John Grant, Albert Hall. 18th June 2022

I always find summer gigs in Albert Hall a bit odd. There’s still light streaming through the stained glass windows when John Grant takes the stage, but fear not, John brings with him his own brand of delightful and insightful darkness. Five albums in now, we’re getting into the territory when some older favourites start disappearing from the set, but there’s something from every album and the balance feels spot on. The opening trio all come from last years ‘Boy From Michigan’. A record that feels much more reflective and slower paced. Live it feels like a warm hug emanating from the stage. Everyone stood perfectly still. Watching in calm contemplative awe. With lyrics about being emotionally constipated though, there’s plenty of humour in John’s songs and with an added wry grin, he’s got us all chuckling too. There’s three of them on stage. John and a handsome chap in a cap handling the synths and piano that define much of the sound, but there’s also guitar, saxophone and even a clarinet that really lifts the electro atmosphere. The almost NIN sounding stomp of ‘The Rusty Ball’ sounds fantastic bouncing around Albert Hall. These songs are all about his voice though and the new songs really give him the space to let loose. ‘Black Belt’ is the first song to get John dancing and we all respond. The room turned into a club as the heat increases. It’s an absolute banger! “Etch-a-sketch yourself out of this one reject”. It’s followed by the most playful off the latest album ‘Rhetorical Figure’, that feels like a touch of a struggle live. “I hope you don’t mind me turning the mood with a funeral dirge” introduces ‘Grey Tickles, Black Pressure’. Not at all. Just his voice and the piano. Magnificent! ‘Marz’ follows and we all want to go, the crowd singing along as it sweeps majestically. It feels like a special moment, in a fantastic set. ‘The Cruise Room’ gets dedicated to Julie Cruise, which although on the nose is very sweet and ‘Touch and Go’ gets a shout out for Chelsea Manning and Pride Month. Grant wears his heart on his sleeve and we love him for it. It’s all part of a mid-set calm that culminates with ‘Glacier’ before all hell breaks loose with ‘Pale Green Ghosts’, with its obscene bass, squelchy synths and symphonic strings sounding awesome. The bombastic ‘Queen of a Denmark’ closes before an encore that feels a little like a second mini set. Wrapping up with ‘GMF’ where he declares us all the “greatest mother fuckers”. You too John, you too!