It was an electrifying Saturday night at HISTORY in Toronto, as Canadian punk rock band PUP made their last stop in their PUP RETURNS THANK F’ING GOD tour back home in Toronto. It was the first of two sold-out shows in Toronto, so it was no doubt that the fans were energized and ready to rock out to Canada’s acclaimed rock act.
Opening the show was rock band Pinkshift hailing from Baltimore. There were a terrific opening act to warm up the crowd, as they showcased their mix of angsty punk rock and post-hardcore sound. Led by vocalist Ashrita Kumar, she sang and screamed to the fullest, as it brought delight to the early crowd. After watching their set, they are definitely a band you should watch out for.
Pinkshift Lineup:
Ashrita Kumar – Lead vocalist
Paul Vallejo – Guitars
Myron Houngbedji – Drummer
Max McGill (Touring Member) – Guitars
Michael Stabekis (Touring Member) – Bass
Setlist:
1.) Toro
2.) Mars
3.) Get Out of My Face
4.) On Thin Ice
5.) I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying
6.) Crapple
7.) i’m gonna tell my therapist on you
8.) Rainwalk
Next up was rock band Sheer Mag from Philadelphia. Their mix of classic rock was an exciting change of sound compared to the last opener. I was amazed by the voice of lead singer Tina Halladay, where her raspy and soulful vocals sound like we were turned back in time to the 1970s. That made for an entertaining set that captivated the crowd, young and old. For fans who are into classic bands like The Rolling Stones, Sheer Mag are the band to listen to.
Sheer Mag Lineup:
Tina Halladay – Lead vocalist
Matt Palmer – Rhythm guitar, keyboards
Kyle Seely – Lead guitars
Hart Seely – Bass
Giacomo Zatti (Touring Member) – Drummer
Setlist:
1.) Steel Sharpens Steel
2.) Just Can’t Get Enough
3.) Silver Line
4.) Expect the Bayonet
5.) Pure Desire
6.) Nobody’s Baby
7.) Fan the Flames
8.) Turn it Up
It took a while until PUP entered the stage to a packed house, but there was a reason. Lead vocalist Stefan Babcock explained they were watching the Toronto Maple Leafs losing game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which brought a sarcastic laugh to the crowd. I couldn’t help but laugh too, because it is a Canadian thing to do! The band quickly brushed off the disappointment by opening their set with “Four Chords,” the opening track of their new album The Unraveling of PUPtheband, before transitioning to “Totally Fine.” The song is a classic PUP song featuring loud yell-alongs, melodic vocals, and singalongs under heavy guitar riffs and drumming.
Anyone attending a PUP show should expect nothing but a party, as the crowd yells and sings to almost every lyric through the entire set while fans crowd surfs at the front. Classic songs like “DVP” and “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will” bring endless energy to the crowd whenever they are played in their shows. With their discography talking about mental health and self-doubt, there are plenty of reasons why fans love PUP because they make music that relates to others. The quartet’s unrelenting positive energy also brought joy to everyone’s faces. Attending a PUP show brings a release of relief to fans, so there’s no wonder why PUP has become one of Canada’s most loving punk rock bands.
PUP Lineup:
Stefan Babcock – Lead vocialist, rhythm guitar
Steve Sladkowski – Lead guitar, backing vocals
Nestor Chumak – Bass, backing vocals, keyboard
Zack Mykula – Drummer, backing vocals, percussion
Setlist:
1.) Four Chords
2.) Totally Fine
3.) My Life Is Over And I Couldn’t Be Happier
4.) Dark Days
5.) Robot Writes a Love Song
6.) Free at Last
7.) Sleep in the Heat
8.) Relentless
9.) Reservoir
10.) Edmonton
11.) Matilda
12.) If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will
13.) DVP
14.) Scorpion Hill
15.) Rot
16.) Waiting
17.) Familiar Patterns
18.) Morbid Stuff
19.) Kids
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Andrew Wu is a music photographer based in Toronto, Canada. His work focuses on capturing and documenting special moments of performers during concerts and various events. His photos have been featured such as music publications in Spill Magazine, Imprint Entertainment, and Patchchord News. In 2020, he completed his BFA in photography at OCAD University.
Andrew is a massive fan of music, as he enjoys a variety of genres such as pop, alternative, rock, hardcore, and metal.
