grandson, No Love For the Middle Child

Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK

July 1, 2023

Review and Gallery By: Ally Arens

Alternative rocker grandson is currently out on the road supporting his most recent album, I Love You, I’m Trying, and The Encore Nights had the pleasure of catching his energy-filled stop at Oklahoma City’s Diamond Ballroom this past weekend, marking his debut performance in the city. 

Kicking off the night was fellow alt-rock act No Love For the Middle Child, who masterfully combined dance-y riffs with thoughtful lyrics about mental health, something grandson is also well known for, making the two acts an excellent tour pairing. No Love got the crowd moving and singing along to tracks such as “Simple Things”, “February”, “Send My Love”, and “Nightmares”. Though this was his first show in OKC, his first show on this tour with grandson, and, according to him, was actually one of his first live performances ever, he worked the stage like a seasoned pro. One of the most unique aspects of his set came at the very end, when he, very beautifully, began playing the cello during his song “No Sleep”. It’s not often that you see a cello come out at a rock show, and this would not be its last appearance, either. I love when artists are able to incorporate live instruments outside of a typical 4-piece setup, and No Love was no exception. If you’re looking for a new alt-rocker with some heart, I definitely recommend No Love For the Middle Child.

A few minutes after 9 p.m., it was time for grandson to take the stage; his set began with a dimly lit stage as he sat on a bench in front of a backdrop that emulated the I Love You, I’m Trying album cover while a recording of its intro track “Two Along Their Way” played through the speakers. He then launched into two of the album’s more energetic tracks, “Drones” and “Something to Hide”, before throwing it back to 2019’s “Oh No!”. The crowd erupted in cheers from the second he walked out on stage, and this energy never wavered through the entire almost 1 ½ hour set.

 Early in the set, grandson proclaimed that he wanted any mosh pits that broke out to be “the most inclusive mosh pits the audience had been in.” Though I couldn’t see for sure if this came true, the crowd was definitely active and having the time of their lives, constantly jumping and singing along – this was especially apparent during “Enough” and set closer “Blood // Water. ” 

There was no shortage of poignant moments, either, with the most prominent being when he brought No Love For the Middle Child back out for cello accompaniment on a track they’d written together called “Heather”, which is dedicated to his fans. During this song, he actually stepped into the crowd to sing, and the stage lights were turned completely off in favor of illumination via cell phone lights. The track is gut-wrenching on its own, touching on subjects like loss, mental health, and suicide, and seeing it live was extremely moving – No Love’s cello playing added an extra level of emotional depth. I’d be surprised if there had still been any dry eyes left in the room by the end of the song, as it was that heartbreakingly beautiful. 

Grandson’s setlist for the I Love You, I’m Trying tour was an excellent mixture of older and newer tracks, and if this tour hasn’t come your way yet (he’s been out on the road since May already), then I highly recommend grabbing a ticket to your local stop and coming out. He will be on the road for much of the rest of this year, with the U.S. dates concluding on July 11 in Hampton, NH, followed by a set of Canadian shows in August and a UK/European run in September and October. All upcoming tour dates and ticket links can be found on grandson’s website, and I Love You, I’m Trying is available on all major streaming services/music retailers.