[ATTENDED: April 1, 2022] PUP
It’s kind of funny that the headliner is the only band on this bill that I hadn’t seen before.
I was really excited to see PUP. I knew some of their songs and t hen slowly I knew and liked even more of them. After watching their Tony Desk on NPR, I knew they were fun guys who probably put on a great show.
The backdrop was in the same deliciously surreal style as the poster (which I love). And then the band came out.
Stefan Babcock played the opening song from the new album (about just learning to play piano and writing a song on it because the label wanted them to) on a keyboard.
And as soon as the song ended, the whole place exploded into a pogoing slamming chaotic fest of fun. They blasted through one song from each of their albums and everyone sang/screamed the words to all of them.
The light show was simple but really effective, with a bank of lights behind the drums and beams shooting out from time to time.
They didn’t really slow things down until the seventh song “Robot Writes a Love Song,” a delightful song from the new album.
But they blasted right back with a fast and heavy track from their debut album and then the short fast and heavy Edmonton form the wonderfully named “This Place Sucks Ass” EP.
We were in front of lead guitarist Steve Sladkowski who was really impressive. It was fun to watch him shred like a maniac and still bounce around the stage. I was also really impressed with drummer Zack Mykula who beat the hell out of his kit (all while wearing a mask).
Perhaps the funniest moment came when they played “Matilda” an ode to Babcock’s guitar. At the end of the song he busted out the solo from “Hotel California.” He and Sladkowski even did the catchy dual guitar solo part at the end. Babcock joked about how long he spent trying to learn it. I had to wonder how many kids in the audience even knew what it was from.
Then it was two songs from The Dream is Over, the hilarious, “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will” and the outrageously catchy “DVP” which brought out a whole new round of slam dancing. Then they moved to Morbid Stuff for two more songs, the slower “Scorpion Hill” (which everyone sang along to) and the also super catchy “See You at Your Funeral.”
I thought they might play more from the new album, but they did play “Waiting” which is, yes, the catchiest song ever. Babcock put down his guitar for this one so that he could leap about and get up close to the crowd.
Nestor Chumak was on the far side of the stage and I didn’t really see him all that much. But his bass was essential, especially when Babcock didn’t play. Or in the main bass riff in “Familiar Patters.”
They played the final song on the new album the awesome “PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing for Bankruptcy” which seemed like the perfect place to end the show (what with Sladkowski’s wild soloing and all), but they weren’t done yet.
They sort of did an encore break, although really it was a loud horn fanfare from “Morbid Stuff” that gave them a little breather before Babcock picked up his guitar again and they played “Morbid Stuff” properly. At this point the lights behind them were just making emoji smiling and frowning faces.
They had one more song in them, the yes, super catchy “Kids.”
The show was exhilarating and exhausting and I can’t believe they have that much energy to do tis every day. I really can’t wait to see them again. And to hear what they put out next. Thank fucking god indeed.
- Four Chords ξ
- Totally Fine ξ
- My Life Is Over and I Couldn’t Be Happier ≅
- Guilt Trip ¶
- Free at Last ⊗
- Sleep in the Heat ≅
- Robot Writes a Love Song ξ
- Reservoir ¶
- Edmonton ⇓
- Matilda ξ
- If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will ≅
- DVP ≅
- Scorpion Hill ⊗
- See You at Your Funeral ⊗
- Waiting ξ
- Familiar Patterns ≅ (Blisted Fister was printed on the setlist)
- PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing for Bankruptcy ξ
- Morbid Stuff ⊗
- Kids ⊗
ξ THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND (2022)
⇓ This Place Sucks Ass EP (2020)
⊗ Morbid Stuff (2019)
≅ The Dream Is Over (2016)
¶ PUP (2013)
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