‘God knows, Sum 41 have had our share of ups and downs,”, frontman Deryck Whibley observes with a grin. The Canadian pop-punks’ 28-year history has seen near fatal car crashes, assaults, alcoholism and even pneumonia. Meanwhile, their fortunes have veered from platinum sales to struggling to fill smaller venues before a triumphant return to arenas such as this one after pop-punk was discovered by a new generation of fans. Which makes it a very unlikely time for them to be on their farewell tour, ostensibly reflecting the singer’s desire to exit at the top.
They are certainly going out with a bang: confetti showers, pyro jets, lasers, balloons, a giant moving skull and Whibley’s well-worn but effective showmanship create a visual extravaganza. A mammoth 130-minute set list of more than 30 songs stretches from last year’s comeback hit, Landmines, back to their debut single, Makes No Difference. Whibley affectionately refers to early anthem Summer as “the first time we ever thought, ‘We’ve written a good song.’”
The band and the singer in particular don’t lack energy, but whenever the stream of chugging guitars and powerhouse drumming threatens to become a barrage, they vary the mood: the reflective Pieces and anthemic War display more mature songwriting chops than they are generally given credit for. When Whibley suggests that “after 30 years I just think the world is sick of Sum 41”, he’s met with comedy boos and a chant of “We want more!”. Gradually, though, things become emotional. Couples and friends hug each other while jumping around to Fat Lip and In Too Deep for the last time, and Whibley’s repeatedly expressed gratitude to the “Sum 41 family” for their decades of support feels genuine and heartfelt.
The encore has ended, the applause has died, the house lights are up and much of the audience are already at the exits when the frontman suddenly brings the band back on again. So Long Goodbye is beautiful, but a gleefully raucous Sick of Everyone really doesn’t suggest a band in a hurry to walk away.
• At Ovo Hydro, Glasgow, on 27 October. Then touring.
