Words: Rohan Minhas | Photos: Dylan Mangunay
Venue: O2 Institute2 (Birmingham, UK) | Date: 18th September 2025

For his first ever Birmingham show, grentperez transformed the intimate venue into his amazing, immersive world. The Backflips in a Restaurant Tour definitely lived up to its name. From multiple foodie metaphors to insane energy, ‘g’s Bar & Grill’ had everything and more. 

For starters, the incredible Liang Lawrence opened the night, with her second ever show in Birmingham. I’ve been to so many gigs in my life, however hand on heart, this was arguably the most wholesome I’ve seen a support act be received. Whether it was casual conversations about eyeliner, to silence during her beautiful vocals. It was a true reflection of the fandom. The set took us through a rollercoaster of emotions, from upbeat to slow songs about unrequited love. She ended with ‘(not) a love song’, a track that always reminds me of Esme Emerson, and vice versa. She left the stage with a huge smile on her face, and an influx of new fans that will attend her upcoming ‘It’s A Funny Tour’.


The main course could not have started better. Opening with songs like ‘Headspace’ and ‘Why I Love You’, everyone was dancing from the get-go. The ground reverberating as the lyrics were echoed back. It’s the signature groovy style that we all know and love. I was a huge fan of how he introduced his band right at the start instead of halfway through. It portrayed that Grant valued the group effort behind the show,  and prepared us for all of their energetic antics throughout the night.

The crowd only grew louder as older fan favourites came into the mix. It was the response to ‘Dandelion’ which led Grant to declare this show as his favourite so far. It was a shared feeling, I’m glad it wasn’t just my Brummie bias. When followed by ‘Clementine’, there was a moment of stillness in the chaos. Everyone swayed in awe. It was a special experience, especially since this song made me become a fan all those years ago. His vocals hit every note effortlessly. The nostalgia acted as a reminder to everyone about how much he has grown as an artist.

What made the night special wasn’t just the setlist, but the way Grant wove his personality and authenticity throughout. He flirted with his bandmates, and subjected us to TikTok ’67’ brain rot. We all couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Need You Around’ was a prime example of the aforementioned. He teased us as we collectively struggled to whistle. ‘2DK’ came like a whirlwind, a complete shift in tone. We all danced, jumped, and jammed to an incredible guitar solo. We loved the constant tone shifts throughout the night. It reflected both his range, and his chaotic personality.


A beautiful part of the night was when he brought two fans up on stage, as he played one of my favourites ‘Movie Scene’. He serenaded them with not only the most beautiful song ‘Yours To Keep’, but ‘Happy Birthday’ too. The wholesome, cinematic interaction came as no surprise. It’s a true testament to both this character and the community he’s built. ‘12065’ continued the beautiful feeling, including a violin solo that was truly out of this world. These genuine, heartfelt, yet cheeky moments were such a memorable part of set.

Coming after the midpoint was my favourite, ‘Girl at the Station’. I’ve always seen it as the brother of Bruno Mars’ Somewhere in Brooklyn, as both of the groovy artists romantically yearn about a girl on the train. Through ‘Everest’ and ’Reason Why’, the room’s ambience had softened again. For many, this was the first time hearing these songs from the new album live. Without a doubt, these performances exceeded high, pre-existing expectations with ease. The beauty of these songs were captured and presented perfectly. Especially during 'Reason Why', the amount of fans embracing each other was beautiful to see.

Before the encore came, Grant decided to throw it back, both figuratively… and literally??? No surprise. ‘Ego’ allowed everyone to start dancing again, especially since we knew a couple of classics were to follow, such as ‘Cherry Wine’. It had a great  introduction. They teased the name and all downed a cherry wine in one. Welcome to Britain. Hearing Cherry Wine live, I couldn’t but notice what a restaurant vibe the song has. Its very fitting how his varying eras can all fit within one another naturally. Its slow nature was bittersweet, as it becomes apparent that the end was near. He couldn’t have us leave without a warm feeling, hence the song ‘Fuzzy Feeling’. It was also fitting how the chorus allowed for multiple crowd call backs. This feeling of community was constantly extended.


Alas came the dessert. We never stopped chanting ‘one more song’, so he one-upped us by playing us 2. ‘Silver Lining’ and ‘When The Day Is Done’. They created such a cyclical feeling to the night. Everyone grooved, just like we all did at the start. The night closed in perfect symmetry. The chorus shouts of the latter’s namesake only grew louder. We didn’t want the night to end. I was already dreading the PCD (post-concert depression) I was going to face afterwards.

I was blown away with his Birmingham debut. grentperez isn’t just a compelling artist with a genre-bending catalogue. He’s a natural storyteller, perfectly engaging audiences with the creation of his own ‘bar and grill’. It was a community that night. Birmingham will be eager for his return, and it’s an honour to have seen him in a cosy, intimate venue. There’s no doubt about how massive his next show will be. 

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