SACRAMENTO, CA | Orville Peck has finally hit the road, kicking off the opening night of the “Man Turned Mule Tour” in support of his month-old release, Mule, with a sold-out show at Sacramento’s Channel 24.
Sacramento hasn’t seen Orville in a while—not only because he was recording a new album, but because he’s been busy with roles on Broadway in Cabaret as well as acting as “Vega” in the new Street Fighter film. So unsurprisingly, the line to get ahead of 7 p.m. doors literally wrapped around the venue in anticipation of his return to Sactown.
Abbie Callahan kicked off the evening with a 30-minute set of country pop that got the crowd bopping and singing along mid-set to a cover of ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” You can see why Abbie caught Orville’s attention with an online listen to her song “OptriMYSTIC” and progressive subject matter, only to offer her the opening slot 2 days later.
Once Abbie and her band’s equipment was cleared, the stage was fully revealed. Undoubtedly inspired by his time on Broadway, the space was set up as a honkytonk with a bar and jukebox to one side, a foosball table and upright piano to the other side, and sprinkled with plenty of bric-a-brac and Easter eggs that long-time fans would appreciate. And when the “Orville Peck” sign suspended at the rear of the stage was eventually illuminated, the packed house lost its collective mind.
With the stage lights still dimmed, Peck’s band members stepped up to the bar and poured a quick drink before Peck joined them on stage with a few hugs before strapping on his signature Gretsch guitar and launching into “Big Ol’ House” from Mule. More appropriate for the saloon backdrop than his traditional nudie suits, the masked singer eschewed his cowboy hat and chin fringe for a baseball cap and trucker jacket (that quickly came off, much to the crowd’s delight).
The jukebox on the right side of the stage played an unexpected role during the show, with band members taking turns throughout the night to insert a quarter and queue up musical interludes that gave the band a chance to tune up and rearrange themselves on stage.
While Orville could have easily stacked the setlist with songs from the new album, he decided rather to mix things up with a career-spanning set that even included “Maybe This Time,” a cover from Cabaret. While addressing the theme of Mule and his recovery during “Rehab Blues,” Peck promised to bring back songs they haven’t played in years before busting into “Legends Never Die” with guitarist Emily Rose on vocals, his first duet, which was originally performed with Shania Twain.
Emily Rose’s turn at the jukebox gave the band a chance to rearrange the chairs on stage into a bluegrass circle for a special moment that had Orville quipping, “I hope you like mountains,” before playing “Hexie Mountains” and “My Side of the Mountain” back-to-back. Even if they didn’t like mountains, the crowd sure did like songs about them.
“You’re an Asshole, I Can’t Stand You (and I Want a Divorce)” saw the return to the stage of Abbie Callahan with a knock on the fake stage door, giving Peck the opportunity to gush over the young singer and tell the crowd in his own words how he found her online.
As the evening progressed, Peck’s crew aided in some outfit upgrades—first the ballcap was replaced with a cowboy hat, then a vest (matching his pants) and kerchief were added, and each time the crowd erupted in cheers. For the encore of “Dead of Night” and “Too Little, Too Late,” Orville finally donned his signature fringed mask, much to Sacramento’s delight.
4 ½ years since last playing Sacramento, the city welcomed Orville Peck with arms wide open. The fact that it was the tour opener made the 1-hour and 45-minute career-spanning set even more special for the fans, many of whom dressed to the nines for the occasion (including a 2-time winner of the “Queen of the Rodeo” award for best dressed at Orville Peck’s Rodeo). If opening night was any indication, the “Man Turned Mule Tour” is bound to be a wild, unforgettable ride.
ABBIE CALLAHAN
