James conclude stay in Wolverhampton with a warm gig at KK's Steelmill

Jetting in from his home in California for rehearsals at KK's Steelmill ahead of a nationwide tour lead singer Tim Booth appeared on stage for the first time in three years.

"Thank God you lot are here, the place is warm now, we've been here a few days rehearsing and its been like the Antarctic," he said.

Then the cheery soul launched into Zero relishing the first line "We're all gonna die."

For some in this city they could be forgiven thinking they would never be alive to see live music in a decent sized venue again as the ongoing wait for the Civic Hall to reopen seems to be lasting longer than James four decade career.

However, KK's Steelmill, Frederick Street, created out of our industrial past is a great venue as each song passed and another piece of Tim's clothing would be cast aside the band were really warming up.

The svengali like figure of the lead singer dancing around the stage in joy was infectious, resembling the good natured twin of Ben Kingsley's evil gangster in Sexy Beast.

She's A Star was greeted by the audience like an old friend and then the hits came thick and fast, and Tim was happy to remind the crowd: "Not many people were writing songs about their mother's giving birth, in 1989" as he launched into Gold Mother.

The band exited after Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) but we all know the encore would steal the show. Returning to a blistering version of Come Home, then Sometimes and finishing with the anthem Sit Down, as they took their bows, we all knew they will be just fine as they head to the biggest arenas in the country.