Orville Peck 06.11.2024 The Armory
Review By Jade Richelle | Photos by JESS BECK
Picture this:
It's Tuesday night, June 11, 2024. We find ourselves in the heart of downtown Minneapolis at arguably one of the best venues in town, The Armory. Orville Peck was about to headline, with a Minnesotan kicking off the show, and a SERIOUSLY fun soul artist in between. I didn't know how this was all going to go down, but I knew we were in for a ride.
And a ride we had. To be expected though, what with all the rhinestone and rainbow cowboy hats flooding the building. It was awesome, and the fact that it's Pride Month made it that much better. Honestly though, this is probably the most eclectic crowd I've ever seen at a show. We had rockabilly style, some legit rodeo cowboys, some small town folks in flip-flops, hes, shes, gays, theys, and…..me in my standard goth getup. I gotta say, one of the highlights was seeing all of these walks of life excited for the same thing for once. We've lost that lately, and…I should get off my soapbox.
ON WITH THE SHOW!
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
Debbii Dawson got the night rolling, and when I say her voice infiltrated every inch of that room, I mean she INFILTRATED. She comes out with her guitar and just starts playing. It took the crowd a minute to realize they should be paying attention, but as soon as she started singing, they knew. Debbii has this clear, beautiful, sweet, honest voice that you don't hear very often. I'm admittedly less familiar with her music than I should be, but I can 100% confirm that you need to hear her sing live. The 4 yes's on AGT make so much sense now. Wow.
She's also hilarious in an adorable sort of way. It's kinda not fair. Anyway, check her out. Her folky sound is perfect for a Sunday morning cup of coffee and kitty snuggles. Trust me.
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
Next up was Durand Jones, and he brought the soul, the funk, and the energy in spades. The crowd was going in an instant sway from when the band hit the stage; it was all seamless, the direct link of classic soul and modern R&B that had the audience dancing. Jones came out decked in a tailored suit, bedazzled velvet headpiece, and a saxophone. And he made that saxophone SANG. Jones kept the energy going through the whole set. His rich, soulful voice wrapped itself around hits like "See It Through" and "Lord Have Mercy" every note filled with emotion and intensity.
Orville Peck
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TIK TOK
And then, finally, the moment we'd all been waiting for: Orville Peck. The man himself, in all his masked cowboy glory, swaggered on stage and lit up the Armory. The deep baritone of Peck and his otherworldly presence set a tone that ranged with scale from intimacy to grandeur. He launched into "Big Sky," commanding everyone's attention instantly. From there, on the journey of blending country, punk, and goth, highlights such as "The Hurtin' Kind" and "C'mon Baby, Cry" gave us shivers.
It was not only the music but a whole theatrical experience. A time-passing nature came from Peck's enigmatic stage presence with the band's tightness that lent an eventful aura to each number. Taking time between songs to tell the audience little stories, he created a bond with the crowd that was personal and believable at the same time. When he finally whipped out the magnum hit "Dead of Night," the crowd was in a state of euphoric disbelief that they'd seen something so spectacular.
The night was packed full of such diversity, yet each act brought its flavor to the stage, coming together as a unified concert that could only be described as magical. The staff at the Armory get a great big shout-out for excellent organization and ensuring everybody had a good time. Ryan, you're my favorite security guard!
So here's to Debbii Dawson, Durand Jones, and Orville Peck for one hell of a head-exploding night and the fans that filled the Armory with that energy. Keep being awesome, keep wearing deodorant, and we'll catch you at the next one!
