Toronto, CA · punk · punk rock · indie punk

PUP

2 upcoming festivals

Toronto's chaos-pop-punk stars — self-lacerating lyrics, unhinged energy, choruses built to be screamed back until throats give out. As big a name as this fest books.

PUP formed in Toronto in 2010, with Stefan Babcock on vocals and guitar, Steve Sladkowski on guitar, Nestor Chumak on bass and Zack Mykula on drums. Their records combine loud, fast punk rock with intricate guitar interplay and gang vocals, and Babcock's lyrics tend toward self-deprecation, anxiety and the strain of life in a touring band, often delivered with black humour.

The group built its reputation on live performance and on a run of albums including The Dream Is Over, whose title came from a doctor's assessment of Babcock's damaged vocal cords. PUP has also been noted for videos and artwork that lean into the same absurdist register as the songs.

punkpunk rockindie punk