Beach Bunny, PUP, and Pool Kids were electric on The Rooftop at Pier 17 (pics, video, review)

To watch three incredibly fun sets of indie-punk on a rooftop in spring is live music bliss, and the stacked triple-bill of Pool Kids, PUP, and Beach Bunny delivered on the evening's potential. The bands played The Rooftop at Pier 17 on Tuesday night (5/23), the penultimate stop on their spring tour. Pool Kids, the Florida-hailing band whose self-titled LP we listed among 2022's best, took the stage first, while it was still warm and light out. They brought their energetic emo to the crowd, and promoted their merch and upcoming headlining tour. Vocalist/guitarist Christine Goodwyne led the band with massive energy, jumping down to the barricade at one point, and setting the tone for the night.

PUP followed, playing a raucous set to an adoring, mosh-ready crowd as the sun set. The Canadian four-piece kept a positive spirit, with lead singer Stefan Babcock asking the audience to have fun and look out for each other's safety. Later on, guitarist Steve Sladkowski shouted out the ongoing WGA strike, imploring the crowd to "go hard for the WGA." At that moment, someone in the pit proposed to their partner, and Stefan reacted: "For the rest of your lives you get to say you got engaged at a PUP show, and that makes you a big fuckin' loser." From there they launched into "Robot Writes a Love Song," one of a few songs they played off their newest LP The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND. They also played older material, including a couple of tracks off their 2013 debut. Dozens of crowdsurfers later, Stefan rolled across the stage during "Waiting," and the crowd went wild. They kept up the energy for classic closing pair "If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will" and "DVP." Check out their full setlist below.

By the time Beach Bunny entered--after a full-crowd singalong to "Bohemian Rhapsody" over the PA--it was fully dark, with the band illuminated in shades of pink, purple, and green. Frontwoman Lili Trifilio opened the show with gratitude, referencing an early tour they went on with PUP five years ago, and activating the crowd: "We're a little softer than PUP, but I need the pits to commence." The Chicagoans captured an array of styles--surfy, tropical, even disco grooves--within their super-catchy set, playing from their 2022 LP Emotional Creature, 2020's Honeymoon, and more. Crowd energy peaked with the oft-viral classics off of their earlier singles and EPs--"Sports," "Prom Queen," interactive, crowd-surfy "Six Weeks," and more. Beach Bunny capped off the early night on a high with fan-favorite "Painkiller," their guitars ringing over the rooftop.

Check out photos of all three bands by Amanda Hatfield and fan-shot videos below.

Beach Bunny, PUP, and Pool Kids finish their tour on Wednesday (5/24) in Boston, and head to Atlantic City's Adjacent Fest this weekend. See more upcoming dates below.

Pool Kids will also be back in NYC soon for their show at The Sultan Room on July 29 with Sydney Sprague and Chase Petra. Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 25 at noon.

Setlist: PUP at The Rooftop at Pier 17, 5/23/2023 (via)
Morbid Stuff
Kids
My Life Is Over and I Couldn't Be Happier
Dark Days
Totally Fine
Robot Writes a Love Song
Free at Last
Sleep in the Heat
Habits
Reservoir
Scorpion Hill
Waiting
If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will
DVP

Pool Kids -- 2023 Tour Dates
WED 24 MAY Roadrunner Boston, MA, US #
THU 6 JULY Ace of Cups Columbus, OH, US %
FRI 7 JULY Mahall's Lakewood, OH, US %
SAT 8 JULY The Crofoot Ballroom Pontiac, MI, US
SUN 9 JULY X-Ray Arcade Cudahy, WI, US %
TUE 11 JULY Marquis Theater Denver, CO, US %
WED 12 JULY Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT, US %
FRI 14 JULY Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA, US %
SAT 15 JULY The Echo Los Angeles, CA, US %
SUN 16 JULY The Rebel Lounge Phoenix, AZ, US %
TUE 18 JULY Mohawk Austin, TX, US %
WED 19 JULY Andy's Bar Denton, TX, US %
FRI 21 JULY The Masquerade Atlanta, GA, US %
SAT 22 JULY Hooch and Hive Tampa, FL, US %
SUN 23 JULY Will's Pub Orlando, FL, US %
MON 24 JULY New Brookland Tavern Columbia, SC, US %
TUE 25 JULY Canal Club Richmond, VA, US %
FRI 28 JULY The Ukie Club Philadelphia, PA, US %
TUE 1 AUGUST Songbyrd Washington, DC, US %

# with PUP and Beach Bunny
% with Sydney Sprague and Chase Petra