August Hall (San Francisco, CA)
10/30/23
At the halfway mark of the “Piggy” tour, Peter McPoland stopped at August Hall in San Francisco for a high-energy and dramatic Halloween’s-eve show. The crowd, in the spirit of the season, arrived bedecked in costumes inspired by Peter’s previous album artwork and visuals – which you know meant that the crowd was filled with pig ears. The anticipation was heightened as the first chords of “Mold,” the first track off Piggy, echoed through the venue. The venue was enveloped in an otherworldly atmosphere as Peter McPoland, adorned in a long white gown, halo headband, and angel wings, took the stage, replacing the pig statue on the stage as the center of attention.
As Peter delved into the alternative-indie and grunge influences of Piggy, the transformative power of his evolving sound unfolded. The stage, awash with purple-ish blue lighting, became a canvas for Peter’s sonic experimentation during “Mold” and during the second song, “Make It Stop.” These two tracks from Piggy showcased Peter’s ability to navigate the darker, more visceral terrain of his latest musical endeavor. Contrasting the first two songs, the stage lights brightened for his 2022 single, “Tonight,” an upbeat track that had everyone singing and jumping to. The first half of the set then continued mostly with earlier releases, a few from his 2022 E.P., Slow Down, and a couple singles interwoven with a couple more tracks from Piggy. The second half of the set was then almost entirely dedicated to Piggy, playing six songs from the album, including fan favorites “Blue” and “Turn Off The Noise.”
Throughout the entire show, Peter commanded the stand with an incredible amount of energy. Despite having a boot on his right foot, he walked back and forth on stage, jumping up and down on one foot, and otherwise putting his whole body into performing each song. At some point during the set, Peter explained where the boot had come from – a bad landing after jumping into the crowd at an earlier show. Concluding the story, he asked the crowd to help make up the energy he couldn’t display himself, and the crowd delivered by being active throughout the entire show. A couple of stripped-down moments, creating an intimate and vulnerable atmosphere, juxtaposed the electric intensity and unbridled energy of the majority of the set.
If it weren’t for Peter’s distinctive voice, Piggy might have sounded like it came from a completely different artist, as compared to his previous work. Peter, who is only 23, embraced the change that comes with growing up, putting out a body of work with a more grunge-infused sound that he is now more inclined towards, a departure from the folk-y pop sound of earlier work including that of “Romeo & Juliet” that brought him viral attention on TikTok. Despite his change in sound, it was clear his audience loved it all, reacting to every old and new song with the same amount of energy and enthusiasm. Peter seamlessly transitioned between tracks from his folk-pop past and the gritty landscapes of Piggy, the fusion of old and new created a dynamic performance.
That being said, there are, of course, standout tracks, all of which were packed into the last few songs of the set. The crowd’s energy only increased as the show reached these last few songs, the first of which was his 2021 single and fan favorite, “Shit Show.” Every single person in the room held their arms in the air, singing along with every word. Then came “Romeo & Juliet,” during which Peter came down from the stage to the barricade to get up and personal with the crowd. Finally, the show reached the last song of the night, “Digital Silence” from Piggy, which had also made its rounds on TikTok. As Peter held the pig statue that had been behind him the whole show high over his head, a triumphant conclusion to the night ensued.
