THEY say you should dance like no one is watching.

And not even 5,000 pairs of eyes could stop snake-hipped Tim Booth in his tracks as he slid and slithered along to the music at Delamere Forest on Sunday.

The frontman of Manchester indie legends James may now be 55 but he had the energy, grace and rhythm of a dancer half his age.

He gave the Forest Live concert his all, getting up close with the crowd throughout the night and even stage diving at one point.

Delamere's woodland provided a spectacular backdrop to the sold-out show which gave it a festival feel.

And the stage was at the bottom of a slope which meant that everyone had a great view – although the climb to the bar proved a bit too much for some staggering revellers after a few drinks.

But among just 5,000 people, the concert also felt intimate and had a friendly atmosphere with some fans, who grew up with James in the 80s and 90s, bringing their kids.

It was a reminder how long the seven-piece band have been making hits for and this was highlighted when Booth casually told the crowd the story behind Stutter, a song he wrote in 1984.

The only disappointment of the night was the setlist which, apart from Ring The Bells and Born of Frustration, kept most of the hits until towards the end.

Laid and Sometimes got everyone cheering and singing along but Destiny Calling, She's A Star and Tomorrow were noticeably missing.

This was a shame considering open air summer shows like this are all about hearing your favourites, dancing and singing along out of tune.

After a bow, James came back on stage for an encore with a high energy rendition of the song everyone had been waiting for – their signature tune, Sit Down.

They then closed the show and another year of Forest Live with Out To Get You, an aching song of lost love. It proved an appropriate – albeit downbeat – way of saying goodbye to the crowd.