LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: GRANDSON AT O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN, LONDON 02/03/26 (+ PINKSHIFT)
Full photo gallery here
TW: the following review contains mentions of suicide, murder and kidnapping. Reader discretion is advised.
On the 2nd of March 2026, the O2 Forum Kentish Town ceased to be a mere music venue and transformed into a sweaty, sanctuary-like bastion for every soul exhausted of being optimistic and in a state of inertia.
The demographic was a beautiful sea of diverse faces spanning every age, background, and identity, yet all vibrating with the exact same progressive heartbeat. We were an audience no longer content with being passive observers of our own decline. We were there to find a much-needed shift in a society that feels increasingly rigged, sharing a bone-deep ethos with the artists on the bill. Both Pinkshift and Grandson held a jagged, uncompromising mirror up to a broken system and, for one explosive night, gave over 2000 people permission to feel their own rage and energy. In a world that relentlessly attempts to strip us of our individuality - or punishes us the moment we dare to show it - this was a night where being yourself was the ultimate act of rebellion.
Taking the stage to warm up the crowd, Baltimore’s Pinkshift proved immediately why they are a band you need to be paying attention to. Formed in 2019 after members met at Johns Hopkins University, the trio has spent the last few years becoming a formidable force in the alternative scene. With a history of opening for icons like Pussy Riot, The Gaslight Anthem, and the Linda Lindas, their mission has always been clear: using rock as a vehicle for racial diversity, gender inclusivity, and fierce advocacy. Now touring off the back of their 2025 sophomore album, EARTHKEEPER, they brought an unapologetic energy to London that was significantly heavier than their records suggest. Their live setup, featuring two guitarists alongside lead vocalist Ashrita Kumar (they/he), guitarist Paul Vallejo (he/him), and drummer Myron Houngbedji (he/him), created a wall of sound that initiated the first moshpit from the first song, 'Evil Eye'. This track sets the tone for their discography, acting as a frantic, slightly paranoid anthem about the gaze of a society that scrutinises and judges those who don't fit the mould. Kumar’s vocal versatility was on full display during 'Anita Ride', effortlessly jumping between melodic singing and screams. The song explores the exhaustion of constantly having to "ride" through the bullshit of a system that isn't built for you, and the need to just scream to feel alive again.
But Pinkshift is about more than just the music; it’s about the message. There was no casual banter on stage. Instead, Kumar delivered a visceral address before 'Authority Problem': "Do not feel afraid to feel rage, to feel grief. The US have conducted a war against children. Do not feel afraid to feel everything." 'Authority Problem' served as the perfect sonic backdrop to this sentiment - a fast rejection of blind obedience and the "standard" way of doing things. Following the song, Kumar doubled down on the hypocrisy: "The US keeps murdering people, kidnapping people with zero accountability, completely lawless. The United States Government would prefer that we don't say this. They don't want us to speak. They don't want people to hear the truth. They try to censor us, and they try to make us feel afraid, but we refuse! We say if you're human, just like I am, we say 'If you got two fucking feet, you got to stand for something.'" They tore into 'BURN THE WITCH', a narrative-driven track with a crushing breakdown inspired by Kumar's experience of having their friends turn against them, after a member of their dance team began spreading false rumours about them while they were ill. They asked the crowd, "Do you feel it? Your energy is here, everywhere... music brings us together." The highlight of their set, however, was the lead-in to 'Nothing (in my head)'. Kumar reflected on their first-ever moshpit being an all-women pit several years ago, and prompted the room to open one up again: "If you identify as a woman, are trans, or a minority, get in there! A lot has changed for me since then... I even came out as non-binary trans masc." It was a beautiful moment of inclusivity that proved Pinkshift is the perfect, aggressive primer for a night of activism. They were (almost) too heavy for a Grandson show, but in the best way possible - a perfect, aggressive warm-up for what was to follow.
When Jordan Edward Benjamin (he/him), known professionally as Grandson (stylised as grandson), finally stepped onto the stage, he was met with loud cheers and applause that lasted for a solid 30 seconds. But instead of launching into the music for his biggest London headline show to date, he shushed the crowd to deliver a deeply disappointing, yet fundamentally important, message that laid bare his integrity as an artist. "What's up, my name is Grandson," he began, looking visibly frustrated. "I've been looking forward to playing this concert for a very, very long time. This is my biggest headline in London so far. And I was meant to bring out a very special guest tonight, someone by the name of Bob motherfucking Vylan." He explained that he was notified that Vylan had been denied entry to the venue due to protests at his previous appearance. Grandson’s anger was palpable as he recounted his response to the authorities: "How would people know to protest when they didn't even know a Bob Vylan show was fucking happening, this is a Grandson show." He confessed to the room that he had seriously considered cancelling the entire show out of solidarity and for his own artistic freedom. "Who the fuck gets to tell me who I bring on stage and what they may or may not have to stand for?" Ultimately, he chose to perform for the fans who had travelled and needed this space to feel how they wanted to feel, but he didn't mince his words for the venue: "To the people involved in putting me in this position where I had to choose between my own fans and my free speech, honestly I want to say you should be ashamed of yourselves." He then dedicated the entire night to the one and only Bob Vylan.
Now operating as a fiercely independent artist after leaving his label and launching his third album, INERTIA (2025), Jordan proved his live show is world-class. Backed by his live band - Miles Elze on drums, Amin Mortada on guitar, and his childhood friend Maxwell on bass - the performance was heavy and powerful to say the least. He played INERTIA (2025) in its entirety, marking the only time fans would hear all these tracks live, alongside a carefully curated mix of classics from his A MODERN TRAGEDY EPs (2018 and 2019), DEATH OF AN OPTIMIST (2020) and I LOVE YOU, I’M TRYING (2023).
The set kicked off with the energetic ‘AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT’, a song that uses a catchy guitar riff to mask a terrifying deep-dive into surveillance capitalism. Inspired by self-driving robots and tech monopolies like Google and Amazon, Grandson sang about how the "internet is no longer a democracy," attacking the pinkwashing and greenwashing used by corporations to hide the fact that we are living in an era of mass surveillance. This transitioned into 'BURY YOU', a track dissecting the bystander effect and the brainwashing tactics used by cult leaders and political demagogues. Then came 'We Did It!!!', which shifted to the perspective of his cynical alter-ego 'X', introduced to us in his debut album DEATH OF AN OPTIMIST (2020). It was a biting exploration of the "bare minimum" activism of simply voting while systemic issues like the gentrification of inner-city neighbourhoods and pandemic-era inequality continue to rise. He followed this with 'Oh No!!!', delving into the exhaustion which leads to falling back into self-destructive tendencies and mental health breakdowns.
Before 'BELLS OF WAR’, Grandson delivered another heavy speech, noting that since he last visited London, things have gotten "objectively worse." He formally granted the room permission to access their rage against bigotry, racism, and homophobia, stating clearly: “I want to make it very clear that this will be an inclusive and safe environment for everyone to access that anger. Regardless of who you love, or how you love, how you dress tonight or where your parents came from, none of that could preclude you to be your motherfucking selves tonight. There are so many spaces where this sort of attitude and progressive mindset makes you feel unwelcome. When we come to town we want to make the right opposite and if you have any hate in your heart for anyone at this show. If you showed up tonight wanting to put somebody else down, if you need to feel like your life has meaning by stripping somebody else of their humanity, I will make it very clear just get the fuck out of the Grandson concert". After nobody left of course, he encouraged people to get involved in the moshpit, jump, push each other, be themselves and crowd surf if they wanted, however on the condition to “promise me this will be a safe space for everybody here to jump around, push each other around and if somebody gets knocked down, you pick them back up”. Once again, another proof that Grandson cares about his fans having fun, but more so about them feeling comfortable and in a safe environment to be themselves. After that, we moved into ‘Stigmata’, exploring how trauma and a numb society can push people toward violence, heavily implying government cover-ups of dissidents.
A standout moment was his dedication of '6:00' - a track explicitly about police brutality, systemic violence, and corruption. He made his stance crystal clear: "We dedicate this song to ICE and the enforcers of White Supremacy. They said they want war," before screaming the lyrics "I saw the body drop" as the guitarists jumped into a massive circle pit in the middle of the crowd. He then moved into 'LITTLE WHITE LIES', a song from his new album that has been blowing up on social platforms for its straightforward, visual attack on the historical whitewashing of religion. But the most explosive moment was before 'SELF IMMOLATION'. Silencing the band, he shared, “I guess having love in your heart makes you an enemy and a whole lot of people were wondering if we were going to talk about it on stage tonight. You must have forgotten you're at a Grandson show. I am proud to be anti-fascist, I am proud to stand for the rights of everybody against hatred, bigotry, racism and homophobia, and if you all got a problem with it, then you can get the fuck out of the Grandson concert. I want to show some love to the communities that are being targeted and vilified by this fascist regime, starting with the trans and queer community in the audience tonight. I want to show some love to the immigrant community in the audience tonight, the differently abled and disabled community in the audience tonight and the ordinary people standing up for the rights of all of us. Let me get the band real quiet whilst I say very clearly, Fuck Nigel Farage and Fuck Reform. Lift your middle finger up if you agree with that message and I want you to look around at all the other crazy motherfuckers around you".
The sea of thousands of fingers raised was a unified middle finger to the rising tide of right-wing populism.
After this defiant moment came the sad realisation of the still culturally relevant track ‘Masters of War’ - “This is a Bob Dylan song written over 60 years ago, but here we are, more war, more murder and for what?” - showing us that history keeps repeating itself and powerful people still orchestrate conflict and initiate wars, while the working class fight and die for the profit of weapon manufacturers, politicians and generals.
The set progressed to the fan-favourite 'BRAINROT' from the new album - a track that captures the mental decay of living in a hyper-digital, polarised world. ‘BRAINROT’ is about the distraction of the internet, the way our attention span is weaponised and attacked by technology companies to prevent any real momentum building on the pressing issues of our generation,”he shared via ROCK SOUND.
This led perfectly into 'Identity', a self-reflective track that questions who we are when all the societal labels are stripped away. This track is about his inner conflict with his alter ego, X. The song is about him being unable to decide which one he really is: the optimistic, outgoing one, or the negative one who caused the death of the optimist. This contrast can also be visible on X (formerly Twitter). Typing this, there is a profound, bitter irony in the name of this character. Back in 2020, Grandson created his alter ego 'X' to represent the darker, cynical impulses we battle when we are burnt out. Fast forward to today, and "X" has been co-opted as the brand for a social media platform owned by Elon Musk, the richest person in the world right now, a billionaire who arguably represents the pinnacle of surveillance capitalism and right-wing populism that Grandson writes against. The character 'X' laughs at the idea of change, much like the algorithms that now dominate our digital lives.
The night wasn't all rage, however. It was also about community and healing with the solo performance of 'Heather', a true story song dedicated to a fan who committed suicide. “I think of all the people that lost that fight with their mental health and are not here to experience a Grandson show, I dedicate this to them and to all of you because God knows what you've been through just to be here tonight. This is called Heather," he said, proving his role as a genuine advocate for mental health. Upon the release of his sophomore album I LOVE YOU, I’M TRYING (2023) he shared to Apple Music “A really necessary step in getting out of your own way is being there for somebody else and realising that it’s not all about you. I’ve had fans now for years, and sometimes those early super-fans grow up and move on - they used to message you every day, and you’re left wondering what happened to them. And so, ‘Heather’ is about a fan who ultimately committed suicide, and it will serve for the rest of my career as this promise to myself - and hopefully to my fans - that we can be there for one another as we continue to move through life together.”
The final stretch of the main set continued the night’s core themes: the collision of global systemic failure and the private, intimate wars we fight within ourselves. While ‘Drones’ suggests the detachment of modern warfare, the song’s heart is much more personal. Grandson has described this track via Ghettoblaster Magazine as one that the "16-year-old me needed”. The performance captured that haunting, intimate portrait of self-harm, family trauma, and the brutal isolation of life on the road. The line that sticks out is “Just tell me one good lie”. He explained via Apple Music that the song is about that choice we all face: do we address our secrets and live with the anxiety, or do we bury them and deal with the consequences later? He terrifyingly likened the song’s theme to a father hearing a bomb go off in the distance and telling his child, "Oh, that’s just fireworks," desperately trying to shield them from an unforgiving world.
This led directly into the most bittersweet moment of the evening: ‘WHO’S THE ENEMY’, which was originally meant to be performed with Bob Vylan as a special guest. Even without his physical presence on stage, his spirit was summoned by Grandson and the crowd. The song acted as a frantic interrogation of the propaganda we are fed, asking the audience to look past the distractions of the 24-hour news cycle to see who truly benefits from our division. As the atmosphere was building, the band moved into ‘YOU MADE ME THIS WAY’ - a finger-pointing song blending personal upbringing that addresses the cyclical nature of childhood trauma, family instability, and systemic societal failures - a song about a generation pushed to the brink by the very systems that claim to protect them.
The main set finalised with the inevitable viral track ‘Blood // Water’. This song, which targets corporate greed and political corruption, has become a global phenomenon with over 500 million Spotify streams, boosted by features in Riverdale and NXT Takeover. As the iconic drop hit, Grandson threw himself off the stage and into the crowd, feeding off the frenetic energy of the room.
As the band left, the "one more song" chant took over. When they returned, he looked at the crowd and held up one. Two? Three fingers! - indicating he was going to give us three times what we asked for. The encore - 'WWIII', 'Riptide', and 'Stick Up' - was a generous conclusion rewarding the early Grandson fans to some early classics.
I will admit, throughout the show, I did join the mosh pit and circle pit, and whilst I haven't crowd surfed in quite a while, usually, I reserve that for when I feel it’s the exact right moment and the truly perfect show. This was that show. The energy and safety Grandson cultivated on this gig was so infectious that I found myself carried above the crowd once again.
Throughout the show, Jordan's integrity felt authentic and deeply grounded. It is abundantly clear that with this album and tour, Jordan has set a definitive, urgent mission: to help people break out of their own personal and political inertia. In physics, inertia is the tendency of an object to resist change in its state of motion - to stay still when it’s at rest, or to keep moving in the same direction regardless of the obstacles. By naming his project INERTIA, Grandson is calling out the stagnant, comfortable silence that allows systemic corruption to thrive. He is demanding that his audience reclaim their free speech, shake off the apathy of the digital age, and find the spark required to inspire genuine change in a world that often feels designed to keep us subdued and silent.
Words by Vlad-Paul Ghilaș
Photos by Imogen Bird