Fans had been anticipating Sugar’s three-night sold-out run at Webster Hall in Manhattan from Saturday, May 2nd through Monday, May 4th since the shows were announced in October 2025. And the band, which is comprised of guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist/vocalist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis, did not disappoint, delivering an incendiary and very memorable show on Saturday, May 2nd, that made it difficult to believe that it had been 31 years since they last graced a concert stage. The show featured a generous selection of songs that included album tracks from Sugar’s two studio albums, 1992’s Copper Blue and 1994’s File Under: Easy Listening, their EP, 1993’s Beaster, and B-sides, as well as two new songs that were released around the time that the shows at Webster Hall and London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum were announced.
The evening’s festivities began at 7 p.m. with a DJ set by author Michael Azerrad. I arrived late to the venue, unfortunately, getting there shortly before Sugar’s set began, so I missed Azerrad’s set.
Sugar hit the stage right on time at 8:30 p.m. and the deafening roar from the crowd nearly drowned out the band’s walk-on song, The Beatles’ “She Said She Said.” They opened their set with ferocious versions of the first three songs on the Copper Blue album – “The Act We Act,” “A Good Idea” and “Changes.” All three songs had Mould bounding around the stage when he wasn’t required to be at the microphone and the rhythm section of Barbe and Travis were rock solid. The packed house of mostly Gen Xers were rocking out despite being shoulder to shoulder on the floor in front of the stage. And it was that way throughout the band’s 90-minute set, with the crowd members singing along, bopping in tune to the music and thrusting their fists in the air to emphasize each of the many exciting parts of the show.
There were so many highlights in the show. Mould’s searing guitar break in “After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere” drew big cheers from the crowd. The crowd sang along through the terrific version of “Hoover Dam.” Barbe did good lead-vocal work on “Where Diamonds Are Halos,” which led to another crowd singalong that turned to loud cheers as Mould flailed around during the song’s guitar break. The rock-infested power pop of “Your Favorite Thing” drew an ovation from the crowd. The two new songs – “House of Dead Memories” and “Long Live Love” – both received outstanding performances from the band that drew big cheers from the crowd. The explosive rocker “Titled” had the band firing on all cylinders and was greeted with a deafening roar from the crowd. Barbe told the story of how, on a trip to San Francisco during which he and Mould hung out, Mould pitched the idea of a Sugar reunion to him. A rip-roaring “JC Auto” served as the closing song of the main set and the crowd sang along in full voice throughout.
There was a concerning moment in the main set when Travis, who is 73 years old, fell off his kit during the otherwise outstanding performance of “Clownmaster.” Mould and Barbe both moved in front of Travis’ kit and continued to play for a bit and then stopped. Travis eventually got up and sat behind the kit again to continue the show. Fortunately, Travis was not seriously injured. During the time that Travis was being attended to by members of the band’s road crew, Barbe told the crowd that his children, who were too young to have seen Sugar perform in the 1990s, were at the show.
David Barbe (left) and Bob Mould of Sugar are pictured performing at Webster Hall in New York City on Saturday, May 2nd. (Photo Credit: John Curley)
The encore consisted of terrific performances of “Helpless,” “Gee Angel” and “If I Can’t Change Your Mind.” All great choices that were met with huge cheers from the packed house.
I last saw Sugar in 1992 and while the intense moshing and stage diving at that show were absent on Saturday night at Webster Hall, I can attest that the band have lost nothing off their fastball. They were outstanding, and it was a genuine pleasure and privilege to get to attend the show. Those readers that will be attending any of the shows on Sugar’s tour this year should prepare to be blown away. This is, without question, one of the must-see tours of 2026.
Sugar will be doing two shows at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum on May 23rd and May 24th. Those concerts will be followed by gigs in other parts of the U.K., Ireland and mainland Europe that run into mid-June. In August, September and October, they’ll be touring in the U.S. The band’s tour dates can be found on their official Website at https://sugarcopperblue.com/shows/.
Sugar are (left to right) David Barbe, Bob Mould and Malcolm Travis. (Photo Credit: Ryan Bakerink; courtesy of PR)
Sugar’s setlist on Saturday, May 2nd, at Webster Hall in New York City was as follows:
The Act We Act
A Good Idea
Changes
Company Book
After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere
In the Eyes of My Friends
Hoover Dam
Where Diamonds Are Halos
Running Out of Time
Gift
Your Favorite Thing
Clownmaster
Frustration
House of Dead Memories
Long Live Love
Panama City Motel
I Can’t Help You Anymore
Fortune Teller
Anyone
Tilted
JC Auto
Encore:
Helpless
Gee Angel
If I Can’t Change Your Mind
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