Orville Peck Brings The Rodeo to Denver
Halloween may be over, but not for the cowboy-doting crowd at Mission Ballroom in Denver that dressed to the nines in flamboyant western flair, ready to feast their eyes (and ears) on the formerly anonymous, yet still masked, Orville Peck.
On Sunday, Nov. 1, Peck made his third stop on his Man Turned Mule tour. Supporting the release of his September album Mule, Peck brought a story of blues, grief and resilience, and a set to accompany a true western feel.
Photo by: Samantha Hovsepian
Opening the show and rallying the sea of cowboy hats and chaps was up-and-coming “kaleidoscope country” princess, Abbie Callahan. Callahan’s blend of americana, folk and pop shine through her music; Her short but blossoming performance consisted of songs such as “Half woman, Half Cosmic Horror”, “Simon Says” and my personal favorite, “Drag, Queen”, which is intended to be a literal drag on the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act that heavily restricts drag and cabaret performances in the state of Tennessee (Bill Lee can suck it).
Photo by: Samantha Hovsepian
After a darling set from Callahan, our South African, rhinestone cowboy graced the stage. Before strapping on his guitar, Peck made his way to every band member to hold them in a warm embrace. The set design was procured in 20th century western fashion, looking like a scene straight out of Tombstone with a quaint bar set-up and a perfectly placed portrait of Dolly Parton in the background. Peck began the evening with a spartan black mask, bomber jacket and baseball hat get-up but as the night carried on, he returned to his familiar look of a cowboy hat and long tassel-masquerade mask.
Peck opened the show with “Big Ol’ House” from Mule; With lyrics like, “Drink all night and start a fight”, and “Big ol’ house and it’s full of ghosts I used to know”, one didn't expect to be welling up in the first half of the night. Peck went into detail about how this album is a tale of adversity and redemption, speaking candidly about his battle with addiction and his breakthrough with sobriety. After the release of Bronco in 2022, he describes his devolution and downward spiral that ultimately landed him in rehab the following year, but on this very day he celebrates three years of being sober.
Photo by: Samantha Hovsepian
After some rather “sad songs” as Peck illustrates, he pivots to some fast-paced, stompin’ tunes like "Lafayette" which he stated is about, “being in love with two straight men who happen to be from two separate cities with the same name” (hence “Lafayette”), and a duet of “Legends Never Die” by Willie Nelson that he performed with his long-time friend and bandmate Emily Rose Epstein, whom he says has been with him even through “twink death”.
Before putting the show to rest with “Bronco”, Peck and the band performed “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret and you could tell that every theater kid in the crowd felt a little closer to God (Liza Minelli) at that moment.
Galloping back on stage for a two song encore, the band performed “Dead of Night” from Pony and sent the crowd home with “Too Little, Too Late”.
Photo by: Samantha Hovsepian
Orville Peck showcased quintessential vulnerability, stoicism and activism throughout the night, and Denver is feeling obliged and ardent for when our masked stallion will return to our mid-west city.
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Photos by: Samantha Hovsepian
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