James Arthur 

Live reviews

• James Arthur

  I first saw James during his audition for the 2012 X Factor, his raw emotion and beautiful voice totally captivated me... Gary's comment said it all, "If anyone dares touch what you do, cuz it's so good!" I watched every week as he blew the competition away and cried when he won... I have never looked back! I forced myself to learn social media,(was the first American fan on Twitter) so I could track his career and most importantly see when he would be coming to America... Ended up making a Facebook page "James Arthur the U.S Wants U" 2 years in because I wanted to help speed things up! Little did I know it would take this long!

  A JArmy sister, I had helped finance her daughters beauty pageant, saw how I always said, "Where is my Fairy Godmother, I wanna go!" Every time I watched all the Hub-bub over a concert in the UK! She wrote to tell me if I could get a plane over, she had a place to stay and a ticket! I booked a plane ticket! It was a once in a lifetime event and was more than I had hoped for, words could not describe him live!

  James is not only the most prolific singer/songwriter that I heard in decades but the emotion and soul he puts into his music is phenomenal! Over the past 5 years, his music has helped me through the deaths of my husband and father and the disappearance of my brother... besides my daughter, the last 3 remaining people close to me!

  James has a way to pull the bad feeling out and heal the soul! AND on top of all that, incredibly, he is the sweetest, kind and caring person you could want to meet (James, please never lose that and you could "turn the world around!"- Just one of the hundreds of songs he has written.)

  I am beyond words that he is finally going to start touring here! It feels like I have waited for this forever! I am taking my good friend who also is a major fan and my only daughter to see him in Weatfield, Aug. 25th.. I am so excited and cannot wait to see him again! There has never been a doubt in my mind that Americans will fall in love with his amazing talent!

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  by kathleen-mcvarish

• Taking the X-Factor crown in 2012, saw James Arthur ascend into the charts with his first single “Impossible” (a cover of Shontelle’s hit) debuting at number one. Having been in numerous local alternative rock bands and not really taking off and issues regarding his personal life spurred Arthur to enter the competition which saw him soar through the show, winning the hearts of the British public with irresistibly smooth and soulful, R&B vocals. His debut album “Impossible” achieved number one in the UK, going double platinum and reaching similar successes in Europe. His follow-up single “You’re Nobody Until Somebody Loves You” defined and solidified Arthur’s distinctive style.

  The X-Factor was just a small insight into his live persona. When he steps on stage he exudes confidence as he effortlessly sings “Get Down” accompanied by a full band and backing singers as he reaches out to the crowd. He really knows how to work the crowd as he interacts with them making full use of his natural charisma. The crowd is filled with hundreds of adoring fans ranging from all ages, who show banners of support and waving their arms from side to side. “Recovery” sees a chorus of voices sing along in unison as Arthur strips it down. “Impossible” gets the biggest reaction as he picks up the electric guitar, letting the crowd sing the entire first verse and Arthur is overwhelmed by the reaction. With incredible soulful vocals mastered to perfection, you can guarantee a heart-warming performance with energy in abundance every time from James Arthur.

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  by EvieCriedWolf

• X Factor champion turned tearaway, there were always questions as to whether a reality television show was the best platform for James Arthur to display his alt-pop sounds. He showed real promise during the show adapting his raspy vocal to genres including dance, dubstep and rock. Many consider his departure from the Syco label to be the making of him as it once again handed James the reigns regarding his creative outlook.

  He definitely seems a lot more at ease when performing live and being able to play in the way in which he enjoys. The setup could be described as anything but pop, the man himself arriving in all black and taking centre stage with his acoustic guitar and several accompanying musicians. They run through a selection of his best material which showcases both the unusual vocal and his creativity as a musician. A cover of Marvin Gaye's has been reimagined as a rock ditty and works really well leading into 'Impossible' which evokes mass singalong. Arthur has not dismissed his X factor roots, but he seems to be in a better place now when looking to move forward.

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  by sean-ward

• It was incredible! One of the best concerts I've ever seen. James really knows how to cheer up the fans. There was always an amazing energy between him and the crowd, and the smalk talks between songs were really funny and made me feel more "close" to him and understand a little bit more what he felt when writting the songs (like the anxiety issues that I also have) and he made me cry a little bit on Quite Miss Home (I promised myself that would not cry). The songs list was THE BEST, I wasn't expecting the "rock" vibe in some of the songs but it was incredible and James killed it on the guitar.

  Also, the singers that came first (Jamie Grey and Emily Burns) were amazing and really cool and sweet. I had an awesome night and hope to see him again because his voice is even better on live!

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  by katarinakoral

• What can I say James Arthur smashes it..From start to finish he kept us captivated, sung his heart out and left us begging for more. I’m an emotional wreck and I can’t wait til I can see him again....

  The singing was amazing the heart was amazing and what a brilliant entertainer... James is the real deal and what you see is what you get... He wears his heart on his sleeve and I felt like I was on stage with him living his dream and every song is heartfelt and real...

  Long live King Arthur and I hope he goes on to write songs forever... I was expecting to have an amazing night but I was blown away by how good he actually is and my daughter ( a sceptic ) who came with me has been converted... James Arthur fans for life...

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  by dawn-leach

• Went with my partner she's the big fan I like and totally appreciate his music but it's not what I generally pick on Spotify.

  Saying that absolutely fantastic performance he gave it his all and he was funny and engaging with the crowd. The stage was a bit basic but feel he didn't need elaborate lights and smoke to put on a great performance. The sound was great we had seats up near the back of the venue but still had a clear good view of the whole stage. Would recommend him to any fan and anyone who is into East listening music.

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  by skinnyjabba

• Absolutely amazing show at the BIC last night, I saw James Arthur a couple of years ago at the same venue and enjoyed it enough to go again last night but this time was so much better. James interacted with the audience 100%, he seemed more relaxed than last time and sang perfectly!! The BIC is great as it’s easy to get to by car/train, there were no ques, clean loo’s which is always a bonus and not stupidly priced for a beer!! Had an amazing night..thank you!

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  by julie-stewart-3

• Very good; however and this is a rhetorical question

  1. Why did 25% of the audience only watch the concert whilst looking at the screens on their phones ?

  2. Why some people act without any regard for the fact that in trying to get the best video they block all vision of 3 people in the row behind ?

  Sorry rant over, James was very good a 1 1/2 hour set best song “Sun Comes Up”

  Charlotte O C was also excellent highly recommend.

  Dave

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  by whyley2

• Absolutely fantastic. JAmes Arthur did not disappoint. He sang songs from his old and new albums and included the old favourites. He is an inspiration to many people who suffer with anxiety and depression and was not afraid to speak about it. He was funny a real presence on stage. He has a great voice and an extraordinary talent . Well done JAmes you did yourself proud I was honoured to come and watch you sing m. Brilliant

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  by kim-webb-4

• Absolutely brilliant. Could have watched him for hours. He thoroughly throws himself into it with enthusiasm and humour. The band were amazing too. Please let's have more dates this year. This is my 3rd time to see him and most definitely won't be my last. I have been to gigs for the past 30 years including Bowie, Boomtown Rats, The Script, Eminem, Enrique and he is BY FAR the best.

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  by mandy-whitelaw