John Grant
London Shepherd’s Bush Empire
27th March, 2011

If you want a compelling example of how an artist can engage with an audience but challenge them as well, try this. In defiance of convention, Grant started his gig with a new song, powered by thunderous electronic rhythm. Not for the faint-hearted, it shook things up nicely. Grant then played a set of heartfelt elegance, drawn from his marvellous Queen Of Denmark, along with some tracks from his days with The Czars. The backing of a string quartet on some numbers gave them a devastatingly sad but beautiful sheen. Grant’s often painful dissections of failed relationships claw at the heart, and this gig was a moving experience. Caramel and Fireflies cut deep, with powerful emotional force, while Grant is a witty raconteur between songs, and what a great voice.