Concert Review: PUP Leads Sweaty Singalongs at Cleveland House of Blues Show

The audience seemed to know every word.

One song after another, the members of the good-natured Toronto pop-punk band PUP led the crowd at the House of Blues through shouted choruses and “woah woah” backing vocals. Hot and sweaty concertgoers, both inside and outside the mosh pit, responded in kind, not letting up for 75 minutes.

That participation was a key factor in making Friday’s tour stop in Cleveland a memorable show. And that’s saying something, given how passive audiences in this city can be.

Not that PUP didn’t play a part by putting on a performance that was equal parts ridiculous, epic and cathartic. But I suppose that was to be expected. After all, this is a band that named its current tour “Thank F**king God” and has garnered a reputation for its live shows.

Following strong opening sets by the punk-inspired bands Oceanator and Angel Du$t, the band took the stage to John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” (the “NBA on NBC” theme song for those not cool enough to know its real title) and proceeded to blast through the setlist. Lead singer and guitarist Stefan Babcock was constantly in motion during the 18-song set, leading the quartet through tunes that brought in elements of pop-punk, hardcore and metal.

Oh, and classic rock, as Babcock and guitarist Steve Sladkowski segued from “Matilda” into the guitar outro from the Eagles’ “Hotel California.”

“I fucking nailed it,” Babcock proudly remarked after the song ended, with Sladowski adding that the band had to play it while being so close to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The songs themselves were strong enough to back up the twists and turns — all held together by drummer Zack Mykula, who performed the band’s most physically demanding work while wearing a face mask. (Well done.) With a setlist that spanned four albums, including this year’s The Unraveling of PUPTheBand, the songs conveyed the joy, anxiety and confusion that make up everyday life.

Gratitude as well, which was probably the biggest theme of Friday’s concert. While the title of the tour is jokey, it also conveys a sense of relief that the band can hit the road again following the pandemic’s onset in March 2020. Babcock said several times that the members of PUP were grateful to again play live.

After expressing the sentiment one more time, he said the band would play what it considered its favorite song. The quartet then tore into “PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing for Bankruptcy,” before closing the show with “Morbid Stuff” and “Kids.”

And like before, the crowd knew every word.

PUP’s setlist, according to setlist.fm and my recollection:

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. Sleep in the Heat

8. Relentless

9. Reservoir

10. Matilda (with Hotel California outro)