PUP LIVE AT SOUTHAMPTON’S ENGINE ROOMS

★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)

PUP PERFORMING AT SOUTHAMPTON’S ENGINE ROOMS
PHOTOCREDIT: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI

The Engine Rooms in Southampton is a venue that can host a wide array of artists – you go on a Friday for a heavy-duty DJ set, on a Tuesday for deathcore and on a Thursday for punk rock. With people filling the room all the way to the back, the crowd was ready early on for a night of much-promised revolutionary rock. As part of the tour that promotes their fifth studio album released earlier this month, PUP were due to headline the stage – but first, they brought Goo and Illuminati Hotties with them.

Goo opened the evening with a set that was equally mellow and dynamic. Their sound is a unique blend of punk, indie and rock, and their stage presence was quite electric. It is a difficult task to open for a crowd that doesn’t know your music and stance well, but Goo definitely managed to get people engaged through the set. It was like watching youngsters perform in an 80s film, as they filled the room with their energy. Their set was mostly songs from their debut EP, which were quite catchy and fitting for the start of the night.

Bringing havoc shortly after, Illuminati Hotties came all the way from Los Angeles for this. Led by producer and engineer Sarah Tudzin, they delivered a set that blended music, jumping, stand-up comedy and political satire against punk energy and indie rock influences. Performing songs from their latest album, the band not only engaged the audience to sing along, but also brought Pup’s singer on stage for a duet. Despite the ‘home-made’ feel of the set and the closeness between the band and the audience, with Sarah even going down to the crowd, the Grammy-winning elements are still there – all spilling into the band’s polished performance and emotional engagement on stage.

Lastly, against the backdrop of the trans flag, PUP entered the stage loud and proud. The punk energy, the self-deprecating humour and the alive performance of the band made the perfect mix for a successful night. Pleasing old and new fans with an array of their songs – both new from the latest album and older favourites – the band really knows how to deliver. As a response, the crowd was singing along to the raw lyrics with enthusiasm, whilst there were a few mini moshpits to be seen during the louder songs.

The setlist included some of the most live-worthy PUP songs such as ‘No Hope’ (a super dynamic start), ‘My Life is Over and I couldn’t be Happier’, ‘Sleep in the Heat’, ‘Kids’ and ‘Hunger for Death’, whilst the set was later joined by Illuminati Hotties for a punk crossover. Closing off with ‘Reservoir’ and ‘Full Blown Meltdown’, the band performed tirelessly and high on energy for almost two hours. It was a great experience to be in the room with them and see how far they’ve come as a band, and how loved they are by their die-hard fans who spat out each lyric without missing a beat. Definitely a night to remember.