Recap and Photo Gallery: PUP at Metro

Brassneck | May 6, 2019

Toronto punks PUP have quickly grown out of the small venues they frequented only a few years ago. Whereas their last Chicago visit saw them playing Empty Bottle, this time they brought their high-octane energy for the first of two sold-out nights at the Metro with fellow Canadians Casper Skull and Chicago punk rockers Ratboys as support.

As the opening notes of “Morbid Stuff” rang out from Stefan Babcock’s guitar, the floor turned into one giant mosh pit. Bodies collided against each other and crowd surfers struggled to stay afloat for the entire night. Babcock encouraged the chaos, occasionally stepping into the crowd, only to be quickly engulfed in a sea of arms and legs.

PUP never slowed during their 15-song set attacking their instruments with ferocity and rage. They pulled heavily from their new album, Morbid Stuff, playing choice cuts “Kids,” “Scorpion Hill,” and “Sibling Rivalry,” from their latest album. They also ripped through “Reservoir,” “Dark Days,” and “Guilt Trip,” pleasing longtime PUP followers. Though Babcock screamed the entire night, he was practically drowned out by the crowd, who sang along to every song.

Inspired by their latest video for “Free At Last,” which features PUP covers from independent artists, they introduced local act Koda Krome to play their version. The band watched from the side of the stage with big smiles on their face as the band gave a heavy hitting performance. Afterward, PUP returned to play their “far inferior” version, according to Babcock.

Foregoing the cliché encore, because “encores are dumb,” the night ended with fan favorites “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You” and “DVP” pushing the crowd for one more round of insanity. No matter if they’re playing to an audience of 400 or 1,500, PUP puts on a show that’s intense, rowdy, and exhilarating.

-Ashley Perez Hollingsworth; Photos Curt Baran