Show Review: PUP and Beach Bunny’s spring tour.
written + photographed by hunter astrid
A perfect way to end the spring and start the summer; Beach Bunny and PUP went on a mini co-headlining tour with support from Pool Kids. Going only to Pittsburgh, New York and Boston, the trio of bands got those cities ready for an upcoming summer of live music and experiences. And after taking a month off from experiencing live music, this show had the perfect group of bands to go back to.
Pool Kids -
Pool Kids are a math rock band from Tallahassee, Florida that was formed back in 2017. The band consists of Christine Goodwyne (lead vocals + more), Nicolette Alvarez (bass), Andy Anaya (guitar), and Caden Clinton (drums). They’re currently associated with record labels Skeletal Lightning as well as Big Scary Monsters.
It was only one year after their formation that the four would release their debut studio album Music To Practice Safe Sex To (2018). This album features single ‘$5 Subtweet’, whose music video wasn’t released until February of 2020. Their second and most recent studio album was released in July of 2022 and was ti tled Pool Kids. Their self-titled album features songs like ‘That’s Physics, Baby’ and ‘Conscious Uncoupling.’
I’m a sucker for anything math rock adjacent, so I was immediately drawn in by them. Their combination of jumpy guitar melodies and breathy singing is unique but blends very well together. After having a moment of panic during the beginning of their due to realizing I didn't have an SD cord on me (I acquired one afterwards), I remembered I had a roll of film on me and was able to work with what I had. Their music was honestly very grounding for the stressful situation that I found myself in. I cannot wait until they come back to Boston so I can experience seeing them without stressing out!
MY FAVORITE SONG: “I Hope You’re Right” off of Pool Kids (2022)
PUP -
PUP the band is a punk rock bond that formed in Toronto, Ontario back in 2010. Their first name was Topanga, a reference to the character Topanga Lawrence from Boy Meets World. They switched their name to PUP, which is an acronym for Pathetic Use of Potential. The band was formed by and consists of Nestor Chumak (bass), Stefan Babcock (vocals and guitar), Steve Sladkowski (guitar), and Zack Mykula (drums). Nestor, Steve, and Zack were all childhood friends who came across Stefan at local music venues.it wasn't until college where Nestor and Stefan worked on a school project together that sparked the creation of Topanga (aka PUP).
The quartet released their self-titled debut album in the fall of 2013 under Royal Mountain Records, but when they signed with SideOneDummy Records, they re-released the debut album in spring of 2014. PUP features songs “Dark Days” and “Reservoir.” Their second album was released early summer of 2016 titled The Dream Is Over, which features their most well known song "DVP." PUP has released two other albums since then; Morbid Stuff (2019) and THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND (2022). They also released a 6-track ep in the fall of 2020 entitled This Place Sucks Ass.
It's hard to put PUP into a specific box when it comes to their genre, but it's overall agreed that they are a form of punk. The band have self-identified themselves as a punk rock band. Their music immediately got the crowd going and many crowd surfers could be seen flying over the barricade. To me, their music sounds like summer and reminds me a bit of the bands FIDLARand Liily. It's music I would blast through my car speakers with the windows down while driving at night. It's music I will hold onto for years to come.
MY FAVORITE SONG: “Reservoir” off of PUP (2014) or "My Life is Over and I Couldn’t Be Happier" off of The Dream Is Over (2016) ‘
Beach Bunny -
Beach Bunny is another band who formed back in 2015. They're an alternative and indie band from Chicago, Illinois that was created by vocalist and guitarist Lili Trifilio. The band was originally formed as a solo project, but two years after formation in 2017, three others joined the band. Their first EP, titled Animalism, was released in 2015 by Lili. In 2018, their fourth ep was released and titled Prom Queen. It features the song “Prom Queen” that is hands down their most recognizable song; thanks to TikTok, “Prom Queen" went viral and helped pass their name around the internet.
In fall of 2019 the group signed to label Mom + Pop Music and released Honeymoon, their first full-length studio album, a few months later. The album quickly got critical acclaim and was even featured on The New York Times and Rolling Stone’s list of Best Albums of 2020. Honeymoon features song "Cloud 9," which was their second song to go viral on TikTok. The group released their second album, Emotional Creature, in July of 2022.
Beach Bunny’s sound has dreamlike elements that make their sounds feel filled with desire and emotion. Although their set was a pretty big switch up in comparison to PUP’s set, the crowd didn't not seem to mind. The juxtaposition between the two bands and the variety across all three sets was actually a very nice thing to experience. Their dreamy sound seemed to have put the crowd into a calming trance for the rest of the night.
MY FAVORITE SONG: “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” off of Blame Game (2021)
