State Champs Return to Manila for a Night of Nonstop Pop Punk

If there’s one thing State Champs proved last Friday April 11, 2025, it’s that Manila knows how to party with pop-punk royalty. The band returned to the Philippines and gave fans exactly what they came for a solid, high-energy set packed with pop-punk favourites and new tracks.

As the lights dimmed at the venue, the opening instrumental thundered through the speakers, setting the tone for what would be a high-energy, no-holds-barred show. Cheers erupted as the band members stepped on stage one by one, greeted by fans ready to jump, scream, and mosh through the night.

The show opened with ‘Silver Cloud’ from their latest self-titled album. Despite being a relatively new track, the crowd responded like it was a classic — proof that State Champs’ new material hits just as hard as their earlier releases.

There was no slowing down from there. ‘Losing Myself’ brought more energy to the floor, while longtime fan favorite ‘Mine Is Gold’ turned into a full-blown singalong, the entire venue shouting “Your heart is black and mine is gold!” with full pop-punk passion.

By the time ‘Outta My Head’ from Kings of the New Age hit, fans bounced along from wherever they stood. Frontman Derek DiScanio stated, “We had to come back to Manila for every single one of you guys tonight,” and with the medley of ‘Perfect Score’, ‘Frozen’, and ‘Fake It’, he absolutely delivered.

Guitarist Tyler Szalkowski and bassist Ryan Scott Graham didn’t miss a beat, jumping across the stage while drummer Evan Ambrosio held down the rhythm with force and finesse. The synergy between the band and crowd was electric not a single lull across the massive song setlist.

When ‘Elevated’ came on, dedicated to fans who had been with them from the beginning, the room echoed with every lyric. It was one of the night’s most emotional moments — a reminder of just how far State Champs have come, and how deeply they’ve connected with their fans along the way.

For the encore, “Everybody But You” brought the crowd back to full energy. The final track, “Secrets”, turned into a full-venue singalong, with fans belting the lyrics louder than the band itself. The night ended on a bittersweet note with the crowd echoing, “But it’s too late for me, now I’m as good as gone.”

The show wrapped with a wave from the band and a final track playing over the speakers. Fans left the venue smiling, many still singing the last lines as they stepped outside.

This event is brought to you by PULP Live World