On December 3, 2025, the Commodore Ballroom had the Inertia tour rolled into Vancouver for a Wednesday night show that felt like a Friday, bringing with it a community of fans ready to thrash, sweat, and scream about the state of the world. Doors opened at 7:00 PM, and by the time the lights went down at 8:00 PM, the energy in the room was already at a boiling point.
Opening the night was Dumb Crush, a band that has only been on the scene since 2024. Hailing from Toronto, they brought a blend of alt-rock, indie, and post-punk that sounded surprisingly seasoned for a group so new. They did exactly what an opener should do: they woke the room up. I managed to catch them after their set to get my bag signed—definitely a band to keep on the radar as they refine their sound.
Then came Grandson. The VIP turnout was massive, with fans buzzing long before he took the stage about his genuine nature and track record. He proved them right immediately. He played the entirety of the new Inertia album, but he didn't neglect the long-time listeners.
Hearing tracks from Death of an Optimist like "We Did It!!!" and "Pain Shopping" live is always a visceral experience. He dug deep into the Modern Tragedy EPs as well, tearing through "Stigmata," "Darkside," "Overdose," and "6:00." He even slowed things down for a haunting cover of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" and tracks from I Love You, I'm Trying like "Heather" and "Drones."
The atmosphere in the pit was intense. This wasn't a "stand and nod" crowd; people were getting thrown around, hit from all sides, and absolutely loving it. The moshing was relentless, and security had their hands full escorting two or three crowd surfers who managed to spill over the barricade.
Grandson matched that energy perfectly, doing some crowd surfing of his own. His interaction was top-tier—whether he was commanding the entire room to raise their middle fingers to the sky or running along the barrier giving high-fives. He paused frequently to share stories about his life and journey, expressing a gratitude that felt deeply authentic.
One of the night's heavier moments came during "Who's the Enemy." The track features Bob Vylan, who was supposed to be on this tour but couldn't make it due to visa issues. Grandson stopped to make a passionate speech about the injustice of the situation, highlighting the systemic borders that keep artists apart. It was a sobering reminder of the "state of the world" themes that run through his music.
He closed the main set with the iconic "Blood // Water," sending the room into a final frenzy before returning for a two-song encore of "Kiss Bang" and "Stick Up."
By the end of the night, the merch table was pretty much picked clean, but I walked away with something better. I initially grabbed a setlist from the stage but managed to trade it for a drumstick from the drummer—a perfect trophy for a night of heavy percussion and heavy themes.