Concert Review: Sum 41 frontman comes back to life in Vancouver (PHOTOS)

Oct 31 2016, 2:30 am

After a long and hard battle with alcoholism, Sum 41 frontman Derek Whibley returns to the spotlight with a new album and tour.

Performing now as a five piece band, the Canadian pop-punk rockers started their set with a high energy performance of “The Hell Song” from their second studio album, Does This Look Infected?.

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

A couple years after his release from hospital, Whibley looks strong and healthy running around on stage playing guitar and belting out the lyrics for tracks spanning the band’s 15 year career and six studio albums.

Visibly ecstatic to be back on stage performing again, he took a couple breaks in between songs to graciously thank his fans and pick out people from the crowd to come on stage and watch the rest of the show from the side stage.

The crowd itself, consisted mostly of fans that seemed to have followed the band since its inception back in 2001. Having been patiently waiting five years for a new album, their high energy clearly shows that the wait was worth it, even though the vocal set up in the sound booth that night was a little lacking.

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Flexing their cohesiveness as a band with Whibley on lead vocals and rhythmic guitar, Dave Baksh on guitar, and backup vocals, Tom Thacker on guitar, keyboards, and backup vocals, Jason McCaslin on bass, and backup vocals, and Frank Zummo on drums; they effortlessly snapped in and out of tracks with perfect accuracy and synchronicity.

Highlights from the show included the performances of “Over My Head,” “Underclass,” and “War” which Whibley wrote while in recovery and dedicated to everyone in the building that night.

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Image: Timothy Nguyen Photography

Sum 41 performed at the Commodore Ballroom on October 28.

Vanessa TamVanessa Tam

+ Arts
+ Concerts
ADVERTISEMENT