Stefan and his band came to the Ancienne Belgique for their European tour called Thank Fucking God. The opportunity to rediscover a band with a completely crazy discography and a crazy fourth album.
The AB in Box configuration is well filled tonight to welcome the Canadians. The audience is young, trendy and most of them have been to the merchandise section to support PUP. As an opening act we find ourselves with Pom Pom Squad, a heterogeneous band that reminds us of Hole, but without the musicality. After a few songs from a discography that we had studied a little before this meeting, the atmosphere is soft and the band doesn’t hit the bull’s eye. In spite of a musically well realized show, the whole seems too theatrical to be honest and it clearly lacks guts. There is potential in this band but it’s not tonight that they will have convinced us, maybe next time !
PARTY WITH PUP
And here they are ! After dreaming of attending one of their wild shows, the band arrives all smiles with a little synth to open with Four Chords, the opportunity to warm up the vocal cords of the fans. From the beginning the public is conquered and Totally Fine will come to confirm a boiling beginning of gig. It is with Dark Days that the war of the moshpits will be launched, will be added from there many crowd surfs until a “slow” circle pit, of what to work the cardio in this beginning of week. “A Monday night that looks like a Thursday night” in the words of Stefan who will not hesitate to share with his audience all night long. In the sweat, the party continues and PUP proudly unfolds their latest album, all magnified by a perfect sound mix, the AB never disappoints the fans !
TIME TO GET DEPRESSED
Sleeping in the Heat will calm down a white-hot audience. This song about the death of Stefan’s chameleon will unify the crowd who will take back the known bridge with the heart, an electrifying moment.
A short break to come to make explode the decibels on the classic punk-rock Reservoir or the hit Edmonton, of what to delight the fans of the beginning ! “You know that crappy guitar? If I have a crappy guitar it’s because I’m a crappy guitarist”, that’s how we meet Matilda, the famous guitar of the eponymous song, metaphor of a love story that is gathering dust like this good old Gibson on which Stefan will play the first arpeggios of a song that will open the last quarter of this concert in rich emotions. ” If this tour doesn’t kill you then I will” , the hit makes the Ancienne Belgique roar one last time because the real ones know that the following is none other than DVP, the classic song of the band which is taken up from the first words by an audience definitely conquered, shivers run down our spine until the last note of this legendary song.
A LOT OF CLASSICS
Hidden behind their instruments, the band makes itself wanted but does not want to go backstage. They will then play Morbid Stuff and Kids to finish a gig full of love, passion and rock’n’roll. The fans have a hard time coming back down, between first timers and fine connoisseurs, the public comes out leaner but happier. You have managed to reach the rank of Friday night, successful mission for PUP.
Set-list: Four Chords, Totally Fine, My Life Is Over And I Couldn’t Be Happier, Dark Days, Robot Writes A Love Song, Free At Last, Relentless, Sleep In The Heat, Reservoir, Edmonton, Scorpion Hill, Matilda, If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You I Will, DVP, Familiar Patterns, Morbid Stuff, Kids.
If you have the opportunity, just go and see PUP. With a crazy sound palette since their last project, a PUP concert is a unique experience, filled with positivity and joy. The band doesn’t hesitate to share their boundless energy for one of the best punk rock shows of the year ! Thank you for this moment and see you this summer ?