CONCERT REVIEW: Grandson Makes Triumphant Return To Amsterdam

After a prolonged absence of over four years, Grandson made a triumphant comeback to Amsterdam’s renowned Melkweg venue, to perform one of the biggest shows on his European tour. His debut Amsterdam headliner show was in the smallest room that Melkweg has to offer, while this time around, Grandson sold out the 1500 cap room within days.

Adding to the excitement was the release of his new album, I Love You, I’m Trying, earlier this year, making this concert an opportunity for fans to experience these fresh tracks live for the very first time, as well as relive some of the ‘olden’ and golden, with the oldest track of the night being Best Friends, which Grandson released at the start of his career back in 2017.

The setlist took fans on an emotional rollercoaster, from the anthemic Darkside to the highly emotional Heather, a tribute to one of his earliest fans who took her own life. Grandson‘s commitment to addressing important issues through his music was evident throughout the performance, both in his music and the many (and often lengthy) speech interludes.

While Grandson’s older material often translates to a highly energetic live performance, I found the songs from the most recent effort I Love You, I’m Trying lackluster on that front. I say this fully knowing that my bias towards the older songs is strong. The new songs are more driven by rap, leaving some of the electronic elements behind, which I found made for less energetic performances than the aforementioned older songs, with Despicable and Blood // Water as absolute highs.

As the night neared its conclusion, Grandson paid a heartfelt tribute to Linkin Park and, specifically, Mike Shinoda. It has been five years since Shinoda collaborated with Grandson on Running From My Shadow, a collaboration that significantly contributed to Grandson‘s journey to success.

After the performance of his big hit Blood // Water, Grandson briefly exited the stage. However, he returned to announce that he didn’t have just one song left, but two. He launched into the title track of his new album, I Love You, I’m Trying, followed by the crowd-pleasing Riptide from his debut record, Death Of An Optimist.

In the end, Grandson‘s performance at Amsterdam’s Melkweg was a night to remember. It was a night filled with great music and a sense of unity that only a Grandson concert can provide. Here’s to hoping he won’t take another four years before returning again.

Glenn van den Bosch

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