James Marriott celebrates ‘Don’t Tell the Dog’ at his 100th show at Brighton Dome
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
James Marriott took to one of the south coasts’ most iconic venues for his 100th show, a sold out gig at Brighton’s Dome on the 19th November, a venue that has hosted icons past & present. James Marriott not only did it justice, but absolutely blew me away. James took his hometown to celebrate ‘Don’t Tell the Dog’ his most recent record which became James’ first number 1 album
Here at Feats, we have been lucky enough to have been following James right from the beginning, His show at London’s The Garage to The Great Escape where Jubilee Street was overflowing. From the first moment that Ventriloquist came over the speakers & the bright light strobes flashed away I realised this show was an entirely different calibre of what we have seen before.
Tom Ellis (TJEphotos/FEATS)
Before james was even on stage the crowd buzzed away, all singing along to the preshow playlist & excitedly pointing at James’ Friends sat on the balcony. The lights dimmed, the band followed by james came on to the stage and the crowd was electric, singing every word from the first line throughout to the last moments until the house lights came on.
The Production for this run was incredibly designed, lampposts with illuminating power lines, parallel strobes that alternated flashing producing alternating shadows on to the backdrop. Sometimes stage production can fall flat, or feel barely stringed together, this was not like that. It felt well thought out, and looked breath taking.
Between songs, James smoothly caught a Brighton & Hove football shirt with 100 on the back, a tribute to this being his 100th show. “We have sung this song a lot together & everytime we do you get a bit louder”
Car lights. This, admittedly is probably my favourite James Marriott song, it’s emotional, beautifully written and gut wrenchingly relatable.
Every lyric is screamed back at James in unison, one perfectly in time, accidental choir. Watching everyone scream the lyrics out at any show always chokes me up, seeing the devotion that live music fans have is special and the atmosphere is always something that can’t be replicated outside of it. James Marriott fans are some of the loudest I have ever heard.
As ‘Limbs’ played the emotions only grew, acoustically, on stage alone, James played out. Followed by Unreleased ‘California Rain’ - the reaction from the crowd was huge, with few singing along to the unreleased song probably learning the tune from other shows’ videos on YouTube.
James Marriott & his band are exactly what Brighton Music scene embodies, energy, talent & an excellent crowd, with Marriott’s Vocals & the tenure of the band there was no better way to spend the evening!
