In February, Sum 41 and Simple Plan announced a nationwide tour of the United States simply titled, the Blame Canada Tour. This is a play off of the popular song from the movie “South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut,” and the fact that both bands originally hail from Canada.
Despite being two pop punk bands from the Great White North, and finding mainstream success in the early 2000s, Sum 41 pointed out that this would in fact be the first time they had ever toured with Simple Plan. The tour includes a sold-out show at the House of Blues Anaheim on August 6th.
Formed in in Montreal in 1999, Simple Plan found almost immediate success with the release of their 2002 debut album, “No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls.” Pop punk was at the height of its popularity with New Found Glory’s “Stick and Stones,” Good Charlotte’s “The Young and the Hopeless,” and Sum 41’s “Does This Look Infected” all released that same year. Simple Plan’s “No Pads” would eventually be certified double platinum, selling over two million records thanks to the success of singles “I’d Do Anything,” “Addicted,” and “Perfect.”
The song “I’m Just a Kid” went platinum at the time and gained success again nearly two decades later as it became used in TikTok videos to show pictures of families two decades apart. The band has maintained its original lineup since first forming, and has released six albums, including “Harder Than It Looks,” released just last month.
Hailing from Ontario, Sum 41 first started generating buzz with their debut EP “Half Hour of Power.” With a sound that would have you swearing they were from Southern California, stories started formulating about the band’s live performances and wild off-stage antics, which they often filmed and posted on their website in the early days of the Internet. It would be 2001’s “All Killer, No Filler” that would establish their legacy in pop punk history.
The lead single, “Fat Lip,” would become a staple of MTV and radio airplay that still gets played in heavy rotation on KROQ and ALT 98.7, leading to the album achieving double platinum status. With their follow-up “Does This Look Infected?” selling over 600,000 copies, the band continued to ride the wave of success that they helped pave.
BLAME CANADA TOUR
Anaheim, California
August 6th & 7th, 2022
Sum 41 has announced that the Blame Canada tour will also celebrate the 21st and 20th anniversaries of these two groundbreaking albums. The band seems to have a new resurgence since original guitarist Dave “Brownsound” Baksh returned to the band in 2015, after departing for nearly a decade.
Opening the show will be Magnolia Park from Florida. The punk/alternative rock band will be playing songs from their debut album “Halloween Mixtape,” and no doubt promoting their upcoming EP “Heart Eater,” which is due out next week.
Several shows are sold out, so if you want to see Sum 41 and Simple Plan, you need to get your tickets ASAP!
