James forced to cancel Belladrum gig as singer loses voice to virus
In a last minute blow to festival goers, the legendary band James has been forced to pull out of their headline slot at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in Scotland. Frontman Tim Booth, 65, announced the cancellation just hours before they were due on stage, citing a viral infection that has left him unable to sing.
Booth, who has built a reputation for electrifying live performances, took to Instagram to express his deep regret. 'I've been fighting off a viral infection for a few days and I've finally lost my voice,' he said in a video message. 'This deep sexy rasp is not my usual voice, so we hardly ever cancel but we have no choice this time.'
The band, known for hits like 'Sit Down' and 'Laid', had been due to close the festival on Saturday night. Booth apologised to fans who had travelled from across the country to attend. 'We're here, the band's here, the crew's here and I know many of you have come in from miles around to see this concert and it's awful and I hate letting you down,' he said.
Thankfully, the show will go on. Razorlight, the British rock band fronted by Johnny Borrell, has stepped in to headline the festival in James's place. The festival organisers confirmed the change on social media, expressing gratitude to Razorlight for their last minute availability.
James's cancellation comes at a time when the band's live reputation is soaring. In a recent interview, Booth spoke passionately about the authenticity of their performances. 'Our live reputation is snowballing,' he said. 'We believe that watching a really well constructed song with cello, violin, guitar, trumpets, two drummers, keyboards is entertainment in itself.'
He described the unique connection he feels with audiences during live shows. 'I love eye contact. It's something that really feeds me, and feeds us as a band. The whole point of a live gig is you get this feedback loop going. That we put out this song, they give us back this response.'
Fans have responded with understanding and well wishes. One wrote: 'We wish you a speedy recovery,' while another added: 'Your health has to come first. The fans will wait.'
The band has promised to return to Belladrum within the next year to make up for the disappointment.