John Grant's special show at Birmingham Symphony Hall - review
Maverick American singer-songwriter John Grant proved a great choice to launch the new 'standing' concerts that are to be offered in Birmingham's Symphony Hall.
The home of the CBSO seemed more like Wolverhampton Civic Hall last night with the audience pressed up close to the edge of the stage as Grant's huge beautiful and rich baritone voice soared and swooped through a fantastic set of his best songs.
There can often seem a distance between the performance and the fans in the cavernous concert hall despite its perfect acoustics, but from the start Grant built up a warm and harmonious intimate atmosphere.
The former Czars singer seemed genuinely delighted to have been invited to christen the hall's new environmentally-friendly staging system, which has taken three years to develop.
Telling fans that he had just celebrated his 50th birthday by enjoying some of the US's biggest rollercoasters, he launched into opener You Don't Have To.
Songs from all three of his brilliant solo albums featured along with new single and next album title track Love is Magic, with Grant performing on piano and synthesiser on most.
His four-piece band, including Siouxise and the Banshees drummer Budgie, were excellent in weaving his unique mix of folk and electronica.
Grant's superb songwriting, with subjects ranging from the mundane to outer space and dealing with his own anxiety, low confidence and depression, has steadily built up his fan base in recent years and songs like Marz, Glacier and Pale Green Ghosts stood out in his Symphony Hall tour de force.
On Global Warming he complimented his Midlands fans on their great tans, courtesy of our unusual long hot summer, and the much-called for GMF had them singing along in delight.
He finished with Queen of Denmark, but returned quickly for a three-song encore.
Support Cate Le Bon joined him on stage for a superb cover of Mary MacGregor's Torn Between Two Lovers before he delivered Caramel and finished alone on piano with Vietnam.
Welsh songstress Le Bon had opened the evening with an entrancing set featuring songs from her four solo albums.
The 35-year-old singer-songwriter, back in live action after a two-year break at the special request of John Grant to replace Susanne Sundfor, led her six-piece group in style with Wonderful from 2016's Crab Day just one of many sparkling highlights.
