We'll start with the concert...
John Grant and the Royal Northern Sinfonia were stunning. I knew before I went that at some point during the night I would be crying. I hadn't counted on it being during nearly every song. The emotion John imbues in his performances is on another level. His barefaced and unashamed honesty hits you like a brick wall, but the poetry of his complex yet straightforward lyrics and music washes over you like a wave. The songs possess a somewhat grandiose quality, greatly enhanced by the orchestra. Evocative and original metaphors give the songs such life. Yet at the same time they are simple, and to the point.
Your silence is a weapon / it's like a nuclear bomb / it's like the Agent Orange they used to use in Vietnam
This pain / It is a glacier moving through you / It's carving out deep valleys / It's creating spectacular landscapes
My love is the rarest jewel and he crowns me with his love / My love, he is rich like caramel and he moves me from above
The entire performance was breathtaking, John's voice is in excellent shape. I know he's a good singer, but his warm tenor was on top form for some heart-stopping high moments and gorgeous melismas. I was on the edge of my seat the whole night. Luckily the lady sat next to me was kind enough to hand me tissues, seeing the emotional wreck next to her wiping his eyes in between songs must have been somewhat strange.
Highlights included some new songs and I was immediately hooked. "Geraldine" transfixed me. Nobody but John could make the word "shit" sound so beautiful. "No More Tangles" also seemed to utterly overcome and transfix everybody in the auditorium with its intensity. The orchestra's rendition of Rachmaninov's Prélude in C sharp minor was just stunning; a fantastic dramatic introduction to "Pale Green Ghosts", which featured otherworldly, almost terrifying, yet dazzling instrumental interplay between the loops and the synths and the orchestra
He played all the songs I was hoping for, it couldn't have been any more perfect. The rawness of "Drug", the pleading of "Vietnam", the rage of "Queen of Denmark", the spectacular climax of "Glacier" (I was made up to see Chris Pemberton play that on piano). He saved my favourite of all until last, I was becoming nervous and almost upset that I might not get to hear it. Then he sat at the piano and began to play "Caramel". I totally lost it, I was sobbing. The song is so beautiful, such a joy and privilege to listen to, but it causes me pain because of what it reminds me of. Although after all is said and done I was overjoyed he played it; it was marvellous, moving and over much too quickly. I sat for a little while as everybody filtered out of the hall to (somewhat unsuccessfully) try and compose myself.
And then meeting John...
It's funny, because I've been saying since I bought the tickets "Wouldn't it be great to meet John? I bet he'd give good hugs!" And then all of a sudden, some time after 11 (my legs could hardly move properly I'd been stood so long) there he was! Only three of us had waited for him, the other two people got some things signed and then he looked at me: I must have still looked a wreck from the concert, he looked right into my eyes, his expression said "are you okay??" I had so much I wanted to say but all I could manage was to thank him for "everything", for "tonight", for his "honesty" and for playing Caramel and how much it meant to me. He thanked me, put his hand out, told me to give him a hug and pulled me into a hug. I'm still on a high now, and I cannot wait for the next record and tour.
There are no men out there who we can relate to like John. I and many others most often have to turn to women to relate to and draw inspiration from. There are so many shallow "role-models" out there. I cannot think of another intelligent, talented, honest and inspirational male public figure among us like John. I can say he is the only artist who I really feel I can relate to and who inspires me to be better, to live and to create. I'm so grateful for his honesty, and for him sharing so much of himself with us. I hope he knows how important what he's doing is
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