Photo Credit: Press
Words: Sophie Thompson

James Arthur brought ‘The Pisces Tour’ to Manchester’s Co-Op Live giving a show which seamlessly embraced both nostalgia and the confident new era of his music. 

Walking onto stage to the sounds of Shawn Mendes’ ‘There’s Nothing Holding Me Back’ accompanied by water visuals and a glowing Pisces symbol. James Arthur took to the stage dressed in an Oasis shirt, a touching tribute to the city which started his career. Arthur was met by a roaring crowd who had followed his journey from the very start on X Factor back in 2012. Their constant enthusiasm for the Middlesbrough born singer songwriter was evident throughout the night.

Opening his set was ‘Water’ the song taken from his fifth studio album ‘Pisces’ it set the tone for the night before bursting into an electric medley of ‘Sermon’, ‘Gucci’ and the Fugees hit ‘Ready or Not’. Pyrotechnics and fire accompanied his performance, elevating his arena spectacle. 

He showed his endless gratitude for his success by thanking everyone who had bought a ticket to be there and explaining that the show is ‘best enjoyed when you leave the cool guy at home’. The crowd was officially up on their feet dancing as Arthur launched into his 2016 hit ‘Can I Be Him’, the room was transformed into a choir of 23,000 young voices echoing back the lyrics. 

A key strength in his performance lies in his ability to balance vulnerability and humour. The heartfelt ‘ADHD’ was accompanied by punchy guitars and pounding drums, introduced by Arthur as being ‘about celebrating people for who they are’ he stressed that he is ‘as ADHD as they come’. James Arthur has been extremely open about his ADHD and viewing it as a ‘superpower’ when it comes to his songwriting. The X Factor star believes that his neurodivergence is a factor in his decade long success. 

The powerful ballad ‘Rewrite the Stars’ followed which saw him jokingly say: ‘I was disappointed not to have been asked to be in the movie’ (The Greatest Showman) ‘I’d have taken the bearded lady’ he added. The song was accompanied by the stunning vocals of Yasmin Green who performed Anne Marie’s verses flawlessly. 

10 years following its release Arthur explains how ‘Cars Outside’ has taken on a totally different meaning to him following the tragic passing of his friend a few years ago completely shifting the atmosphere to one of reflection and remembrance. The song however showcased exactly what James Arthur does best, raw and gritty vocals accompanied by audience connection.

Arthur declared the next moment of the night to be a ‘vocal extravaganza’ and that it was. As he got up close and personal with the fans in the crowd greeting them with a warm embrace, selfies and handshakes all whilst performing the breathtakingly medley of ‘Certain Things’, ‘Safe Inside’, ‘Quite Miss Home’ and ‘A Year Ago’. Arthur cleverly crafts these medleys to ensure that he creates a setlist which honour fan favourites, new songs and his infamous covers which first propelled him to stardom.

As he finished his crowd walk Arthur performed a beautiful stripped back rendition of ‘Embers’ and ‘Naked’ on the B stage, which added a sense of intimacy to Manchester’s 23,000 strong venue.

‘Bitter Sweet Love’ brought one of the most upbeat moments of the night accompanied by fireworks and confetti proving that Arthur can deliver euphoric pop anthems just as powerful as the strong emotional ballads. ‘Karaoke’ was a special moment in the set where he invited a group of fans onto the stage to sing karaoke, Arthur jokingly naming them ‘Wrong Direction’. As James Arthur put it, it was a reminder that live music isn’t about perfection but about joy, freedom and living in the moment.

‘Trainwreck’ once again saw the Manchester crowd take the lead singing every word without falter. Additionally, ‘Impossible’ provided a full circle moment as he sang the song which won him the X Factor in 2012, he dedicated the song to all the people who voted for him on the show and in the very city in which he won it. Now aged 37, 14 years later with arenas full of people at the palm of his hand. 

The encore delivered the very best of James Arthur with lively renditions of ‘Lasting Lover’ and ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ providing one final singalong moment of the night.