Isn’t it awesome when good things get even better? That’s exactly what happened to the lineup for the show tonight at The 27 Club, which now features not two, but three solid up-and-coming artists!
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Initially the show featured California based pop punk band Games We Play, featuring Emmyn Calleiro and his blend of pop punk hooks with raw emo-tinged lyrics, on their first ever Canadian tour. Beyond his music, Calleiro’s self-deprecating, humorous outlook gained an ever-growing fanbase on TikTok, which then led to a deal with Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz’ record label.
The trademark pop punk tongue-in-cheek take to lyrics reminiscent of blink-182 is ever present in their songwriting, and was evident early on with hits “Hey Ben” and “I Hope You’re Happy” off their initial EPs. That approach continues to be woven throughout their debut album, Life’s Going Great, released this spring, in particular on standout songs “The End” (unironically the lead track) and “All My Untalented Friends.” That said, the album also has Mayday Parade-esque heartfelt ballads interspersed throughout, striking a nice balance of serious and fun to make for an album that can be played nonstop without feeling redundant.
Having played All Your Friends festival this summer, opening for genre stars We The Kings and All-American Rejects, Calleiro’s engaging, energetic stage presence immediately won over the early crowd, and should explode in an intimate setting like The 27 Club.
Joining Games We Play for their tour is Oakville’s Braden Bales, an emerging singer/producer who has been releasing solid singles consistently over the past two years, including a brand new one “I Don’t Wanna Know,” released today. His breakout hit “Chronically Cautious” off his Nomad EP (the first of two EPs in 2023) garnered critic and tastemaker pop playlist attention, his blending of folk and singer-songwriter influences to his pop hooks and production, all in punchy two minute bite-sized tracks makes for well-crafted songs that you’d expect from an experienced team of songwriters and producers, not a relatively new artist. Definitely one to watch!
Now if that wasn’t enough, we get an extra treat, as Montreal’s Suckerpunch! make a surprise return to join the bill, both here and in their hometown tomorrow. Having shared the bill at All Your Friends this summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the dots were connected then between the bands with similar interests. If you happened to get to the recent show at the Rainbow Bistro in September featuring the loaded lineup of F!TH, Sudden Waves, Conversation, Root Cause, Suckerpunch! kicked the night off with an energetic set of catchy pop punk earworms that immediately embed themselves in your head for days.
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From their 2022 debut EP Nightcalls, to 2023’s Hollywood Ending, all the way to their latest release, a collab with the aforementioned We The Kings titled “Let’s Get Lost,” the Montrealers channel their pop punk influences (including their local heroes Simple Plan), to create a next generation take that feels both nostalgic (like on throwback “99”) yet fresh at the same time. Brace yourselves though: there is no way such an intimate venue can contain the energy of the six-piece so don’t be surprised if some of them start to wander into the crowd!
All in all, this triple bill of fun is the perfect antidote for a cold, dark fall Friday night.
The 27 Club hosts Games We Play, with Braden Bales and Suckerpunch! Friday, Nov. 15. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets available here.
