There are gigs that are great to go to, and you know you will have a nice time – and there are gigs that you know will become core life memories because not only the artist means so much to you, but you also feel it in your bones that they won’t let you down. This was the feeling I had as I was entering Roundhouse on a balmy late June Monday, giddy with excitement. I won’t forget the day Orville Peck came into my life – and it was as if he arrived with a U-Haul and instantly furnished a room in my heart. I remember hearing the name, but not paying attention, and then in January 2020 he went on Jimmy Kimmel to perform ‘Dead of Night’ – and I was gone, hook, line and sinker. By the end of that year I was so hooked on his debut Pony that I ended up in his top 0.6% Spotify listeners. Sometimes you can’t explain why certain music just starts to flow through your veins – but suddenly there was this queer Lone Ranger opening country music to a different audience and Pony was also so incredibly goth, and all those pieces just clicked for me.
Sadly, for reasons outside of anyone’s control, it took me six and a half years to see Orville Peck live in the UK – my obsession onset was half a year too late to catch his early UK performances – so despite Roundhouse being one of my favourite venues, one that I start to know like the back of my hand, it felt monumental.
And then he came on stage with his signature 9inch fringe on his iconic Lone Ranger mask, his sparkling Gretsch and that unmistakable goth Elvis voice, opened with ‘Turn To Hate’ – and I melted away in an instant. But I was surrounded by like minded souls who instantly started to sing along, and so did I. And the like minded souls deserve recognition: yes, there were many a cowboy hat, but we had a full wrestling mask, we had cowboy boots worn out with stories – it didn’t feel like dress up, it felt like giving ourselves permission to be that version of ourselves that night.
After a string of songs, Orville Peck opened up to say that ‘Bronco’, his second album (and another one that marked a very specific time in my life), was the first time that he decided to open up about mental health, depression and anxiety – which still affect him day to day – which got him a huge cheer from the crowd, because his struggles resonated. He remarked how he became addicted to the cathartic feeling and decided to push himself, but also embrace himself – and hearing him speak about that added another piece to the puzzle of why I related to him so much. ‘Hexie Mountains’ beautifully followed.
He later mentioned how he used to live in London, shared an anecdote about a guy who ghosted him (“His address is… just kidding!”) – and the song he wrote about it became his favourite song to play. ‘Blush’ beautifully followed and added another piece of the puzzle. His parents were in the audience and he spoke about living where you’re not from. “London has been one of my homes. If you live here and you’re not from here – this one is for you” – and another piece of my puzzle clicked into place. He also dedicated ‘Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other’, his duet with Willy Nelson from Appaloosa, to the queer community: “It’s Pride and I like Pride because I’m gay and I like to talk about that a lot. If you’re not a part of the community, then you can leave” – he joked. No one left, because we all felt safe and seen. And the final piece of the puzzle clicked.
Of course, I heard a bunch of songs I love. ‘Dead Of Night’ and ‘Daytona Sand’ before the encore were sublime. Hearing Orville Peck speak about how much Bronco meant to him artistically, how it emboldened him as a songwriter when it comes to topics close to his heart – it gave gravitas to the titular song closing the night. And I left clutching my copy of Bronco (and a ‘Cowboys are secretly frequently fond of each other’ t-shirt) feeling like I not only got to know an artist I treasured better that night – I felt I got to know myself and left feeling whole. Orville Peck gave us space to belong. And that’s something that’s so rare, it has to be protected at all costs. He also promised he won’t leave it as long as 7 years before his next UK visit and I will (somehow, no one knows how) hold him to that.
Opening for Orville Peck was Canadian-born Londoner Tallulah Argue, who slotted in perfectly – her brand of country is tinted with a hint of sleaze and a sharp sense of humour when it comes to the world of modern dating. While announcing her breakout song ‘Narcissist’, she made sure we knew she herself was “not a narcissist – I’m just affected by late stage capitalism” – which made me instantly relate. She also celebrated Pride with the audience, as her band “is pretty queer!” – and made for the perfect opener. She also announced her next London gig – September 16th at Next Door Records – and if you like country and you’ve been waiting to support a Londoner making country music on your doorstep – do not miss that one.
Orville Peck
Set 1
- Waterloo Sunset
- Turn to Hate
- C’mon Baby, Cry
- Conquer the Heart
- No Glory in the West
- The Curse of the Blackened Eye
- Lafayette
- Hexie Mountains
- Atchafalaya
- Any Turn
- Blush
- Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other
- Drift Away
- Outta Time
- Kalahari Down
- Too Little, Too Late
- Dead of Night
- Daytona Sand
Encore
- Let Me Drown
- Bronco