Recalling back to times when your teenage bedroom’s walls were covered in band posters and the Warped Tour lineup being announced was the best thrill of the year, PUP brought the pop-punk spirit back in a captivating performance at the Music Box.
Touring on the heels of their new album Morbid Stuff, PUP are experts in crafting a magnetic show. Infectious hooks and catchy lyrics are typical in pop-punk, but PUP freshen it up and bring the stagnated genre to new heights. Their fanbase has slowly been growing since their self-titled debut of 2014 and it is clearly evident how much people love them. Every single lyric was profusely sung throughout the venue by every single person in the crowd.
In true stereotypical Canadian fashion, PUP is doing one of the nicest things a touring band can do; in each city throughout their tour they have selected a local charity — in San Diego’s case Fulfilling Destiny, a charity dedicated to providing feminine hygiene products to homeless women — and they are going to be donating a percentage of profit to said charity. It is a small gesture that goes a long way and truly shows the character of these guys.
To finish off their set, PUP did away with the pleasantries of an encore because as lead singer Stefan Babcock said “Encores are fucking stupid” and ripped through “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You” into “DVP” just like on their record The Dream is Over making for a powerful showstopper.