NOT since King Arthur has a lake been so vexatious for a leader.

The restored Scarborough Open Air Theatre divides band from audience by means of brown water that romantically might be called a moat, or at least that was the effect in the mind of James frontman Tim Booth, who had not been aware of its presence when the veteran Manchester band signed up to open this summer's season of outdoor shows.

Booth likes to bond physically with a crowd, be it surfing across their outstretched arms or emerging high up in the Leeds First Direct Arena with trumpeter Andy Diagram when performing Sound last year.

He made an early mention of the lake, saying his initial disappointment had been assuaged by finding it "rather beautiful" as he felt the love floating over the water from the vociferous audience, who were gathered in green bucket seats as if in a football stand and in a Friday night mood for a good time by the sea.

The Boston Spa-born singer would return to the subject much later, saying he had contemplated everything to break through the water barrier (to make his way to where the seats were greener on the other side). He had thought about a bridge, maybe a mini-acoustic set in the middle, or a walk around the perimeter, but found no route through to the merry throng.

All was said with good grace, rather than born of frustration, and such is James's stage craft that the lake was not a watery grave for Friday's boisterous show. Instead, the magnificent form shown at the Leeds Arena was sustained, with changes from last November's set list that brought different tracks from last year's La Petite Mort into play, while reaffirming Moving On as their best song in years. Diagram's trumpet playing and, on two occasions, Saul Davies's violin were sublime against the night sky.

Restlessly creative since re-forming, James have been back in the studio, the first fruits emerging as the euphoric Nothing But Love, so fresh that Booth read lyrics from a scrap of paper.

To cap it all, signature song Sit Down, absent last year, was restored for the encore, everyone standing by now, ironically save for Booth, who was perched on an amp. Mind you, he could have walked on the lake at this juncture on a Yorkshire night of ultimate triumph.