Super Whatevr, Seaway, and Sum 41
House of Blues // Houston, TX // May 5th, 2018
Photos and review by Heather Ann Phillips
Canadian rock band, Sum 41, hit the stage at Houston’s House of Blues to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their classic album, “Does This Look Infected?” with support from label mates Super Whatevr and fellow Canadians, Seaway. The band brought along their original guitarist Dave “Brownsound” Baksh to play through iconic hits of one of the greatest pop punk albums of our time.
Kicking off the evening was Hopeless Records band Super Whatevr. These up and comers may not be a household name yet, but they definitely made their presence known in Houston. Vocalist Skyler McKee started this project as an outlet for his poetry and eventually crafted it into a musical journey, showcasing the struggles and raw emotions of life and how to grow and stay positive even through dark times. If you are planning on coming out to any of Sum 41’s future dates on this tour, make sure you get there early because Super Whatevr is not an act to be missed.
Canadian-based band Seaway were up next and kicked off a high energy set with their song “Best Mistake” from their 2015 album, Colour Blind. The band’s 12-song set was a face paced, upbeat, and fun performance that got many in the crowd off their feet and singing along, preparing them even more for the main act.
A large white curtain was let down as Sum 41 began to set up, so the crowd couldn’t see what was exactly to come. In between the set change, House of Blues became one large sing-a-long, as hits from My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, and more played over the P.A. to get everyone pumped. When the time came for Sum 41 to hit the stage, everyone was more than ready. From the get-go, singer Deryck Whibley let the crowd know that this wasn’t just a concert, it was a party. Kicking off the set with “The Hell Song” and a bang of confetti and smoke, the crowd knew they were in for a high energy evening. In the middle of the first song, Whibley even stopped and pulled up a handful of lucky fans to watch the whole set side stage for the night.
Although this was technically a birthday party tour for Does This Look Infected?, the band did not just play the whole album all the way through and take off, but peppered into their set a cover of Queen’s classic “We Will Rock You” as well as a few songs from the bands most recent album, 13 Voices. Whibley took many opportunities to thank the fans for their continued support through all the ups and downs the band has encountered throughout the years and reflected on how surreal it was to be able to still be on a stage after all these years doing what they love. The band tore through a nearly 20-song long setlist, giving the fans everything they could have wanted and more, and polished off a sweat filled, mosh pit fueled evening with their classic single “Fat Lip.”
It’s hard to believe Does This Look Infected? is already a decade and a half old, but Sum 41 had no problem giving every song on this album the same energy and passion as they did when it first came out. It’s always a fun experience to be in the same room as hundreds of other people singing along to every word of an album from your teenage years. Whether you’re a die hard fan, a newcomer or somewhere in between, do not skip out on this high energy nostalgia trip of a tour, it’s a party that you do not want to miss.
