Great Grandpa writes lullabies for the restless. The indie rock band eases you into its sonic twists and turns with dreamy allusions that reveal deeper meaning upon each listen, only to burst at the seams with doomy distortion. That thoughtful intensity remains intact at the Tiny Desk, just at a quieter volume.
Much has happened since Great Grandpa first began making grungy pop-punk out of Seattle a little over a decade ago, a truth perhaps best evidenced by the little kids who borrowed crayons during sound check and the baby napping sweetly nearby. (Let it be known that Tiny Desk is a family-friendly environment.) Another development: Co-vocalist Al Menne, as part of a gender transition, had to "reconfigure physically where I sing from in my body," which has presented challenges but also uncovered new spaces, he told NPR last year. Members are now spread across the United States and Denmark. Life moves on, but blooms.
These changes have allowed Great Grandpa to graduate from chunky power chords to beautifully intricate music that considers the mysteries of existence. If 2019's Four of Arrows stretched the sound, then 2025's Patience, Moonbeam is the sophisticated, kaleidoscopic response. Here, Great Grandpa performs material from both albums, with string and pedal steel arrangements that reflect its reshaping world.
SET LIST
- "Sleep"
- "Never Rest"
- "Junior"
- "English Garden"
- "Digger"
MUSICIANS
- Al Menne: vocals, bass
- Pat Goodwin: vocals, guitar
- Dylan Seawright: guitar, background vocals
- Carrie Goodwin: piano
- Cam LaFlam: drums
- Nick Levine: pedal steel, background vocals
- Jeremiah Moon: cello
- Abby Gundersen: violin
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Lars Gotrich
- Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Production Assistants: Dhanika Pineda, Dora Levite
- Photographer: Maansi Srivastava
- Copy Editor: Daoud Tyler-Ameen
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
Copyright 2026 NPR
