By Dion Smith, Journalist, and Paula Smith, Photographer – Sao Paulo, Brazil
Live Review:James – Live at Áudio Club, São Paulo (13 Nov 2025)
We arrive at this rather impressive venue and the crowd at Áudio Club, São Paulo are already buzzing with excitement. Local reviews state that the band’s Brazil stop “celebrates a four-decade career”. So tonight there’s not just anticipation—there’s expectation as the excited crowd are now starting to pour into the venue.
This concert is much the same as the others I’ve seen here in Brazil recently, the crowd are not just made up of the older generation of original fans, but also a lot of younger people are present to enjoy the show which is brilliant.
Doors open at 19:00, and after a few hours’ wait by 21:25 the lights drop as James step onstage. Tim Booth appears last, holding the crowd in suspense for a moment, and when he finally emerges the room erupts.
“She’s a Star” is first to hit, with its slide guitar and piano intro. Tim’s beautifully delivered falsetto vocal lines fill the room in the choruses. This song builds and is soon in full swing. James now have the São Paulo crowd moving to the rhythm and singing the choruses straight back to them. The crowd are getting lost in the music and some dance with their eyes closed and immerse themselves in the atmosphere.
Tim Booth brings a unique charisma too, he’s constantly moving between stage and barrier, always engaging the front rows of the crowd and literally getting amongst his fans and singing directly to them. It’s clear James are a band that really appreciate their fans.
Then comes the upbeat introduction to “Waltzing Along”. Tim’s unmistakable vocal again fills the room. This song has a fantastic driving-forward feeling and the crowd are dancing. James are definitely one of those bands that sound incredible live and can pull it off with ease. This is a very tight, seasoned band and everyone in James knows when to shine and when to sit back musically, the songwriting here is simply fantastic.
The James classic “Say Something” erupts next and gives us that trademark and unmistakable 90s sound, with its thundering bass line. This song indeed packs a punch musically and lyrically. The rhythm section drives the song forward with Tim’s soft melodic vocal perfectly layered over the top. This song is unmistakable James and has the crowd singing every word.
Next is “Way Over Your Head” from their 2024 album Yummy. This new song sounds fresh yet still retains the James hallmark sound and I feel instantly transported back to the 90s with its layered vocals and the incredible low-pitched vocal line “raise the dead” present throughout the track.
“Attention”, “Five-O” and “Shadow of a Giant” are next, with the latter starting with Chloë Alper’s stunning vocal and piano, which is the theme throughout the intro. This is a much more laid-back track to start and again Tim’s vocals don’t disappoint and are beautifully delivered. This track shows how versatile the band can be and how well crafted these songs are. The music is so well arranged and takes you on a journey.
Then the unforgettable and my personal favourite “Born of Frustration”. This was an absolute stand-out track for me and the band’s energy and performance is something to behold. It’s very rare to see this level of audience participation too. The crowd are singing every word straight back and every hand is raised in the air. Tim again gets amongst the crowd and has them eating out of his hand. “Born of Frustration” rings out with its quite unique wailing vocalisations throughout this track and the roar of the crowd is almost deafening. This song is what first got me interested in James and it does not disappoint. The strength of these songs is apparent and this one is simply magic.
Then it’s time for “Come Home” to make an appearance followed by “Stay” (another new track from their latest album) which again sounds fresh but doesn’t stray too far from the James signature sound with its huge and open-sounding chorus.
“P.S.” is next with its lovely ambient slide guitar and drums intro setting a vibe for a laid-back track. The slide guitars sound beautiful and complement the vocal lines, helping to give it a slightly darker feel overall.
Then comes “Out to Get You”, “Heads”, and the upbeat high energy of “Beautiful Beaches”, before the crowd go absolutely wild for the stellar hit “Sit Down” which probably has one of the most memorable chorus lines ever. The audience are all singing along and are feeding off this song’s incredible energy, with the band enjoying every second and connecting with the crowd every second that passes.
Then came “Sound”, “Tomorrow” and the evening’s grand finale “Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)”. The band all come front and centre to bow to the energised São Paulo crowd before delivering two more 90s classics. “Laid” and “Sometimes” which round off this incredible evening and leave the crowd stunned, myself included.
Verdict
Tonight in São Paulo’s Áudio Club, James delivered a memorable show that was heartfelt without ever losing its energy and vibe along the way. I was impressed not only with the musicianship of James but also with the quality of their songwriting. Having only heard a few of their big hits from the 90s era prior to this show, it was certainly impressive to me, and a pleasure to hear a mix of old and new songs back to back in their set.
Their latest tracks do not disappoint either, and retain the trademark James sound delivered in a well-crafted and well-performed song. Tim’s voice hasn’t changed a bit and he is still able to deliver those high vocal lines while the band sound tight, with an energetic performance from everyone onstage. This show felt that it was a lot of fun for the band too, with smiles on their faces all night, and a real connection with the São Paulo crowd.
This was an amazing night that surprised me and this was nothing short of first-class James!!
Stellar!!
PHOTO GALLERY
” I think it’s very important to surround yourself with like-minded people who are as dedicated as you are,and if you work hard and develop your craft over time, great things will follow”
