Last Friday, I experienced one of the biggest milestones in my career as a concert photographer, as I got to shoot my favorite artist of all time, grandson. I have seen this man perform every time he has come through Dallas over the last 4 years, and this year was extra special because he would be headlining the show. With support from New Jersey punk rap group Ho99o9, I knew all of us “grandkids” were going to be in for a crazy night.
Before last Friday, I had never heard of Ho99o9. I knew if they were touring with their grandson, then they must have some bangers up their sleeves, but other than that, I genuinely had no idea what to expect. What I got was a high-energy, punk rap duo that knew exactly how to warm up a crowd. These guys were wild! Their music was heavy and angry, and a couple of their tracks sounded like something straight off of a nu metal album, which I really enjoyed. Their closing song, “Godflesh,” was an audible explosion. The intro sounded very reminiscent of something Rob Zombie might create but soon morphed into a fast-paced blend of rap, thrash metal, and punk. The duo’s stage presence throughout the set was just as fiery as their music, filled with lots of high jumps and wielding the mic stands around as if they were weapons. The crowd loved every minute of this up-and-coming band’s set, and I won’t be surprised if I start seeing this band’s name in headlines within the next year or so.
Ho99o9
Next, the moment everyone had been waiting for. The venue lights went down, and prerecorded messages from people of all walks of life began to play over the speakers, each one discussing how their lives were being impacted by the injustices that are currently being carried out in this day and age by people in power. As the audio message neared its end, grandson and his band stepped out on stage and dove straight into one of the most popular tracks off his new album, “AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT.” Without wasting a second, grandson jumped into action, running around the stage, stomping along with the beat, and just being the energetic performer he always is. grandson’s enthusiasm and the joy he exudes while performing are always contagious, and the fans wasted no time matching the singer’s energy. The adrenaline continued to rise over the next several songs as he played my personal favorite off the new album, “BURY YOU,” followed by two longtime fan favorites, “We Did It!!!” and “Oh No!!!,” both of which sent the fans into a frenzy.
Along with playing many old fan favorites, grandson and his band also played every single song off of the new album “INERTIA.” With each song the crowd got rowdier and rowdier, the mosh pits getting larger after every track played. During the classic “6:00,” grandson’s bassist and guitarist jumped into the crowd and played the breakdown of the song in the middle of the circle pit while fans marched around them. I put down my camera gear for several songs in the middle so I could enjoy some of the set purely as a fan, and I’ve got to say, there is truly nothing more exciting than being in the middle of a crowd of fans during a grandson concert. The way the crowd never stops smiling and moving at his shows is always such a wonderful experience. I was shocked at just how lively of a reaction the new songs were getting, in some cases, even getting more enthusiasm than some of the older favorites. It really just goes to show how powerful the new record was. It only came out about a month and a half ago, and yet almost every single fan in that venue was singing along to every word with the most passion I’ve seen at a concert.
grandson
One of the many reasons why I love grandson so much, aside from the fact that his shows and music are absolutely thrilling, is his passion for building an inclusive community of love and acceptance amongst his fans. At several points throughout the show, he took a moment between songs to speak out to the fans about all of the atrocities currently going on in the world, and in the United States specifically. In a world that looks incredibly bleak for many people, grandson always gives a message of hope, making it very clear that his shows and community are a safe space for everyone regardless of your race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, gender, etc. Diversity is something that should be celebrated, not condemned, and grandson has always stood behind and supported marginalized groups of people and spoken out against any injustices they face on a daily basis. He also has been very open about mental health awareness and touched on it briefly toward the end of his set. The band exited the stage, and grandson picked up a guitar to perform a stripped version of the most emotional song he has ever released: “Heather.” If you know the story behind that song, you will understand that there were not many dry eyes in the audience while it was played. In a setlist that mostly consisted of high-energy protest rock songs, this was a beautiful way to slow things down and highlight one of the many sides of grandson’s music and help any fans who were struggling with mental health in the audience feel seen and heard.
After the raw and beautiful performance of “Heather,” grandson kicked things back into high gear to finish out his set. The second that the lyrics “You’ll never get free/ Lamb to the slaughter/ What are you going to do when there’s blood in the water” rang out through the speakers, the crowd erupted into ecstatic cheers for the most iconic of grandson’s songs to date. The powerful and badass “Blood // Water.” When the chorus dropped, the entire crowd began to move in every way you can imagine. Jumping, moshing, crowd surfing, you name it. The entire GA section had ignited with the music, and I got to witness all of the beautiful chaos from my place at the top of the House of Blues balcony section, marking the end to an incredible evening.
grandson
Getting to see and finally get to take photos of my grandson was truly one of the greatest experiences I have had in my photography career. His music has saved my life and been there for me on countless occasions, like it has for so many of his other fans, and I will always be grateful for him. grandson’s shows are always a place where you can completely let loose and just live in the moment with a bunch of other people who are just as psyched to be there as you are. While grandson’s North American tour is starting to wrap up at the time of writing this, the European leg of the INERTIA tour will start back up in January of next year. If you have a chance, definitely get your tickets and go see one of the most lively and exciting shows of the year. A place where you can mosh, sing along to your favorite songs, make a new friend, fight the oligarchy, or whatever floats your boat. I guarantee you will have the absolute time of your life at a grandson show.
