John Grant live AT FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE
With Special Guest Rachael Dease.
Fremantle Arts Centre proudly presents John Grant bringing The Art of The Lie tour to Australia. An American singer, musician, and songwriter who holds both American and Icelandic citizenship, John Grant first became known as the co-founder, lead singer, pianist, and primary songwriter for The Czars. He has collaborated with musical and artistic acts from Elton John and Tracey Thorn to the BBC’s Philharmonic Orchestra; and is the recipient of many awards and accolades, most recently a 5 star live review in The Guardian, who wrote: “John Grant’s songwriting feeds on radical contrasts. He anatomises the ugliest depressive episodes and the bitterest break-ups with exquisite melodies and a chocolatey baritone. He likes his beauty to have jagged edges”.
John Grant likens his most recent album The Art of The Lie to the sumptuous Vangelis soundtrack for Bladerunner, or The Carpenters if John Carpenter were also a member. While undeniably a John Grant record, nestling humour into tragedy, bleeding anger into compassion, there is a musical ambition and nerve to The Art of the Lie which offsets its most political and personal moments. The Art of the Lie is a considered title, taken from the song ‘Meek AF’, itself a lyrical inversion of the biblical edict that the meek shall inherit the earth. Against a lubricated groove, some Zapp-esque talk box and a spidery keyboard figure, Grant sets out his understanding of the new ethics of America. “Trump’s book The Art of the Deal is now seen by MAGA disciples as just another book of the Bible and Trump himself as a messiah sent from heaven”, Grant observes. “Because, God wants you to be rich.”
“Heartbreak; self-hatred; addiction; homophobia; religion: nothing was off the table. Fourteen years and a slew of high-profile collaborations later (Elton John, Kylie Minogue, and the late Sinead O’Connor among them), his new LP The Art of the Lie still hews to this same confessional ethos” – THE INDEPENDENT
RACHAEL DEASE
Dease’s artistic practice encompasses art music, dance and theatre scoring, installation and songwriting. While her own music projects have garnered critical acclaim and multiple awards, her biggest love is collaboration – creating large and small scale works across many genres. Dease was Prelude Composer in Residence at Gallop House, Western Australia, where she wrote her first solo album Hymns For End Times which was performed with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra for the 2021 Perth Festival.
In 2022 Rachael collaborated with Maxine Doyle and Es Devlin on Here Not Here for Gothenburg Opera Dance Company and continued this collaboration into 2023 with Salamander for Brisbane Festival. Occasionally she performs live, and will perform a solo set of new and old songs for FAC Sunday Music.
Minors are permitted to attend licensed 18+ ticketed concerts at Fremantle Arts Centre if accompanied by a parent or LEGAL GUARDIAN AT LEAST 25 YEARS of age.
Fremantle Arts Centre is an entirely outdoor venue.
