It’s been three weeks since the PopCanon reunion show at Loosey’s, and I haven’t written anything about it because it doesn’t quite feel finished yet.
Don and Alyson couldn’t make it, so it was an old-school guitar rock show, the way we started out. However, we did a lot of songs that we have before this NEVER performed without the horn section. Ned covered some horn parts on guitar, but mainly we just turned up the guitar noise.
The show started with a short set by Pechoa, the latest project from our old friend Samantha Jones. It’s always a pleasure to see Sam play, and this new band did not disappoint. I have always admired Sam. She’s been in a million bands, but she never repeats herself, never looks back. She just keeps moving like a shark.
Then our brothers in rock Squeaky took the stage, cranking out all the noise rock hits. From the first notes of “Number One for Takeoff,” I was jumping up and down like I was 30 years younger. Squeaky has a few obvious influences (Sonic Youth, Helmet, Superchunk), but they don’t sound like anybody else. Harry Monkhorst’s vocals always punch you right in the face. At the same time, there’s incredible poetry and vulnerability in the lyrics. They will always be my favorite Gainesville band, and one of my favorite bands ever.
We took the stage with the most recent edit of the PopCanon fight song. The 2026 lyrics:
PopCanon Fight Song 2026
Hi there, we’re PopCanon
We’re getting too fucking old for this
Though we still spell our name
P-O-P-C-A-N-O-N
Man, we love to rock
Sometimes, somewhere, some of us might be there
We like to play long
And then we hibernate
Mike – he has low B
Ned plays flat 5, gotta keep himself alive
Dave likes to make noise
Robby’s a nice guy — Robby’s gonna cry — Robby cannot fly — Robby’s probably high (Rob, *are* you high?)
And we’re sad to say the horn section won’t play
Alyson’s in Illinois, lawyering and being coy
Donny’s up in Canaday, unable to get away … eh?
M. David Hornbuckle 
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