Peterborough Musicfest has announced another concert in the 38th season of the free-admission summer outdoor music festival, with Canadian punk rock band Gob taking to the Fred Anderson Stage at Del Crary Park for the first time at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 19.
Emerging from Langley, British Columbia in 1993, Gob rose to prominence in the Canadian punk scene during the late 1990s and early 2000s, gaining both national and international recognition for their high-energy sound, catchy melodies, and humorous edge.
The band was founded by Tom Thacker (vocals, guitar) and Theo Goutzinakis (guitar, vocals), with the early lineup rounded out by Kelly Macauley on bass and Patrick “Wolfman Pat” Paszana on drums. Over the years, Gob went through several lineup changes, but Thacker and Goutzinakis remained the consistent core members.
Blending elements of skate punk, pop punk, and alternative rock, Gob has been compared to bands like NOFX, Green Day, and Blink-182. Further embedding them in youth and skate culture, they have contributed to numerous soundtracks and compilations, including the Need for Speed and NHL 2002 video games and the FUBAR film soundtrack.
Gob released their self-titled debut album in 1994, re-recording three tracks for their first full-length studio album Too Late … No Friends in 1995. In 1998, with new bassist Craig Wood and drummer Gabe Mantle, Gob released How Far Shallow Takes You, which included the singles “What to Do” and “Beauville.”
The band’s most successful album was 2001’s Juno award-nominated The World According to Gob, which featured one of their biggest hits “I Hear You Calling” (the video for which received a Juno nomination in 2022), along with “For The Moment”, “That’s The Way,” and “No Regrets.” The record received widespread acclaim, MTV play, and slots on major tours like the Vans Warped Tour.
VIDEO: “Underground” – Gob (2008)
In 2003, Gob released Foot in Mouth Disease, featuring the hit singles “Give Up the Grudge” as well as “Oh! Ellin.” The following year, bassist Wood left the band to play guitar for Canadian superstar Avril Lavigne, with current bassist Steven Fairweather joining in 2008.
After a brief hiatus and side projects — including Thacker joining Sum 41 as lead guitarist — Gob returned with Muertos Vivos in 2007, heavily influenced by hard rock and, in 2014, their sixth and latest record Apt. 13.
Although Gob has not released a new record in the past decade, the band continues to tour and has remained a staple in Canadian punk rock. Earlier this year, Gob was one of the supporting acts invited to play on Canadian rock band Sum 41’s farewell tour, and performed at Sum 41’s final show at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on January 30.
Gob’s July 19th performance at Musicfest is the sixth concert announced so far for this summer.
The 38th season will open and close with concerts by two famous Canadian musicians who are each making their fifth Musicfest appearances. Juno award-winning Millbrook native Serena Ryder will open the season on Saturday, June 28, and Juno award-winning Sarnia native Kim Mitchell will close out the season Saturday, August 16.
Also performing this summer is Toronto-based U2 tribute band Acrobat on Saturday, August 2, Canadian Celtic rockers Mudmen with local fiddler Irish Millie on Wednesday, August 6, and the Irish trio The Celtic on Saturday, August 9. Musicfest will be announcing the remaining concerts in its summer lineup on Thursday, May 15.
For concert details and updates, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca.
