The Art Of The Lie is brought to life in Manchester as John Grant continues to show what a great songwriter and performer he is. BIG SPECIAL and Peter Alexander Jobson and Big Special support.

John Grant is an established singer songwriter. He has a string of brilliant albums under his belt. The Art Of The Lie is his 2024 effort. It is noticebly more elextronic in parts and this shows in the live set up for the show. Before that, there is the mouthwatering prospect of Big Special and ex-I Am Kloot founder, Peter Alexander Jobson.

PETER ALEXANDER JOBSON

Ex-I Am Kloot bassist, Peter Alexander Jobson is up first. A single light surrounds his presence sat at John Grant’s grand piano. “Happy Halloween,” he says as he greets the growing group of early gig goers.

Burn The Ration Books Of Love is Jobson’s forthcoming debut solo album. It is due out on 15th November and he showcases a selection of stripped back songs from the album. Holiday is a song that has been kicking around for a few years and was released on his The Piano Tuner EP. Taxi Services is, along with Holiday, another selection that will be on the album.

In amongst the Northumberland natives set, there is a wry wit and dashing drawl that endears. His voice is velvet like and moves between the deep tones of Richard Hawley, Mark Lanegan and Leonard Cohen. Burn The Ration Books Of Love is set to be a brilliant album. If this too short and sweet set shows anything, it is that Jobson is a master of his craft and he will charm many an audience in years to come with these songs.

Jobson plays an instore show at Piccadilly Records in Manchester on 19th November. The details are here.

BIG SPECIAL

All of the subtlety of Jobson’s set evaporates as Midland duo Big Special take the stage to a mariachi version of Don’t Look Back In Anger. “We are the ghosts of Oasis’ integrity!” proclaim the pair, zipped up in parka’s and bucket hats.

For thirty minutes, the fast rising duo smashed Manchester into life. Their forthright delivery and abrasive nature bristles with passion. Songs like Shithouse, This Here Ain’t Water and Dust Off / Start Again are vibrant and have the crowd fully entranced.

Whilst the vocals of Joe Hicklin are, on the face of it, harsh, he has a real register that allows him to sing with an impressive vigour. Whilst grabbing his rib cage (owing to a cracked rib injury at a previous show), you cant see that he is trying to give every ounce of his being whilst delivering these songs. Callum Moloney is a charismatic presence behind the drums, littering the set with sound effects and plenty of his own MC’ing.

Dig! closes out the set in somewhat tender fashion, but not before the band take it to the crowd for a rambunctious rendition of Trees. Big Special are going to be a huge band – there is a certain feeling in amongst the crowd that they know they might have seen a band early on in their burgeoning career.

JOHN GRANT

And so, to the master that is John Grant. Striding onstage to the languid tones of All That School For Nothing, Grant clutches a hulking keytar, he immediately shows that this show is to be one of electronic eccentricity. The song has a bit of P-Funk feel in the music, but also in some of the absurdity in the lyrics. It is a great opener. A direct segue into a literally banging version of Black Belt, from Pale Green Ghosts, gives weight to the electro claim. As an extended version, it morphs into a beat laden cacophony reminiscent of Chemical Brothers.

Grant’s three other players are clearly adept multi-instrumentalists. They change up between synths, bass, drums, piano, guitar and several other contraptions. Songs like Meek AF, Boy From Michigan and The Rusty Bull, see the band move between instruments seamlessly.

It’s A Bitch, The Child Catcher and Laura Lou are all aired from The Art Of The Lie. The confidence that Grant clearly has in the new record is evident in the setlist selection. Eight out of the eleven tracks are scattered throughout the setlist.

SOLO

Whilst there is plenty of gadgetry on stage, after the opening few songs, Grant sits at his grand piano. “Time to spend a little time alone with Manchester,” he announces smiling at the front rows of the audience.

Zeitgeist kicks off the solo portion before Daddy and a stunning version of Glacier, dedicated to the forthcoming US election. Listening to and reading the lyrics for Glacier, you can see why it matches the sentiment.

Don’t listen to anyone
Get answers on your own
Even if it means that sometimes
You feel quite alone
No one on this planet can tell you what to believe
People like to talk a lot
And they like to deceive

More playful moments come when Grant asks for song choices from the crowd. Sigourney Weaver is the cry from many parts of the audience. Grant obliges and delivers another masterpiece. His rapport with the audience is clear.

PALE GREEN GHOSTS

Whilst The Art Of The Lie is clearly one of Grant’s finest, Pale Green Ghosts is clearly another high point. You Don’t Have To ends the solo section. After the serenity of the paired back numbers, Pale Green Ghosts title track is another hulking electro masterpiece. Built and sequenced by Grant alone, he works across the equipment like a wild musical genius layering each section masterfully. Like Black Belt, it builds to a raucous end.

Heading back to his debut once more, the main set is closed out by Chicken Bones. Many corners of the crowd are delighted to hear another early piece. Grant takes up the keytar once more as he wanders off the stage in the same manner he entered. The band stick around for an extended boogie-woogie style outro.

Returning in resplendent blue robes, Grant closes out his two hour show with once of his best; GMF. “This is for all of you, of course. You’re un-fucking-believable.” The way Manchester sings it back, it is clear that the feeling is completely mutual.

Manchester and Grant have always got along well. This shows no sign of abating. John Grant is a fine songwriter. He is an incredibly talented, evocative and flamboyant performer.

John Grant has a couple more UK dates before heading into Europe with Big Special. Check out the dates here. Give All That School For Nothing a listen, below.

John Grant: Website / Facebook / Instagram

Big Special: Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Peter Alexander Jobson: Website / Instagram / X / Facebook

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