James will be rocking into the city in 2024
ABAND will be bringing classic rock anthems to the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall for two nights next year.
Music director James Cole, from Southport, who also provides guitar and vocals for The Classic Rock Show, heralded Liverpool as an inspiration for the music industry that’s ‘taken for granted’ as he spoke of his excitement at performing in the city again.
He said: “Growing up, I went to St Mary’s College in Crosby.
“We always had our prize day show at the Philharmonic. It’s a very special venue for me, it’s incredibly close to home.”
James got his music degree from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA), graduating in 2010.
He found studying in LIPA to be a ‘great experience,’ adding that the institution has ‘done a lot of great things for the music industry.’
He said: “Liverpool audiences are just fantastic.
“They always come out and deliver for [the band]. We work off an audience and you can tell quickly if it’s going to be a big night or not. In Liverpool I never have to question that.”
As many of the band members are from Liverpool, James mentioned the ‘extra amount of pressure’ he and the band put on themselves when performing in the city.
He added: “It’s very easy to do the obvious Beatles songs, but the thing about our shows is that, yes we have the party part of the show that people would expect from a classic rock show, but there’s also the element of education where if you don’t know the song, you should.
“Every year I try to change the set and raise the bar to a new level.
“In a way, classic rock has changed from an era to a genre of music.
“The main thing is that people come to be entertained, but everybody in the audience will have a different perception of what they like.
“It’s a challenge to create a new setlist that’s similar. There are certain numbers that are expected from us now.
“But that said, people coming to multiple shows don’t expect to see the same set.
“I want it to be bigger, louder, rockier. All I want people to do is to come to the show, close their eyes, and it takes them back to the moment when they first heard their favourite album or song played. We want to try and recreate the emotions you got from that.”
James believes that Liverpool can be ‘taken for granted’ by performers who play there.
He said: “You go to other cities or countries and mention you’re from Liverpool and the smiles and enthusiasm that other people show, you can’t quite believe it sometimes.”
The Classic Rock show tour will be taking off in early January, something that James was thankful for, adding: “Let’s get Christmas out of the way and get on with the fun.
“It really is special every year that we get to do this and we can’t wait to get back out in 2024,” he added.
The Classic Rock show will be at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on January 19 and 20.
Audiences can expect music from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Queen, Fleetwood Mac and many more.