Berkofest performance will be plain sailing

The former Starsailor frontman, who hails from Wigan, is headlining family-friendly festival Berkofest at Berkhamsted Cricket Club on Saturday, September 10, and he says it ‘should be a good one’.

The 36-year-old, who has sold more than three million albums, said: “The closest I’ve got to Berkhamsted is Luton, when I did an interview on BBC 3 Counties Radio.

“I met Charlie [Hussey, Berkofest organiser] then and it was great to hear the passion he has for it. I’m looking forward to playing in Berkhamsted, it should be a good one.”

James is perhaps best known for being one quarter of post-Britpop band Starsailor, but he released his first solo album in 2009 and has been touring on his own too.

But Starsailor fans will be pleased to know he will be playing some of their hits at Berkofest, as well as some fresh material.

The dad-of-two, who lives with wife Lisa and children Niamh, 14, and eight-year-old Cillian, said: “I think it’s important to strike a balance.

“I want to show people what I’m working on now, but I don’t want to gloss over my past. I want to say, I’m still part of that, but I’m also doing this.”

The artist, who first played the piano aged 12 and started writing his own songs at 14, cites Tim Buckley, Jeff Buckley, Oasis and Blur as just some of his early influences.

And even though he’s performed all over the world, the musician admits he still gets nervous before gigs.

He said: “It’s not a bad nervous, more like adrenalin. I always find gigs exciting and intriguing, because you never know what the audience is going to be like.”

Buy tickets to see James play at www.berkofest.com