Grandson brought undeniable energy to the Phoenix Concert Theatre last night (December 12th 2025) for his hometown show in Toronto on the INERTIA tour. From the moment he stepped on stage, it was clear that this was not just a performance, but a safe space built for release, connection, and care.
The night felt like a hometown celebration from the start. Toronto-based alt-rock trio Dumb Crush took the stage dressed in all-white jumpsuits and delivered a commanding performance with a gritty edge. The crowd took to them quickly, and mosh pits began forming as the energy in the room began to build. They condemned fascism and Donald Trump, which was met with immediate approval and loud cheers from the audience. Dumb Crush perfectly set the tone for grandson and their set carried the same sense of urgency and unity that would define the rest of the night.
That momentum carried seamlessly into grandson’s entrance. Opening with the anti-AI anthem “AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT,” he brought an incredible energy to the stage, and the crowd was all in. He played his latest album, INERTIA, in full along with older songs including deep cut “Best Friends”. Early on, grandson encouraged the audience to “let shit out” while making sure everyone felt safe and at home. He set a clear precedent for the night: bring the energy, but lead with love and respect for one another.
That message was reflected directly in the crowd. Circle mosh pits and crowd surfing took place throughout the set, but people were looking out for each other as much as they were losing themselves in the music. The atmosphere felt therapeutic, less about chaos and more about release, with everyone there to have a good time or let something go.
Grandson’s music translates incredibly live – heavy with roaring guitars and drums that make you want to head-bang and lose yourself in the moment. Lyrically, it’s always been rooted in sharp social commentary, channeling anger at the state of the world. The themes in his music were not only reinforced through the songs themselves like “LITTLE WHITE LIES” and “SELF IMMOLATION”, but in the moments between them.
Grandson brought special attention to English punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, who were originally meant to join the tour but had their visas revoked due to speaking out about Gaza. A voice message from them was played to the crowd, offering a personal connection despite their absence. Grandson also urged the crowd to show love to communities being targeted and vilified online, and to stand up for our queer and trans friends, along with First Nations and Palestinians. He reminded the crowd that collective strength can be powerful, sharing, “With all of us standing together, strong and powerful people get afraid.” The moment landed heavily, drawing cheers and applause from a crowd clearly aligned with the message.
The connection between grandson and the audience only deepened as the night went on. He high-fived fans as they crowd-surfed toward the stage and near the end of the set, he sprinted up to the balcony and leapt off into the hands of fans waiting to catch him. The crowd erupted as he crowd-surfed his way back to the stage. At one point, members of the band stepped offstage and into the crowd themselves, forming a circle pit and continuing to play from within it – fully dissolving the barrier between performer and audience.
After closing the main set with “Blood // Water”, the audience made it clear that no one was ready to leave yet. Fans got their wish when grandson returned to the stage and treated them to a three-song encore: “WWIII”, “Riptide”, and “Stick Up”.
In a time when online spaces often feel overwhelmingly negative, attending this show offered a real sense of hope. More than just a concert, it felt like a safe space where everyone was welcome and connected by shared values, collective emotion, a desire for something better, and genuinely fantastic music.
Check out photos from the night below!
Words and photos by Olivia Garby. Find her on instagram @__livscamera.