The Night Sum 41 Singer Took a Boot to the Head in Portland, Maine, and Still Has the Scar to Prove It 

The date was June 2, 2001. Canadian pop-punkers Sum 41 had just dropped their debut album All Killer, No Filler, and they had a bonafide banger on their hands with “Fat Lip.” Released that April, the song was tearing up the alternative rock charts—just in time to give their live shows some extra fire. It would eventually hit #1 in August, but in early June, they were still very much on the grind… including a sweaty stop in Portland, Maine.

Back then, The Asylum (now Aura) was the club for up-and-coming bands. Sum 41 was one of the many future stars to come through, and that night 24 years ago? Chaos in all the right ways. There are a few things I remember from that night: The place was absolutely packed, the crowd was wild, and at one point, a crowd surfer accidentally kicked frontman Deryck Whibley in the head. I remember seeing it and going, “Woah!”—because yeah, it looked like it hurt. Following the incident, Deryck powered through. No stage-diving concussion was gonna stop that train.

Less than a year later, the band was back in Maine, this time leveling up to the State Theatre. I got the chance to interview Deryck that day and had to ask about the infamous kick-to-the-skull. He didn’t just remember it—he pointed to a spot above his right eye and said, “You see this scar? It’s from that night!” And the way he said it? Total rock ‘n’ roll pride. Like, “Yeah, man, I bled in battle.” Classic.

It's not a super prominent part of his face by any means, but it is visible.

Sum 41 ended up playing in Portland a total of six times. Will that be the final tally? Hard to say. Their farewell tour wrapped up in Canada this past January with a monster 29-song setlist… but let’s be real—we’ve all heard the “farewell tour” line before. Sometimes it’s the end, and sometimes it’s just an intermission. Either way, we have the memories and Deryk, proudly, I imagine, carries a little piece of Portland on his head everyday.