Hot Mulligan, PUP Concerts Pop Off Punk-Rock Style | RSEO PDX 2026
Photo: Dillion
Crowd surfing, circle pits and high energy dancing fueled by straight-up punk rock Straight from the frying pan of Friday’s qualifier rounds on the RSEO PDX 2026 Street and Park courses and into the mosh pit, many of the Rockstar Energy Open competitors and fans went PUP hit the stage just minutes after the Men’s Park Qualifier and then headliner Hot Mulligan took it from there.
Hot Mulligan's Chris Freeman. Photo: Dillon
“We’re excited that the skateboarding hype from today’s contests carried right over into the concert,” said Hot Mulligan’s Chris Freeman.
Photo: Dillon
Then, referring to the thousands of fans lined up to get into the venue before Hot Mulligan played, as the band is riding a wave of hype after their performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago earlier this month: “I am really excited that it's a free event and anyone could just pull up and see us because we haven't played Portland in a minute, so for any of our fans to come and be able to see us for free is just awesome.”
Hot Mulligan. Photo: Durso
Freeman and Hot Mulligan bassist Jonah Kramer are both skaters, and the band, based in Lansing, Michigan, has always been associated with skate culture, especially since the music video for the 2025 single “And A Big Load” was filmed at Major Taylor Skatepark in Indianapolis.
PUP! Photo: Dillon
“It's super sick to be playing at the Rockstar Energy Open and getting to be here for all of today’s skate contests,” said Hot Mulligan frontman. “I've only gone to one or two other skate events in the past, like the Thrasher Death Match, so I’ve never seen a full-fledged competition like this in person and I'm really stoked. We’ve got Skater Of The Year Chris Joslin here, so I’m especially excited to see him huck down some stairs this weekend!”
Photo: Dillon
Freeman says his other favorite skaters competing this weekend include Paige Heyn and Chloe Covell in the Women’s Street field.
Hot Mulligan played its newest single “I Don’t Think It’s the Right Time For Emojis” and songs from across a 10-year career spanning from the 2016 debut album Opportunities to the 2025 album “The Sound a Body Makes When It’s Still.”
Toronto-based punk band PUP opened the set, warming up the crowd.
PUP. Photo: Dillon
“I love the environment here at the Rockstar Energy Open, I’ve always loved the vibe here in Portland, and I love skateboarding, so I'm excited to be the band from all the '90s movies we watched as kids that plays the skate competition, it’s like our CKY moment,” frontman Stefan Babcock said. “We knew from the party in the hotel lobby last night when we rocked up from the airport that tonight's crowd was going to be loose, and it always benefits us when it's loose!"
Photo: Aguilar
PUP is getting ready to tour in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the band’s debut album “The Dream Is Over” and played most of the album in Friday’s set as a warmup before playing the album in full at Riot Fest in Chicago next month at The Fest in Gainesville, Florida in October.
PUP guitarist Steve Sladkowski said his personal highlight for Friday’s show was the chance to play a free concert for Portland fans.
Photo: Dillon
“Whenever, whenever we can do something where it's free, I always find the energy is extra high and it's always a little bizarre, in a good way,” Sladkowski said. “You'll get people who have no idea what's going on that just kind of walk up and are like, ‘What the hell is this?’ And maybe we scare them away, which is fine too. I kind of think that's funny! It's just nice to give back to the community and try to win over some new fans and scare off some randos, and I love to play shows like that wherever possible.”