"Nudie Suits and bedazzled rhinestone and fringe."

August 8, 2019 2:11 PM

Meet Orville Peck, Country Music’s Anonymous Masked Musician. Songs from his 2019 debut album Pony include "Turn to Hate," "Hope to Die," "Big Sky," "Buffalo Run," and "Dead of Night." A recent live KEXP performance, and a live cover of Bobby Gentry's "Fancy" in Brooklyn and Vancouver. Orville Peck on his influences, which include Lavender Country (previously: The Saint of Dry Creek and Don't Sneak).
posted by mandolin conspiracy (12 comments total)

(Peck's fringe masks remind me of...) Don't hug me, I'm scared.
posted by Catblack at 2:39 PM on August 8, 2019 [3 favorites]

I couldn't put my finger on it, but then from the interview link:

...And then, I have like Hank Williams fans who are in their 80s — and they come with their wives and they tell me that I sing like Roy Orbison.

And yeah, he reminds me quite a bit of Orbison. Thanks for posting this.
posted by jquinby at 2:39 PM on August 8, 2019

Bless KEXP's weird eclectic musical selections. You really can hear it all on that station in one day. Turns out not being corporately owned is really great!
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 2:50 PM on August 8, 2019 [3 favorites]

I saw Orville Peck back in May at Barboza in Seattle, with Lavender Country as an opener to boot. Fantastic show by both acts. Patrick Haggerty, the founder and lead singer of Lavender Country was a hoot. He's a great storyteller and some of the anecdotes he shared of how he and folks he knew were treated by their families back when he was coming of age as a gay man in the 50's and 60's were incredibly eye opening. And unfortunately very sad at the same time. He mentioned how supportive his parents were (like letting him wear whatever he wanted wherever he wanted) versus men he knew getting thrown out of their parent's homes in the snow at Christmas for being gay.

Orville Peck has a fantastic voice and incredible stage presence. The gorgeous clothes and masks don't hurt either! He came out in one outfit to do a song with Lavender Country and then had a whole 'nother fantastic get up on for his set. The band he's touring with was cracking as well. If you get a chance to see them soon, I would suggest without reservation that you do so. Folks who have been to Barboza know that it's like seeing a show in your friends tiny basement (one article suggests a 200 person capacity) so I'm sure the next time he plays Seattle it'll be a much larger venue.

Great post!
posted by friendlyjuan at 2:52 PM on August 8, 2019 [4 favorites]

Thank you for sharing this. I'm still reeling from David Berman's passing, and this has been so great to listen to today. In addition to Roy Orbison, I hear a Calvin Johnson/Beat Happening influence. Too bad his SF show is sold out. I'll definitely have to catch him next time he comes around.
posted by montbrarian at 2:55 PM on August 8, 2019

That was great. It is interesting how quickly I went from being distracted by the mask to just really enjoying the music and not thinking about the mask at all. Great voice, interesting lyrics.
posted by agatha_magatha at 2:55 PM on August 8, 2019

His masks seem like junior versions of Magnhild Kennedy's work.
posted by dobbs at 3:38 PM on August 8, 2019 [2 favorites]

Just want to point out the eponyminity of "mandolin conspiracy" posting about a masked country music star...
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 3:55 PM on August 8, 2019

Mmmmm, yesss lots of Julee Cruise "Floating Into The Night" vibes and also Roy Orobison, and that's a good good thing. Thanks for sharing!
And thank you, dobbs, for the link to Magnhild Kennedy-- that is fabulous.
posted by twentyfeetof tacos at 4:22 PM on August 8, 2019 [1 favorite]

Friends from work had an extra ticket for that Brooklyn show back in April so I was lucky to go. I hadn't heard much of Peck up to that point but wow that was a good show. Unfortunately both of the upcoming dates this fall are sold out, otherwise I'd try to round up some people to go again.
posted by theory at 4:23 PM on August 8, 2019

h/t to Toronto Mefite peagood, who mentioned him to me at a meetup, sending me down a rabbit hole. I just managed to score tickets to his show in Toronto in December.

dobbs - those masks are really cool. Thanks.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:28 PM on August 8, 2019 [2 favorites]

I feel like there's also a soupçon of Chris Isaak and a dash of Stephin Merritt in there somewhere too.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:35 PM on August 8, 2019 [1 favorite]