James Dean

Live looping is the trick here. James builds a track in front of you, layer by layer, so a solo show sounds a lot bigger than one bloke with a guitar. He describes the approach as a producer meeting a one man band, and that's about right. Get the full band together and it shifts again, closer to a festival stage than a function room. The repertoire runs past 1,500 songs and he'll learn more on request, which means the night can be shaped around your crowd rather than a fixed list. He reads a room and changes course mid set when it needs it. Formats run from solo through to a six piece, with horns a common addition at the top end. He brings touring grade sound and lighting, so all you need is a power point within 30 metres and a wet weather plan outdoors.