Gigantic Up Front: Let’s Eat Grandma - Metronome, Nottingham (Review)

As winter begins its approach, we’re back into the season of dark nights spent happily huddled into warm venues, enjoying live music with friends and swarms of other likeminded fans. Last Friday night, we had Let’s Eat Grandma to thank for bringing us back into Nottingham’s incredible venue Metronome.

Art-pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma (comprised of Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth) tour this autumn in support of their latest and third LP Two Ribbons. It was released back in April, four years after its predecessor – the acclaimed I’m All Ears.

With the gap between records two and three twice as large as the one between I’m All Ears and their debut album I, Gemini, fans wondered whether Let’s Eat Grandma would be making their return at all. A tumultuous period of lows followed the incredible highs of earning success with I’m All Ears, following the death of Hollingworth’s boyfriend in 2019 and an increasingly strained relationship between the duo as the band’s profile began to rise. Two Ribbons was recorded over a period of 18 months, while Walton and Hollingworth worked through their grief and mended a relationship they’d nurtured since they were just four years old.

The result was an incredibly sophisticated record which eloquently conveys both the emotional turmoil of grief and the warm elation of enduring lifelong friendship. It’s triumphant, upbeat, and wildly moving.

It’s no surprise then, that their show at Nottingham’s Metronome echoed the sentiments of their latest release. A still-young duo – even with three albums now to their name – at just 23 years old Walton and Hollingworth bring an endearing joyfulness to their performance, even when it’s laced in an air of timidness.

When not wielding an instrument, be it the keys, guitar or saxophone, they bounce around stage, performing childlike dance routines and games of Pat A Cake. Their voices are sublime; they showcase transcendent harmonies and a level of vocal precision that some vocalists take decades to obtain. Accompanied only by a psychedelic light show and their touring band, the show is understated and modest, perfect for a stage such as Metronome, and you feel right at home beside them.

The pair performed a perfect set of new and soon-to-be-classics, alongside a handful of fan favourites and their biggest commercial hits. The night kicked off with Two Ribbons’ album opener “Happy New Year”, an ode to friendship in spite of adversity.

Straight off the bat though, we’re assured that this won’t be front-loaded with new songs. The duo dive right into “Falling Into Me” and “Hot Pink” afterwards from I’m All Ears; it feels familiar to the band, giving them the confidence to really come alive on stage.

“Watching You Go” and “Two Ribbons” come later, and really demonstrate the power of Hollingworth’s voice. The crowd are stunned into silence during these two heart wrenching ballads. They punctuate the night – which for the most part was upbeat and infectious – with a morose reminder of much of what the band have endured over the past three years. It’s quite solemn, yet beautiful to witness.

The main set comes to a close with “Levitation”, before a brief exiting of the stage. The duo and their excellent backing band return for a final song, “Donnie Darko” from their second LP and the crowd are brought to life for a final time, with this sprawling and electric closing song.

Let’s Eat Grandma are a fascinating and immensely talented pair, who we’re certain are still yet to reach the top of their upward trajectory. You’d be a fool to miss them on their UK tour in 2022.

Check out our REEL of the night over on Instagram

Last tickets are available for their remaining dates – but don’t wait around! They won’t be here for long.

📆 October

18/10    Let’s Eat Grandma – Thekla, Bristol

19/10    Let’s Eat Grandma – KOKO, London

21/10    Let’s Eat Grandma – Patterns, Brighton

22/10    Let’s Eat Grandma – Epic Studios, Norwich

Let’s Eat Grandma tickets are available With Gigantic.