had finished it.

While several of the 'hits’ were met with due reverence (Waltzing Along, Tomorrow, Say Something and Come Home in particular reminding many of happier times), this was a more personal set than their last Perth visit. This also included a botched but quickly corrected Laid and a restart on Sit Down, after Tim Booth stopped to absolutely bollock any mobile phone wielders, asking they put the bloody things down and enjoy a real human connection instead. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.