Alice Beard took a trip to Manchester to see what indie dreamboat Jamie T could bring to the table after a prolongued hiatus.
After a prolonged six year hiatus, Jamie T was once again gracing his presence in Manchester. To say that I was ecstatic about this return would be an understatement, and it’s safe to say this palpable sense of elation was shared by all as Victoria Warehouse rapidly began to fill. The audience proved to be an eclectic mix. A rabble of thirty-somethings, boyish hooligans and those, like myself, touching on the edge of twenty, whose childhoods would have been soundtracked by Jamie Treays himself, amongst other genre defining noughties bands such as Kasabian, Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys.
Emerging from the shadows to screeches of delight swaggered a solitary Treays, like the messiah
returning to greet his loyal followers. Armed only with an acoustic bass, he was ready transport us
right back to 2007 with Brand New Bass Guitar as the first song of the evening. The opening battle-
cry of “f*ckin croissant” set the scene for what was sure to be a rapturous night. Soon he was joined
by the rest of his entourage to play a personal favourite of mine, Operation, and So Lonely Was the
Ballad which completed the perfect time capsule. This trio of songs served as a reminder of the
loud-mouthed yet nervous rascal we came to love fifteen years ago. Jamie’s debut Panic Prevention was a masterful concoction of deft lyrics tackling hedonism, tragedy and the banality of life. Scrappy guitars and keyboards overlaid by a sometimes brash, sometimes warm Treays, the album cemented the urban poet as the rowdy voice of a generation.
"To call him Jamie’s sideshow in this pantomime would be an insult to his noteworthy playing, nevertheless Woodhead and Treays undeniably formed the perfect duo."
90s Cars proved to be the perfect transition to bring us back to the present. Sampling This Mortal
Coil’s Kangaroo, it felt like waking from a dream with bass drenched in chorus and twinkling synths. Jamie has undoubtedly done some growing up during his absence and this track celebrates a fresh approach. To follow, Rabbit Hole sent surges of electricity through the crowd. Slashing, choppy chords and distorted guitar licks saw the audience erupting into pits and rushing to the front to look upon the conductor of the ensuing delirium. The set took a more emotional turn with the other
songs from the 2014 album Carry on the Grudge in which Jamie took a gentler approach to writing
after another hiatus. The dark, brooding Don’t You Find and swelling Limits Lie displayed Treays’
tender side, singing with impassioned pain in a wave of anguish that was felt across the room.
To my disappointment, similarly emotive tracks Emily’s Heart and the recent St George Wharf
Tower were omitted from the set, nevertheless he made up for this with even more anthemic indie
hits from his explosive yet divisive fifth album. Instant favourite, The Old Style Raiders, had the
entirety of the crowd throwing the lyrics back to the stage in perfect unison in a moment of genuine
euphoria. But all he really needed to truly rouse mayhem were the first two words of Dragon
Bones. A clamour of sweaty bodies and flailing arms moved in motion to the weighty grooves and
biting chorus. Being the only song on the setlist from Trick, it was irrefutably the perfect choice.
Jamie T may not look to be the most charismatic performer at first glance, but don’t be fooled by the
fatigued jeans, denim jacket and simple black cap. His mere presence was enough to maintain the
watchful eyes of everybody in the audience, yet Jamie still delighted in dancing about the stage like a
pantomime comic making occasional jocular remarks. This certainly did not go unappreciated, with
lairy chants of “Jamie, Jamie, Jamie f*ckin T” echoing throughout the warehouse at any opportunity.
Equally, guitarist Chris Woodhead was putting on a show of his very own. To call him Jamie’s
sideshow in this pantomime would be an insult to his noteworthy playing, nevertheless Woodhead
and Treays undeniably formed the perfect duo.
One of many highlights of the night was hearing the flourish of the opening chord to Salvador blow
across the room. Ardent murmurs floated from the crowd as Treays expertly held us in suspense
betwee n each chord, allowing him to bask in this moment of glory. The “final” song If You Got the
Money saw Jamie removing both shoes and socks and waving them about with a mischievous
Cheshire grin before flinging them into the sea of beaming faces below. A moment I never thought
I’d witness, and yet looking back seems not too out of the ordinary from such a character. A swift
exit was then made, but it wasn’t over just yet.
"Slashing, choppy chords and distorted guitar licks saw the audience erupting into pits and rushing to the front to look upon the conductor of the ensuing delirium."
Once again, eager chants cut through the darkness and called for the singer’s return. Reaching
boiling point, it felt as if the whole of Manchester was abuzz until finally a still barefooted Jamie T
made his reappearance. Timeless indie disco classic Sheila brought a whole new life to the crowd,
but it was Sticks ‘N’ Stones that really managed to whip everyone into a frenzy. Perhaps it is time
for the former to move aside and leave the latter to work its magic as a genuine floor-filler. Jamie
kept the crowd guessing with final track Zombie, taking a hiatus of well over a minute between the
first verse and chorus, keeping us anxiously on tenterhooks. When the words “cause I’m a sad sad
post teen” were finally uttered it was at hyper-speed. The resulting carnage was glorious. Drinks
were thrown. People were thrown. The show of enthusiasm both on and off stage was incontestably
luminescent.
Having sent home a joyous pack of sweaty admirers, there is no doubt Jamie T is “back in the game”
and still at top form in spite of a break. The night proved to be a delightful, frenzied set that could
only have been more perfect had it featured more tongue-in-cheek tunes such as Tescoland or
Chaka Demus. I sincerely hope it’s not long before he emerges from the cracks to treat us once
more. An opportunity I’m certain should not be missed.
Alice Beard
Edited by: Jodie Averis
Cover article courtesy of Alice Beard.
Comments