After plotting a Toronto takeover in July, hometown heroes PUP are extending their tour plans with a full tour in support of their fifth LP Who Will Look After the Dogs?, which arrives this Friday (May 2).
The tour will begin at the start of May in the UK and Europe. The band will kick off the North American leg in July with six shows in Toronto across various venues, before continuing on to New Zealand and Australia. PUP will then head to the US for a long string of shows from September into October, before returning to Canada in November for shows across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec with Snotty Nose Rez Kids. In December, they'll make their way back to Ontario to conclude the tour in Hamilton on December 13.
The band have also shared the final preview of Who Will Look After the Dogs? with "Olive Garden," a track that was written from the perspective of Stefan Babcock's past youthful naïveté. It originally started as an acoustic demo, but later turned into one of the "heaviest songs on the record."
"This is a very stupid, but also wonderful song," Babcock said in a statement. "The band gets all the credit for turning it into something really special. Zack (who plays drums) heard my cute little acoustic guitar demo and decided we should try and make it as heavy as possible. Which is objectively, a very annoying thing to suggest. But you know what, I'm glad I kept my stupid mouth shut, because it works."
He continued. "There's a real magic in the way these sweet vocal melodies are bludgeoned by a wall of disgusting, grinding, detuned guitars. The whole song is kinda upsetting and uncomfortable but also, catchy and fun. And I don't care what anyone says, 'Olive Garden' rhymes with 'Grandma in a coffin' — listen to this crap and tell me I'm wrong."
The closest Olive Garden to Toronto is on the American side of Niagara Falls — however, on May 1, PUP will be bringing the restaurant chain to Canada for an album launch party, which will include an album playback, a live set from PUP, food from Matty Matheson's Rizzo's House of Parm, and naturally, Olive Garden-inspired decoration. You can RSVP for the event here.
Tickets will go on sale this Friday (May 2) at 10 a.m. local time following presales beginning tomorrow (April 30) at 10 a.m. local time. The band will also be offering a limited number of low-income tickets for every show. "We know times are shit and hope this helps some people down to the ol' gig who wouldn't otherwise be able to," PUP shared. "And we must admit, we completely stole this idea from Los Campesinos! who have been doing it for a while and encouraging other bands to offer this as well, so thank you Los Campesinos! for the inspiration."
Watch the music video and see the tour itinerary below. Check out the rest of Exclaim!'s Canadian concert listings and tour announcements here.
PUP 2025 Tour Dates:
05/07 Birmingham, UK - XOYO Birmingham *&
05/08 Leeds, UK - Project House *&
05/10 Manchester, UK - 02 Ritz *&
05/11 Glasgow, UK - SWG3 (TV Studio) *&
05/12 Newcastle, UK - Newcastle University *&
05/13 Bristol, UK - Marble Factory *&
05/15 Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms *&
05/16 London, UK - 02 Forum Kentish Town *&
05/18 Amsterdam, etherlandsL - Melkweg *
05/20 Cologne, Germany - Club Volta *
05/21 Hamburg, Germany - Logo *
05/22 Berlin, Germany - Hole44 *
05/23 Munich, Germany - Strom *
05/25 Paris, France - Bellevilloise *
05/27 Madrid, Spain - Sala Mon
05/28 Barcelona, Spain - Upload
05/29 València, Spain - Loco Club
05/30 San Sebastian, Spain - Dabadaba
07/13 Toronto, ON - House Show
07/14 Toronto, ON - Sneaky Dee's with Bad Waitress
07/15 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace with Solids
07/17 Toronto, ON - The Concert Hall with Jeff Rosenstock (solo)
07/18 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall with Cadence Weapon
07/19 Toronto, ON History with NOBRO
08/05 Auckland, New Zealand - Tuning Fork
08/06 Wellington, New Zealand - San Fran
08/08 Brisbane, Australia - Princess Theatre
08/09 Sydney, Australia - Metro Theatre
08/10 Melbourne, Australia - Northcote Theatre
08/12 Adelaide, Australia - Hindley St. Music Hall
08/14 Perth, Australia - Magnet House
09/03 Minneapolis, MN - Palace Theatre +^
09/04 Madison, Wl - The Sylvee +^
09/05 Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed +^
09/06 Detroit, MI - Russell Industrial Center +^
09/08 Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE +^
09/09 Columbus, OH - KEMBA Live! +^
09/10 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre +^
09/12 Washington, D.C. - The Anthem +^
09/13 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Paramount +^
09/15 Boston, MA - Roadrunner +^
09/17 Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore Philadelphia +^
09/19 Raleigh, NC - The Ritz +^
09/20 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte +^
09/22 Atlanta, GA - The Eastern +^
09/24 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall +^
09/25 Dallas, TX - House of Blues Dallas +^
09/26 San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger +^
09/27 Austin, TX - Radio East +^
09/30 Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren +^
10/01 San Diego, CA - The Sound +^
10/02 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium +^
10/04 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater +^
10/06 Portland, OR - McMenamins Crystal Ballroom +^
10/07 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo +^
10/09 Salt Lake City, UT - Rockwell at The Complex +^
10/11 Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom +^
11/24 Vancouver, BC - The Pearl #
11/25 Vancouver, BC - The Commodore #
11/28 Edmonton, AB - Midway Music Hall #
11/29 Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall #
12/01 Saskatoon, SK - Coors Event Centre #
12/02 Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre #
12/05 Montreal, QC - MTELUS #
12/06 Ottawa, ON - The Bronson #
12/09 Waterloo, ON - Maxwell's Concerts & Events #
12/11 London, ON - London Music Hall #
12/12 Oshawa, ON - BOND ST Event Centre #
12/13 Hamilton, ON - Bridgeworks #
* with illuminati hotties
& with Goo
^ with Ekko Astral
# with Snotty Nose Rez Kids
+ with Jeff Rosenstock