An over reliance on backing musicians?

[roi]

For what it’s worth, James has usually played the riff live at the very start of NSAF only, with the rest being done by keyboards in the years before Wayne Murray. The part where he apologised in Belfast is the part where he’s always hammered into the chords instead of playing the riff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoDFO0FQvXY

Maybe they've played too many no name festivals with unappreciative crowds or are not connected as tightly as a band because of genuine pressing real life matters

Given the personal stuff going on, i’m kind of surprised they haven’t postponed everything, as a lot of bands would have.