We head to Wembley to meet some of Sum 41’s biggest fans after their final-ever London headline show.
Last night, Sum 41 hit the English capital one last time, as their farewell tour rolled into the OVO Arena Wembley. And having reduced the 10,000-strong crowd to a sweaty, wide-eyed, joyous mess, we caught up with some of the punk veterans biggest fans to find out what they love about Canada's finest and why pop-punk ain't going anywhere.
How long have you been a Sum 41 fan?
"Since I was about eight years old, so y'know, 22 years."
How did you first get into them?
"I heard them in a skatepark. It was the time of [2001 debut album] All Killer No Filler, probably jamming out on the vert ramp to Fat Lip."
What's your favourite Sum 41 memory?
"Tonight! It was great! Actually, no, I'll tell you what, me and my friend Josh were moshing out when we were younger. He was called Depps – rest in peace – and we were moshing out in the living room so hard to them that Depps, for some reason, kicked my brother in the balls and my brother threw him out of the window for it."
What other bands do you listen to?
"My favourite band right now is called Just Like Honey – they're cool, you should go check them out."
Who've you come as tonight?
"The Joker! Emily [below] did the make-up for me. I happened to have this tailor-made green velvet suit, so I thought it was the perfect time to dress up as the Joker."
How long have you been a fan of Sum 41?
"Probably my whole life! My dad worked for All Time Low, he was their agent, so I really liked them and bands similar to them. Love Green Day, too!"
Why do you think pop-punk is still so popular?
"I feel like it's just emotional and good to dance to, you know?"
What other bands do you listen to?
"A mix of stuff, really. I like ska. I'm going to a club night later called Gaz's Rockin Blues, which plays some ska!"
And what are you wearing today?
"A Ferrari jacket! I got it because Lana Del Ray has it and I wanted the same one. I don't know where anything else is from. Oh, but this bag is from Colombia, it's called a Wayuu bag."
How long have you been a Sum 41 fan for?
Simon: "Oh, probably since All Killer No Filler, so since 2000ish when I saw one of their videos on Scuzz. You remember Scuzz? Scuzz and Kerrang! days, mate – the best!"
Georgia: "I'm here for him! I like the big ones; In Too Deep and the like. He comes to me for Don Broco, I go to him for Sum 41."
What other bands are you into?
Georgia: "You Me At Six – I love them!"
Simon: "I've just bought Offspring tickets, Limp Bizkit tickets, Papa Roach for next year, Don Broco for next year and You Me At Six final tour. So I've depleted my bank account. I was surprised by the cost of Limp Bizkit, they were the most expensive so far at £100 a ticket."
At least they're not as expensive at Oasis tickets!
Georgia: "I bought Taylor Swift tickets – imagine how expensive that was!"
What's your favourite Sum 41 memory?
Simon: "Probably tonight because it was the first time I saw them outside of Download Festival, and they played Still Waiting which is my favourite song. I loved the video to that too."
Georgia: "Yeah he loved watching all of their videos on Kerrang!."
Simon: "It's what I grew up with."
What are you both wearing?
Georgia: "We're wearing our lovely dead men glow-in-the-dark suits, but it wasn't dark enough in the gig for them to glow! They're from the lovely Amazon."
Simon: She did the make-up, I'm not good at it. We thought if we're out here spending money anyway we may as well dress up! Plus I only have to wear this one item of clothing and I can get straight into bed in it."
How long have you been a Sum 41 fan?
"I heard about them when I was a teeanger, but I never really became a fan until after high school. That's when I got into them properly and they led me to other punk rock bands."
What did you think of the show tonight?
"It was amazing! It was a bit sad, the fact that it was their last show here. This was my first ever punk rock show and it was their last one here! So that was a bit sad. I don't know if that's melodramatic, but it's like I'm just getting started and they ended! They teased us with the encores, though – I was ready to leave and was talking to a guy about sending me some of the pictures, but he was sure they were going to come back on... and they did! I was like, 'Oh my God, yes!'"
Out of 10, how was your first-ever punk rock show?
"Oh my, 10 out of 10 for sure. They were amazing, I love them. I really wish I could see them again, but obviously I can't."
What are you wearing today?
"I'm wearing an ASOS green plaid shirt. And also ASOS or Primark leggings. I wanted to dress a bit more punk rock, but I didn't know I was coming until last minute! My original plan was to come in a blow-up cow outfit. Either that or a blow-up aubergine."
How long have you been a Sum 41 fan?
"I've been a fan since high school in the early 2000s. I've been there since the beginning!"
What did you think of the show tonight?
"For what it is for London, it was the send-off of a century. The fact they came back not once, but twice! Everyone was ready to go home but they were like, 'We've got another song for you!' I was like, 'I'm here for this!' They love the London vibe – it's the energy! I went for a piss when I thought it was over and have never gone faster than when I heard them start back up."
Had you seen them before?
"I hadn't! I'd seen them at Download on TV and had to make sure to get here tonight. The struggles I went through to get here was ridiculous, I fought hard for three weeks to get the time off for it."
What are you wearing today?
"I'm wearing the casual Green Day outfit – you gotta show a bit of punk rock."
How long have you been a Sum41 fan?
"Probably since around the year 2000, when In Too Deep came out. I went to buy a CD – whatever the hell that is anymore. It also had Half Hour Of Power next to it and I thought, 'What the hell, might as well buy both!' Been a lifelong fan ever since."
How many times have you seen them?
"I was a late bloomer when it came to seeing them, so I think about four times."
Do you remember your first one?
"Oh fuck me, first one I think was in Nottingham and I actually ended up going around a back alleyway as I got lost. I bumped into [guitarist] Dave Baksh and his family, I was like, 'Ooh, hi Dave!' and he just asked me if I was going to the show."
What's your favourite Sum 41 song?
"The one that gets me every single time, I cry whenever I've seen it played live, is With Me. I've cried so many times over it."
What's your favourite Sum 41-related memory?
"They were my first ever concert! So not only did I meet Dave, but a pick fell on top of my head and then another one fell on my left boob. And I caught that! The first-ever concert was the best thing in the entire world, and it'll probably beat my wedding day. I still have the picks and I turned them into earrings."
Why do you think pop-punk is still so popular?
"I think with the resurgence of the early 2000s, it was just on the cusp of things becoming really fucking weird. Things were a little bit simpler in the world at the time. Millennials especially have the biggest nostalgia addiction and I think the generations after that are realising that we had a really good taste in music."
Lastly, what are you wearing today?
"I am wearing stuff that was in my clean pile that I did not put away."
Get your hands on the Kerrang! x Sum 41 capsule collection.
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