Toronto’s beloved punk rock misfits PUP have just dropped one of the most exciting announcements of the year — and it’s something fans have been buzzing about since their hometown conquest earlier in 2025. The band is commemorating their massive “Mega-City Madness” residency with a triple-threat release: a live album, an accompanying documentary series, and a 196-page zine that dives deep into the chaos and community of the shows.
For over a decade now, PUP (short for Pathetic Use of Potential) have carved out a unique place in punk culture with unfiltered energy, self-aware lyrics, and some of the most electrifying live shows on the planet. Formed in Toronto in 2010, the band — consisting of Stefan Babcock (vocals, guitar), Steve Sladkowski (guitar), Nestor Chumak (bass), and Zack Mykula (drums) — have gone from DIY basement heroes to international punk champions, with critically acclaimed records like The Dream Is Over, Morbid Stuff, and most recently Who Will Look After the Dogs?, as documented in their official band history and widely covered by music press.
Megacity Madness: A Week to Remember
Earlier this year, PUP took over six iconic Toronto venues for their Mega-City Madness run — a celebratory, city-spanning residency tied to the release of Who Will Look After the Dogs?. Each night featured special guests, surprise moments, and wildly varied setlists, turning the run into a full-blown punk pilgrimage across the venues that helped shape the band. The shows were widely praised by fans and critics alike for capturing PUP at their most ferocious and heartfelt.
That unforgettable week has now been immortalized as “Megacity Madness (The Official Live Recordings)”, a 13-track live album compiled from performances across the residency. According to coverage from Stereoboard, the album is set for a vinyl-only release on March 13, 2026, available via the band’s webstore and independent record shops — a release strategy that feels perfectly in line with PUP’s DIY roots.
Lights, Camera, Punk
Alongside the live album comes a documentary series, directed by Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux and Clem Hoener, who followed the band through every sweat-soaked night of the residency. As reported by Scene Point Blank, the film project captures not just the performances but the emotional whiplash of playing their hometown at full throttle — backstage moments, crowd interactions, and the unfiltered personality that’s made PUP such a beloved live act.
Reading Between the Lines: Megacity MegaZine
Rounding out the announcement is Megacity MegaZine, a hefty 196-page zine packed with tour photography, artwork, written reflections, and behind-the-scenes material from the run. Zines have long been a cornerstone of punk culture, and this release feels less like merch and more like an archival artifact — a physical document of a defining moment in the band’s career, as highlighted in early reporting by Pitchfork.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just a victory lap — it’s a snapshot of PUP at a creative peak. The combination of live recordings, film, and print captures the full ecosystem of what makes the band special: community, chaos, humor, and heart. As noted by Scene Point Blank, the Mega-City Madness project stands as both a thank-you to their hometown and a time capsule for fans who were there — or wish they had been.
With this ambitious triple release, PUP aren’t just preserving memories — they’re reinforcing why they remain one of the most vital punk bands of their generation.