Canadian pop-punkers PUP bring a fierce and exhilarating show to Atlanta's The Masquerade.
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
Touring in support of their latest album, THE UNRAVELLING OF PUPTHEBAND, PUP seek to capitalize on recent success. Their last album, Morbid Stuff, saw the band propelled into the spotlight of the modern pop punk scene. Their quirky and often manic take on life is pumped through their music like a water cannon.
The OBGMs 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
Toronto's The OBGMs started the night on the right foot. Loud and rocking, these punks came in to let loose. A larger than life frontman, crispy drumming, and huge guitar riffs ripped into the audience and opened up the pit real quick. PUP made the right call bringing along their Canadian punk brethren, because The OBGM's opening set was perfect for this show.
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
Energy. Energy is key to a live performance. With that in mind, PUP are a power plant. This quintet of 30-somethings brought it all and delivered it on a silver plater to their audience, not faltering once in their performance. Wild stage presence, accented by spins, kicks, and jumps, launched the band into the forefront of the night.
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
PUP capture pop punk perfectly. Frontman Stefan Babcock's nasally and raspy high-pitched vocals add a youthful voice to such dismal songs. The songs, written from the perspective of a true veteran of life, see Babcock and the band tackle depression, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, and analyzing their place in music. Steve Sladkowski (guitar), Nestor Chumak (bass), and Zack Mykula (percussion) round out the lineup.
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
Power chords and huge swells speckled the walls of The Masquerade. PUP is loud, very loud. They are not afraid to shred and yell, and their percussion is larger than life. This was a mosh pit show, with one being open nearly the entire show. Similarly, if you're looking for a place to crowd surf, look no further than PUP. It felt like a religious experience, the simultaneous joy from band to audience member.
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
PUP entered the night with four albums worth of material to cover. Notable songs were the killer combo of "Morbid Stuff" and "Kids" at the end of the night, the shredder that is "Reservoir", which featured Denz of The OBGMs, and the subtle opener "Four Chords". Their setlist is below.
1. Four Chords
2. Totally Fine
3. My Life Is Over and I Couldn't Be Happier
4. Guilt Trip
5. Robot Writes a Love Song
6. Free at Last
7. See You at Your Funeral
8. Sleep in the Heart
9. Matilda -> Hotel California (The Eagles cover)
10. If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will
11. DVP
12. Reservoir (ft. Denz of The OBGMs)
13. Edmonton
14. Scorpion Hill
15. Waiting
16. Familiar Patterns
17. PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing For Bankruptcy
18. Morbid Stuff
19. Kids
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
Over two dozen shows still await PUP in 2022, and you do not want to miss them. A run up the east coast launch the band across the pond for a European tour. You can check out their remaining dates below.
9/21 Charlottesville, VA — The Jefferson Theater*
9/22 Baltimore, MD — Rams Head Live!*
9/23 New Haven, CT — Toad's Place*
9/24 Providence, RI — Fête Music Hall*
9/25 South Burlington, VT — Higher Ground*
10/12 Leeds, UK Leeds — Beckett Student's Union^+
10/13 Manchester, UK — O2 Ritz^+
10/14 London, UK — Roundhouse^+
10/16 Glasgow, UK — SWG3 Galvanizers^+
10/17 Dublin, IR — Button Factory^+
10/19 Brighton, UK — CHALK^+
10/20 Bristol, UK — SWX^+
10/21 Birmingham, UK — O2 Institute^+
10/23 Paris, FR — Backstage BTM^
10/24 Brussels, BE — Ancienne Belgique Box^
10/25 Amsterdam, NL — Melkweg Oude Zaal^
10/26 Cologne, DE — Bürgerhaus Stollwerck^
10/28 Berlin, DE — SO36^
10/29 Warsaw, PL — Hybrydy Klub^
10/30 Prague, CZ — Rock Cafe^
11/01 Milan, IT — Bloom^
11/02 Munich, DE — Strom^
11/03 Hamburg, DE — Gruenspan^
11/05 Copenhagen, DK — Pumpehuset=
11/07 Barcelona, ES — Sala Bóveda#
11/08 Madrid, ES — Sala Independance#
11/09 Tenerife, ES — Cultural#
1/07/2023 Long Beach, CA — Long Beach Arena~
* with The OBGMs
^ with Pom Pom Squad
+ with NOBRO
= with Pooptones
# with Pinpilinpussies
~ with Joyce Manor, Jeff Rosenstock, and Slaughterhouse
PUP 9/19/2022 at The Masquerade | Dylan Basden Photography
PUP are incredible. If you're looking for a singalong pop-punk-anthem type of show it is a must. You will have the time of your life at this concert.
