As a seasoned concert-goer, I like to notice the relationship between a band and its fans. But in my experience, I’ve never seen something as natural and fun as the friendship between PUP and their fanbase at their Sept. 8 concert held at the Sylvee.
The hardcore punk rock band has a specialty in angry chants and artful clamor, but nothing says devotion like lead vocalist Stefan Babcock’s thoughtful addresses to the mosh pit.
“If someone loses your shoe, I don’t know, hold it up, I guess … take care of each other!” Babcock said during the concert.
And that was my introduction to the most friendly moshing I’ve ever seen. The crowd’s movement was still rough and rocky, but the passion they had for the band and each other was felt in ripples. It was clear most of the people there were exactly that — passionate about the music and each other.
PUP’s ability to fuse dark lyrics with a sense of belonging and community is a gift in itself, crafted from years of heartfelt experience. Though Babcock is a familiar word around these parts, the band is actually based in Toronto.
They were originally named Topanga but decided to change their name to better suit the band. Taking the advice of one member’s grandma, they renamed the band to PUP, short for “Pathetic Use of Potential.”
Grandmas are full of wisdom, but in this case, PUP’s performance proved their name is nowhere near accurate. The band of four performed in dark clothes around motley-colored instruments — their sound is similar.
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While their lyrics are sullen and a bit morbid, their music is full of punch and excitement. PUP’s crew explodes onstage in an array of passion, never straying from topics too dark to bring to light. And the fanbase knows it best.
For most of their set, the crowd moshed in rhythm with PUP’s laments. People were lifted into the air and carried around the sea of hands, safely brought down by the security crew on hand. They went nuts for the band’s instrumental banter and collaborative punk attitude.
Along with stellar performances from openers OBGMs and Palehound, PUP was a refreshing, dark, yet thoughtful escape for Madison’s punk rock scene.
Palehound’s lead vocalist Ellen Kempner summed it up when she revealed her manager’s description of the bands — during the tour, they created a new word, mashing together psycho and iconic. This is the perfect word to sum up PUP’s concert at the Sylvee — “psychonic.”
