SUM 41 w/ PUP & GOB @ Scotiabank Saddledome (Calgary) - January 16, 2025 - Photos + Review

Photos and Review by Kristin Breitkreutz

The Tour of the Setting Sum made a fiery stop in Calgary on a windy Thursday night.
Ontario’s own Sum 41 - comprised of vocalist Deryk Whibley, lead guitarist Dave “Brownsound” Baksh, bassist Jason “Cone” McCaslin, rhythm guitarist Tom Thacker, and drummer Frank Zummo - attracted a passionate crowd at the Scotiabank Saddledome to celebrate their music career, spanning almost 3 decades.
Kicking off the night were fellow Canadian punk-rock bands, Gob and Pup.
Gob, co-founded by Sum 41 guitarist Tom Thacker, kicked off the evening with the high-energy track “Give Up The Grudge” off their 2003 album “Foot In Mouth Disease.” They played other notable songs such as “Oh! Ellin,” “I Hear You Calling,” and a rocking cover of “Paint It Black.”
Pup took the stage next, with vocalist Stefan Babcock noting that they usually played to crowds of 500 people, as opposed to the thousands packed into the arena that night. They performed rowdy hits such as “Kids,” “Dark Days,” and “DVP,” with Babcock jumping around, playing guitar behind his head, and stage diving into the crowd. Arguably, the most punk part of Pup’s performance was when they ended their set and guitarist Steve Sladkowski held up a transgender flag as he walked off, a welcome sign of solidarity.
Anticipation built as the crowd waited for Sum 41 to take the stage. Their grand entrance into “Motivation” included flames shooting up from the stage as they burst into a fiery performance. “The Hell Song” saw confetti shooting into the crowd, and vocalist Deryck Whibley pranced around stage, popping red balloons during “Underclass Hero.”
Whibley asked if anyone was a fan of metal, to which the crowd cheered enthusiastically. Guitarist Dave “Brownsound” was all smiles when he shredded the guitar solo of “Master of Puppets” by Metallica with Whibley singing the infamous chorus. 
Leading into “Walking Disaster,” Whibley took a moment to tell a story about his guitar. He got the instrument when he was 17, and it was used on early albums and music video shoots - until it was stolen in 2003, which triggered resounding boos from the audience. “I thought I would never see it again,” he noted sadly. That is, until he started looking for it, and recovered it only a few months ago. The crowd shared his joy, and began chanting, “Fuck that guy!” in response to the thief. Whibley then plugged his book, aptly titled Walking Disaster, which shares more about the stolen guitar incident.
All throughout the night, Whibley repeatedly referred to the crowd as “family,” frequently asking for the lights to be turned up brighter so he could see everyone in the room. He even stopped mid-song during “Noots” to ask if fans were alright in the mosh pit, and reminded everyone to look after each other. 
Performing over twenty songs and two encores, Whibley expressed his gratitude to the fans for all they had to put up with to be at the show, acknowledging the stresses of making plans, buying tickets, and finding parking for a concert. It was obvious from the joy in the crowd that all those things were worth going through to be there. 
If there’s one thing Sum 41 is, it’s authentic. The lyrics they write are raw and honest, and they bring their true selves to the stage and give it their all. Their influence in music and amongst their fans is obvious, with the punk-rock scene living on and thriving. Though the band may be over, their legacy - and their family - will live on.
Sum 41 Setlist:
Motivation
The Hell Song
Over My Head (Better Off Dead)
No Reason
War
Underclass Hero
Noots
Landmines
Dopamine (preceded by snippets of Raining Blood by Slayer & Master of Puppets by Metallica)
We’re All to Blame
Some Say
Walking Disaster
With Me
Makes No Difference
My Direction / No Brains / All Messed Up
Drum Solo
Rise Up
Pieces
Fat Lip
Still Waiting
Encore:
Summer
Waiting on a Twist of Fate
In Too Deep
Encore 2:
So Long Goodbye

Pup Setlist:

Totally Fine
Kids
Dark Days
Reservoir
Paranoid
Sleep in the Heat
If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will
DVP

Gob Setlist:

Give Up The Grudge
No Regrets
Oh! Ellin
What To Do
We’re All Dying
Underground
Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones cover)
Soda
I Hear You Calling

SUM 41

PUP

GOB