🎡 K-Days Chaos: USS Turns the Midway into a Full-Blown Electro-Rock Revival

By Yuri Woodfall
Photojournalist, Western Canada – Soundcheck Entertainment

EDMONTON – July 20, 2025
Tonight at K-Days, the midway may have had the rides—but the real thrill came from USS launching a full-scale sonic carnival on the main stage. The duo—Ashley “Ash” Buchholz and Jason “Human Kebab” Parsons—delivered a high-octane, heart-on-sleeve set that was part reunion, part rave, and all-out celebration.

From the moment the punchy pulse of “Anti-Venom” hit, it was clear USS wasn’t easing into anything. The crowd—many who’d grown up with the band’s genre-bending catalogue—roared back in a chorus of energy. “We’re back, baby!” shouted Ash with a grin that could’ve powered the Ferris wheel behind him.

They tore into “Who’s With Me” without missing a beat, bodies bouncing and fists pumping in unison. “Freakquency” followed, drenched in laser lights and Human Kebab’s wild dance moves—complete with his trademark headstand on the turntables.

The mood shifted slightly with “Shipwreck,” a track that rode the line between introspection and sonic chaos. Ash’s voice cracked in all the right places, grounding the crowd just long enough before “Work Shoes” stomped back in with its rubbery bassline and shout-along chorus.

By the time “Laces Out” and “Hollow Point Sniper Hyperbole” dropped, it felt like the crowd had become part of the show—singing every word, jumping in sync, and absorbing every beat Human Kebab dished out. There was no room for passengers on this ship—only crew.

“Nepal” brought a haunting cool-down, ethereal and moody, before launching back into fan-favorite “Stationery Robbery.” Just before it began, Ash teased the chorus with an a cappella snippet, grinning as the crowd instantly caught on and sang it back to him like it was 2010 again.

That nostalgia carried over into “Pornostartrek,” a song that lives in the delightfully strange corner of USS’s discography. It was a psychedelic trip—and a dance party—wrapped into one.

Midway through, Ash slowed things down again for “Us,” a tender moment that reminded everyone why this band mattered so much to so many. Phones lit the night sky like a thousand tiny lighthouses.

And then? Full throttle again.

“Alien” was crunchy and loud, followed by “Yo Hello Hooray (Everyday),” which was a declaration. The whole festival grounds felt like they were vibrating from joy, and when they launched into “This Is the Best” (with their drum tech jumping in to hammer the skins), it felt like the title was a mission statement.

By the time “Yin Yang” rolled around, the crowd was a puddle of joy, nostalgia, and sweat. Everyone knew what time it was—but they weren’t ready to say goodbye.

After a short pause, USS came back out for a two-song encore that packed an emotional gut punch. “Hydrogenuine” was deep, a love song in disguise, while “Damini” was the perfect closer—equal parts groove and gratitude.

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Final Verdict:

• 🔥 Stage Energy: High voltage and deeply human
• 🎤 Crowd Engagement: U-S-S chants could be heard in Nisku
• 🎶 Setlist Flow: Like the best playlist you forgot you made
• 🧠 Emotional Punch: Hit you in the nostalgia gland
• 🍁 Canadian Vibes: Pure hometown heroes

Whether this is truly their last dance or just another chapter in USS’s beautifully unpredictable story, they gave Edmonton a night that felt like a gift. It wasn’t just a performance—it was a reminder that music, at its best, brings us together in joyful defiance of everything else.

This is the best? Yeah. It really was.