Reviewed onWednesday March 16
It’s a pity there’s already a band called Neurosis; one imagines John Grant would like to enter the stage to that name. Beyond his lyrical content – often about coming to terms with his homosexuality, or ending relationships – and his apologising for being “selfish” for not talking to the audience earlier, and describing a couple of songs as about him “being a c**t”, Grant managed to put on a consummate show no doubt aided by his own flawless musicianship.
For live vocals to match up to recorded vocals is a rare thing indeed, and plenty of times Grant’s voice managed to serenely fill the Metro’s cavern during his many quiet and slow songs. Beginning the set with a trio from his latest album Grey Tickles, Black Pressure – not including coming out to that same album’s intro track – the show had a smooth lift off.
The middle section of the gig was jam-packed with Grant’s more energising and synth-heavy bangers, the sort of tracks that crowds find irresistibly moving – ‘Pale Green Ghosts’ and the pre-encore ‘Disappointing’ (voted by Time as one of the greatest songs of 2015, by the way) being particular highlights. The rather large encore ended the show as it started, with crowd favourite and set-ender ‘Caramel’ bringing the energy in the room down to a trickle.
The lop-sided setlist may have resulted in the same sense one has when they drink during the day – living through the comedown – but as it was a school night, some punters might have preferred it that way. Grant too may have intended to respect the timing of the gig; not only did he profusely thank the crowd for coming out on a Wednesday, he, unlike Madonna, was only 15 minutes late.
