James Debut in the West End

Forum member Welsh Ex Pat's review of James debut in London:- "For weeks now as opening night has gradually approached, I've struggled to keep my personal anticipation levels down, dreading that well known "don't build it up too much you'll only get disappointed" factor kicking in. But yesterday afternoon as I was finally in the car heading for Josie's I gave up trying to kid myself that I wasn't feeling that physical knot of tension deep in my guts and instead tried to rationalise and make sense of the strength of my feelings. It's no secret on here that I'm a huge Billy Joel fan but I've rarely written about just how important this music has always been to me. I was first introduced to BJ on my 15th birthday when I was given the albums (real vinyl mind you) Piano Man and Streetlife Serenade. I was hooked on first hearing and have remained so ever since. His was the music of my formative years, the sound track to my first great love affair. The first person I saw in a proper stadium gig. The only performer I've ever wanted to dash around the country to watch. The only person whose music I come back to again and again over 30 years or more. Through all life's joys and trials I've found something in a BJ song to sum up the moment, soar to the heights, make me smile, take me to a better place, allow me to cry, or offer solace when no-one and nothing else can or will do. Years ago, when Movin' Out was first created I yearned for the chance to see it, but life, being life has always got in the way. Of course this music is important to me and I'm kidding no-one , least of all myself, if I try to down play that simple fact. Then, nearly 3 years ago (can it really be that long ..?) there I was idly channel flicking one Sunday afternoon when through the good old red button I happened upon Day One inside Fame Academy and an image with which we were all to become so familiar - James sat at that grand piano. At the time, it seemed to me, he was struggling with a huge mixture of emotions; excitement at the new opportunity before him, thrilled with the luxury of having that fantastic instrument at his fingertips, maybe a little fearful about what he'd let himself in for and what if things didn't work out, and clearly missing his nearest and dearest. And so he did what was obviously the most natural thing in the world to him and started gently, and beautifully playing the music he (and I) love .. a few snatches and phrases first then after that now so well known characteristic settle into his stool, he threw his head up and sang and played Honesty for real, all the way through in full voice. In that one moment I totally fell for James Fox, Pianoman hook line and sinker By the second verse, in my head I was hearing not one man and a piano, but a great front man with a full scale tour band and string section behind him. It was young Billy again with all the enthralling talent, class and sheer musical skill, and it touched something deep in my soul that no other musician ever has. The rest of James' story to date is history, told at length and with great joy in the many beautiful words written on this site It's a story I've thrown myself into with a passion and commitment that sometimes amazes me still A story that's taken me to places and events that I would never have dreamt I'd take part in. But through it all, from the early shabby clubs with dodgy mikes and even dodgier clientele; through sometimes soaking and freezing outdoor gigs - from one man and his Astra fields to thronging masses; holiday camps; the madness that is Eurovision; classic venues from the Colston Hall to Wembley and the NEC; the sheer magic of intimate nights like Marlows and at the Bedford, and perhaps nowhere more so than in Jury's last Spring, whilst I've loved what I've actually heard and seen I can't help extrapolating in my mind and so somewhere what's been playing in my imagination is still what touched me that first day, James, BJ's music and great production which shows both the music and the performer at their absolute best. And that was exactly what I was finally going to be given the chance to experience. Could it possibly live up to my hopes? Can reality ever live up to one's fantasies? Was I about to be blown away or would it all be shattered as only an illusion? So yup, which ever way I looked at it, for me personally there was a hell of a lot riding on last night and that show and there was no way I could kid myself otherwise. The tension was broken for a while by the joy of meeting up with everyone before the show. It's been so long since we last had a big get together it was truly wonderful to catch up again. But, inevitably that time slipped away and almost before I knew it, there I was in my seat awaiting curtain up, and that knot was right back there in my innards! Curtain up - and there's a beaming James looking front and centre leading what is obviously a stonking band in the opening bars of the joyous It's Still Rock and Roll to Me. By the time we were into the first chorus and the platform started to rise I felt my tension knot rise and go with it. Somewhere after the "tricky bit" after the first verse of Scenes from an Italian Restaurant I became aware I was breathing again .. and for the rest of the first half I was gone, completely immersed in songs that will for ever epitomise the highs and lows of my life, - Just the Way you Are, Longest Time, This Night, She's Got a Way and possibly most of all, The Stranger. Beforehand I'd imagined I might be so fixed on the music that I might not really take in the dance, but it was so strong and captivating it demanded equal attention with the music. The whole show was a feast for the eyes and ears. By the interval I actually felt drained and half drunk on a mixture of joy, delight and sheer relief. Somehow, magically the fantasy had finally, really come to life before my very eyes. I was, quite literally rendered speechless - well until I called Suze but you know what I mean - ask Cav, she saw it! The second half flew by. The dance exploded in a riot of emotion, the band rocked and the brass section boogied (how I longed to jump right up there and join in - so much more fun than trying to rock along from a cramped theatre seat ! Sorry if you got a bit jostled by all my jigging on the spot Nats - totally involuntary I'm afraid! Mind you, it could have been worse, I might have started singing out loud rather than under my breath), and above it all, literally and metaphorically soared James. Pumping out the high tempo numbers with energy, passion and his trademark perfect pitch. Squeezing every ounce of emotion out of the desperate Captain Jack and longing from Shameless. Leading the whole ensemble to a crescendo in the wonderfully frantic River of Dreams complilation. By the time he closed the show proper with a tremendous I've Loved These Days I don't think there could have been a single soul in the place who didn't believe every word was true, and was loving it too. Whoever decided to use New York State of Mind for the band's curtain call was inspired, it fits brilliantly, although at times it was almost impossible to hear them over the cheering, whoops and applause Was it a perfect performance? Of course not. No live event is ever technically perfect, and if it ever could be it would lose the magic of being live. Also this was a first preview night after all and there are tiny issues like the sound balance still to work out and tweak, but nothing that can't be sorted pretty easily I'd think and I have no doubt that with a few more shows under their belts the cast and band will gel further to make the show even slicker and tighter. But if I'm lucky enough to see that (and believe me I plan to get there as often as I possibly can) will it ever be better? Well not for me, because I don't think anything in the way of entertainment is ever going to live up to my personal experience of James in Movin' Out for the first time. So James. You've made this cynical old bat believe that the impossible really can come true, and sometimes, and just sometimes, reality can match fantasy. No wonder you've enjoyed doing this gig for so long, and are thriving on the prospect of the London run. I hope it gives you half as much joy as last night gave me - if so you're going to have a ball. .... and for the future? Well now I've really seen James does Joel, my next big hope is to get to see James does James, With the same quality of backing and production I truly believe James has the talent to write original material which can electrify and captivate a stadium just as totally as Billy and my current fantasy is to be there for the first night of that run."

James Fox.biz