INERTIA Tour: Grandson and Dumb Crush - Winnipeg, MB

On December 8, 2025, in Winnipeg, the Burton Cummings Theatre pulsed with intensity as Grandson’s INERTIA Tour made its long-awaited stop in the city. Known for turning stages into battlegrounds of political fire, personal catharsis, and communal rebellion, Grandson delivered a performance that left the crowd buzzing long after the final notes faded. With rising act Dumb Crush opening the evening, the show offered a dynamic spectrum of moods—from noir-tinged indie grit to explosive alt-rock activism.

Dumb Crush. Photos by Samuel Stevens.

Rising Canadian alt-rock/indie rock trio Dumb Crush kicked off the night with a set that felt like a fever dream dipped in neon shadows. Running through tracks both known and unreleased, the band balanced shoegazey ambience with moments of snarling punk intensity.

They opened with “Get Away,” a dark, swirling introduction that set an atmospheric tone. “Moon in Pisces” floated with cosmic melancholy before the band switched into heavier, more aggressive territory with “Ratboy Fuck,” which shook the room with distorted bass and sneering vocal grit.

Two as-yet-unreleased songs added an air of unpredictability—both brimming with potential and met with eager energy from the crowd. The biggest moment of the set came during “Annihilation,” which grew from a simmer into a full boil, snapping the audience fully into Dumb Crush’s world.

They closed with the visceral one-two punch of “Take You to the City” and “Witches in the Dark,” the latter bringing the set to a haunting, fiery finish. As the lights dimmed, it was clear Dumb Crush had done far more than warm up the room—they’d taken complete command of it. Grandson exploded onto the stage with “AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT,” immediately sending the theatre into chaos. Backed by sharp lighting, he wasted no time shifting into the gut-punch combo of “BURY YOU,” “We Did It!!!,” and “Oh No!!!” Each hit landed with the kind of ferocity that reminds you exactly why Grandson shows feel like political rallies disguised as rock concerts.

The new era’s material blended seamlessly with fan favourites. “BELLS OF WAR” and “Stigmata” erupted into sing-along moments, while “GOD IS AN ANIMAL” and “PULL THE TRIGGER” pushed the room into a frenzy of moshing, jumping, and cathartic yelling.

Grandson. Photos by Samuel Stevens.

One of the night’s most emotionally charged moments came when Grandson paused before “WHO’S THE ENEMY.” He revealed that UK punk rap duo Bob Vylan had originally been slated to open the Canadian dates, but government delays in processing their visa—stemming from their outspoken political messaging—prevented their entry. Before performing the song, Grandson played a recorded clip from Bob Vylan, who thanked fans for supporting and wished they could be there to perform. The crowd erupted with both frustration and support, turning the moment into a rallying cry against censorship and political fear.

From there, the set only climbed higher. The midsection of the show featured some of Grandson’s darkest and most introspective tracks. Performing “Overdose,” “6:00,” and “LITTLE WHITE LIES,” he brought sharp emotional edges. However, it was the track “SELF IMMOLATION” that burned with raw, ritualistic intensity. Finally, a chilling take on Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” connected past and present in a sobering reminder that the world’s cycles of violence continue to this day.

But Grandson also made space for tenderness. “Heather,” performed acoustically, melted the room into a hush—a rare quiet moment, but a powerful one.

The closing run of the set was nothing short of devastating in the best possible way. “Drones,” “YOU MADE ME THIS WAY,” and “Blood // Water” brought the theatre to its boiling point. The crowd shouted every word, embodying the chaos, resistance, and raw emotion that Grandson builds his identity around. By the final chorus of “Blood // Water,” the room was unified in a cathartic wave of noise and defiance.

As Grandson walked offstage, sweat-soaked and grinning, the theatre felt electrified—a room full of people who had been pushed, challenged, and empowered.

Grandson’s INERTIA Tour stop in Winnipeg was more than a concert—it was a communal exorcism of rage, hope, and truth. With a fiercely engaging opener in Dumb Crush and a setlist that spanned the full emotional spectrum, the night proved once again that Grandson isn’t just performing music. He’s facilitating movement, momentum, and moments of reckoning.

Winnipeg showed up, Grandson showed out, and INERTIA lived up to its name—unstoppable, uncontainable, and unforgettable.