Pup and New Swears tear up Zaphod's (photo essay)

Toronto-based quartet Pup sold out back-to-back shows at Zaphod Beeblebrox near the end of a three-month tour supporting their new album The Dream is Over. The last time the trio were in town was in the summer when they played an early time slot at Ottawa Bluesfest. Seeing them play in the intimate confines of Zaphod Beeblebrox filled with hard core fans, however, was a totally different experience! They had the dance floor filled and dancing vigorously to their adrenaline fueled punk-rock. By the end of the night, the place was filled with sweat-drenched, happy bodies.

Pup will be re-booting their tour in 2017, heading across the pond to Europe. Check their social media sites for tour dates.

Opening the evening were Ottawa-based New Swears, who are a local staple and have performed at Bluesfest and the Arboretum Festival in 2015. Their high-octane music was the perfect setup for Pup. But just in case the music didn’t grab your attention (not sure how it wouldn’t), their on-stage antics kept you watching every moment. The band made great use of the small stage by swapping locations, usually with some sort of fanfare, like crawling through each other’s legs, without missing a note on the guitars. The most memorable moment of the night being the guitar pyramid pictured below. Look out Pup, New Swears might take your mantle as the best Canadian, punk-rock band to see live.

Follow Pup at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Follow New Swears at: Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram