Sum 41
October 29, 2016
The Neptune – Seattle, WA
As most people were out partying the Saturday before Halloween, especially in the neighborhood of Seattle’s University of Washington, fans that were lucky enough to get tickets to Sum 41’s Don’t Call It A Sum Back Tour (before it sold out) got to party with Sum 41 and fans alike.
As the doors opened, the venue filled the floor and balcony with pop punk fans of all ages. Some fans even came dressed up as sharks, bacon strips, penguins, bananas (it was super entertaining to watch a shark crowd surf and be in the mosh pit).
A British pop punk band called As It Is were the first to perform and were the youngest group on the tour. They really put the ‘pop’ in pop punk. Everyone in the band was filled with energy throughout the entire set, but who wouldn’t be if you were opening up for Sum 41? The singer, Patty Walters, and Guitarist, Andy Westhead, were jumping all over the stage! Although early in their musical careers, you wouldn’t assume the band has only been together for 4 years. The band played songs off albums This Mind of Mine and Never Happy, Ever After such as their hit songs Can’t Save Myself and Dial Tones. They also surprised the crowd with a new song named Okay, from their unreleased album of the same name that is coming out next year.
Senses Fail were up next and they came out swinging, the microphone that is – singer Buddy Nielsen was tossing that thing in all directions and even throwing it into the crowd when he had to tie his shoe; A fan took it and yelled “SEATTLE LOVES SENSES FAIL.” Nielsen’s energy throughout their entire set was unlike anyone else’s that night and his energy quickly spread to fans in the crowd as they moshed and sang along to songs off the album Let It Enfold You such as Buried a Lie and Lady in a Blue Dress. Throughout the 12 song setlist that they were allowed, they played songs old and new. Being together for about a decade, this band knows what they are doing in terms of live performance. If you have yet to see this band, put them on your 
bucket list immediately.
Fans became eager when it was time for Sum 41 to perform. Most fans hadn’t seen them since before their hiatus. The tour is called Don’t Call It a Sum Back, but most fans would agree that it’s hard not to call it that when they put on the best Sum Back of 2016. Even though the band is aging, their energy definitely isn’t. CO2 cannons accompanied songs all throughout the night, bringing a lot of energy into the many mosh pits that occurred all night long. With a setlist including classics like In Too Deep, Still Waiting, and, the encore of the night, Fatlip, the nostalgia was real. They also included songs off of their latest release 13 Voices (Via Hopeless) which hit #9 on Billboard, with songs such as Fake My Own Death and Goddamn I’m Dead Again (Dave “Brownsound” Bakash and Tom Thacker performed a duel guitar solo during this one). A lengthy drum solo to Hip Hop hits by newcomer Frank Zumo, who joined the band in 2015 was one of the highlights of this show. Deryck Whibley shared his appreciation for the crowd when he shared his personal struggles of alcoholism, mentioning his near death experience before playing Motivation, stating that the fans were his motivation. The night, as previously mentioned, ended with an encore that included Whibley performing Pieces on a keyboard and, as previously mentioned, Fatlip; confetti erupted during the last song, leaving the crowd in awe.
Fans were able to meet Sum 41 directly after the show.
Sum41 are definitely back and if you got tickets to the show the band made sure it was a night you would remember for the rest of your life, from bringing along amazing high energy bands to stage production, you’ll be amazed one way or another. There’s only a few days left on the tour but if one of those days are in your city I recommend going if not buy their latest album and pretend you were there!
Review by: Sarina Solem
Sum 41
Senses Fail
As It Is
