GRANDSON: DROPPING THE BEAT AND FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT

The Declaration of Independence says that when a government is unjust it is the duty of the people to overthrow that government.

It’s a few hundred years too soon for a total overthrow of the United States government, but it’s important to remember we hold that power.  

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Reminding people how much power they hold is exactly what Jordan Benjamin had in mind when he started his musical career as Grandson, and was clear during his concert at the Crystal Ballroom on Oct. 12, which was a great show all around.  

The opening performer, Phem, did an amazing job of getting the crowd ready to dance. Her energy on stage had everyone dancing already. Kicking up the energy another gear, she jumped off the stage mid-set and stood with the crowd, waving her arm back and forth with the sea of limbs around her.

Phem and her guitarist played some catchy original songs and even threw in a cover of “Creep,” by Radiohead. Phem bounced from one instrument to the next, playing the guitar and drums at different points in the set while singing vocals the entire time. 

Following Phem, Nothing Nowhere was next in the lineup. This Massachusetts artist didn’t let the energy dwindle. He also took the opportunity to talk a little bit about mental illnesses, and show support for those struggling with them. “If there’s one thing you can take from tonight, that’s to spread love and compassion. Let’s be kind to one another,” he said.

As for Nothing Nowhere’s music, it was a little too angsty for me, personally, but the beat was always strong. Overall, he went hard, and the music would make the perfect playlist to dance anyone’s anger out to. There were several moments without singing and the band just jammed out while the crowd moved to the beat.    

Finally, Grandson made his appearance. When the band came on stage, he addressed the crowd as if he knew everyone personally. Opening with a lighthearted joke about being bald, Grandson didn’t waste much time before getting down to the music. Some highlights of the set included him running up and down the aisle to high-five concertgoers and whipping his shirt off in the heat of the song promptly after returning to the stage. 

As exciting as his dancing and jumping on stage were, his dedication to changing the mindset of an entire generation is what makes Grandson’s shows truly remarkable.  

He started his set off with some troubling news clips playing on the three screens mounted onstage. The clips highlighted current issues we are facing in the U.S. There was footage of children evacuating schools, and clips of biased news anchors. Not long into his set, he dedicated a song to journalists and whistleblowers. On the screens behind the band, a famous Martain Luther King Jr. quote was boldly displayed for the better half of a song: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

All the political influence was powerful in the music and in Grandson’s interaction with the crowd. He didn’t miss the opportunity to talk about XXRevolution, his movement, either. Toward the end of his set, he declared, “We are Columbine, we are Parkland…” with screens rolling behind him with the names of schools that have been victimized by gun violence in the United States.

The moment was enough to bring tears to the eyes of many, myself included.

Grandson’s stated mission is to “Empower you and give you a sense of agency over your own life,” he said. So, if we can take anything from his music, it’s that we can call our representatives. We can protest, debate, and stand up for what we believe in. This is a government for the people and by the people, as our Declaration makes clear.