The crowd was country, queer and everyone in-between and outside. Neon cowboy hats, KN-95s and fringed masks, folks with crop tops, pearl snaps adorned with rainbow embroidery and a large pink hat described as “The Kentucky Derby on acid” flooded the downstairs stage and upstairs balcony Tuesday night for Orville Peck’s Houston takeover.
Preceded by his bandmates in matching colors, Peck strutted onto the stage in a red and black long fringe mask, red and white shirt fit for a dance hall, black pants and a black cowboy hat gleaming with a rose pattern on the underside.
Strumming the intro to “Daytona Sand”, the masked frontman took hold a gold microphone as the hum of the crowd joined the band in singing songs from his 2022 release and tour’s namesake, “Bronco”, along with hits off earlier albums before taking a break to banter with his eclectic crowd.
“It’s fun to be back here in Houston. Last time we were here we had a really good show right here [at White Oak Music Hall] and then we hung out on the weird tower out there…” he chuckled at the thought. “We love playing in Texas, thanks for having us back!” The booming voice then dedicated “The Curse of the Blackened Eye” to anyone who had ever been mistreated, a running theme in his music.
The wooden ceilings of the indoor stage made Peck’s already captivating voice even more vibrant and powerful, even through the energetic dance moves he shared onstage with his fellow string players. Proving to be a performer for the people, Peck bowed out for a moment to let the crowd belt the intro to “C’mon Baby, Cry”’s intro, which received an applause of “I love you” before the song’s end.
Not often enough does a man in a cowboy hat give you the advice of “If you haven’t been to a drag show, get your butt to a drag show”, and follow it up with “and make sure you…support your local drag queens- and make sure you tip them in money, not compliments.” Peck then turned back to ask guitarist Duncan Hay Jennings, presumably with a raised eyebrow and asked, “Cause you don’t want a drag queen mad at you, right Duncan?” Jennings sheepishly gave one of the black microphones a quick “yup”, before picking intros to soon-to-be country classics about drag queens and rodeos and truckers and love.
Before starting the self-described chaos of the band’s own take on a patter song, “Any Turn”, Peck sought out a deal with the audience that if he saw anyone sing all the lyrics perfectly, they’d get a gift. Though none were perfect, two received honorable mentions in the form of long stem roses.
Showcasing the equally full and powerful voice of fellow guitarist Bria Salmena, who can be heard singing on the “Bronco” album, Peck and his other two string players stood off to the side while she began the words to “All I Can Say”. Couples in the crowd in matching fringe held each other and swayed and by the end of the song even Peck and Salmena couldn’t help but embrace on stage after the captivating performance together.
What Peck lacks in visible facial expression (except for an occasional view of his mouth when he drinks a stage-beer) he makes up for in his musical hand gestures which mimic the emotion of his voice. Even when strumming his accoustic guitars along to slow burns like “Outta Time” or switching to a hollow body for more upbeat songs, there’s a natural yet intentional bounce to his movement. Peck first finds with fans through prerecorded songwriting about vulnerability and heartbreak in men but has no problem continuing the connection live as a charismatic cowboy at a cathartic rodeo.
Expanding the mellow but empowered atmosphere, Jennings traded in his guitar for a banjo part in “Hexie Mountains” and more off the new album before turning the crowd back up with “Legends Never Die”. Originally performed with country icon Shania Twain, Salmena filled the role and at times could have passed as Twain to some of the shorter concertgoers. Peck and Salmena’s voice shared command over the room while finishing each others’s lyrical phrases as if they were one person with two voices. She later proved her talents further by taking to keyboard later in the set.
It only took the first few notes for the crowd to let the band know “Dead of Night”, listed as his most played song on Spotify, was also the most anticipated song of the night. Peck conducted the crowd with his hands as they grew louder with the band while the frontman hit the long note of the chorus with ease,
“See~
See the boys as they walk on by”
The official show ended with the new tour’s namesake, “Bronco” which pulled the audience out of their earlier euphoric state and up dancing in what space they could find amongst the crowd of 1,400. Folks took the last opportunity to get snapchats and snapshots before the band left the stage, but not before Peck signed a cowboy hat and listened to the crowd chant for the band one more time.
Returning for the encore with everything except his red pearl-snap, the still-masked frontman addressed the first timers, letting them know that after hearing this next song they would become official-card-carrying-members of the Orville Peck Gang for life- but only if they participated via whistle, dance or breathing. With a perfect strum and whistle, the band and crowd stomped, clapped and hollered themselves into White Oak Dance Hall. Halfway through the song Peck gave everyone a quick breather to introduce his crew who soloed before finally leaving the crowd with a Houston-sized “Yea-haw.”
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