I am at a secret London gig by Grant Lubbock, formerly of grizzled Americana band The Novotels. He walks onstage at 9.30 p.m., just him and an acoustic guitar and says, 'I got here on the Northern Line.' This gets a communal laugh and a round of spontaneous applause. He then launches into a diatribe about George Bush and his English puppy Blair, followed by a montage of Woody Guthrie songs. The evening flies by as we are held rapt by a master songsmith at the peak of his powers. Novotels classics are mixed with covers of songs from the fifties to the noughties, including an hilarious piss-take of James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful'. He finishes off with a few songs from his forthcoming solo album 'Porch Songs', and off we go boldly into the London night, uplifted and full of hope. On the way home I realise it's the first time I've seen Grant sober.