Kieran Dobson @ The Grafton Arms & Deco Records.
The Grafton Arms on Grafton Street Manchester looks like a proper local boozer.
Walking in to the venue I was hit with wall to wall murals of famous iconic figures in both the music and football scene.
These were complimented with a 1970s orange print wallpaper throughout.
The stage faced a dance floor which was just perfect for Northern Soul dancing.
Kieran Dobson showcased his strong personality straight away.
The band started their performance with their song ‘Divided’ and immediately set the scene.
Kieran’s quirky stage presence had both confidence and charisma.
‘I Believe’ brought a hypnotic edge and sucked you in to his world.
Shocked by his cover of Hushabye Mountain which was like nothing I’d heard before, a dark grunge fuelled theater show where his emphasis on laughing when all the band fell silent just added to the overall ambiance.
He came to a halt and silenced himself then brought it up to a whisper which made it hauntingly beautiful.
‘Catatonia’ had a much heavier sound like something you would hear at Download Festival, the multi genre spectacular brought suspense to the set. The drums created the emphasis on this track.
‘Postcard From Zurich’ had a sound clash which made it a unique stand alone song and was my favourite because of this.
‘Leaving The Scene Of The Crime’ was his solo song, his breathy vocals and absence of the band was a bold move but he used this to showcase how versatile he can be. This stripped back performance was the perfect finish.
Check out Deco Records here – https://www.facebook.com/decorecords/
