Saul Davies doesn’t hold back when talking about James’ headline performance at the Lytham Festival next month. “For us to take what is emerging as a really cool way for a band to show itself at what has become an iconic festival is amazing,” said the band’s guitarist. “Really it’s going to be one of the highlights of our summer.
” Saul Davies of James (Picture: Mariano Regidor/Redferns) The Lytham date will be one of just two shows in which James will be performing with an orchestra and choir, providing an added dimension to a back catalogue which has been part of the soundtrack of many people’s lives. “To be given the opportunity to play outdoors with our orchestra - they’re not really ours but we like to think that they are - is something we jumped at,” he said. “We did it once last year at Latitude and we weren’t even sure if it would work technically but I think everyone was shocked at how well it went.
” Pairing up a rock band at the peak of its powers - James’ album Yummy released in April went straight in at the top of the album chart - with an orchestra is not an obvious combination. But Saul loves the result, or at least he does now. “To be honest I’d always fought against the idea,” he said.
“When it was first mooted that we do something like this around 2010-2011 I didn’t want to do it. I just felt there was something weak for us as a band to bring all these extra players on stage . “But we did some shows and they were ver.