I WOULD LIVE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS! A NIGHT IN DC WITH PETER MCPOLAND
BY EMMALEE SULLIVAN
Going into February 24th, I was feeling “Big Lucky,” it was finally the day of my Peter McPoland concert. I discovered Peter back in 2022 through a playlist that introduced me to the insane brilliance of “News at 9,” which immediately sent me running to every record store in Denver in search of his album Slow Down.
By the time I arrived at D.C.’s iconic 9:30 Club for doors at 7:00 p.m., the crowd had already flooded the floor and packed themselves as close to barricade as possible. It also took every ounce of restraint in my body not to buy merch immediately as it was easily some of the best tour merch I’ve seen at any recent show.
Right at 8:00 p.m., opener Dug took the stage, and I’d be lying if I said they didn’t create some of my favorite memories of the night. Looking like the love child of Hozier and Noah Kahan and wielding some wonderfully strange-looking guitars, the Irish band blended sharp humor with raw musical talent. Between songs, they cracked jokes, taught us Irish slang, and kept the room smiling for their entire 45-minute set.
One standout moment came during “The Promoter Man,” when the band invited the crowd to boo loudly at the industry frustrations the song pokes fun at, a cathartic release that the audience embraced wholeheartedly. They closed their set with a cheerful track that encouraged everyone to dance with a loved one, and suddenly the room shifted. Strangers paired up, spinning and laughing together without hesitation.
While I won’t get overly political, it was hard to ignore that elsewhere, the world felt heavy and tense. But inside the 9:30 Club, for that moment, we were unified in joy. Dug created a pocket of community that felt like a complete escape from everyday stress, peak comedy, peak warmth, and peak connection.
But then… Mr. Monkey Man himself was about to take the stage.
I had waited nearly four years to see Peter live, so hearing the final pre-show song, One Direction’s “Steal My Girl,” had my heart racing. When the lights dropped and an eerie orange glow filled the stage, Peter and his three bandmates emerged. Instead of immediately jumping into full instrumentation, they opened with an acoustic performance of “DEAD AIR,” layered with harmonies so stunning I almost shook hands with God himself.
I’ll admit it: I’m a fangirl at heart. Hearing “DEAD AIR” while photographing Peter from just feet away felt deeply emotional. It was surreal watching an artist whose career I’ve followed so closely grow in real time alongside my own journey into the music industry.
Yet Peter, much like Dug, can pivot from raw, chaotic vocals to full-on comedy in seconds, and if you’re a fan, you just get it. At one point he told a story about visiting the Lincoln Memorial and tossing a penny into the reflection pool, only to spiral into sadness thinking it might be the last penny he’d ever see. #RIPThePenny.
While shooting from upstairs later in the set, I spotted an opening in the pit just as the opening strings of “Blue” rang out. I sprinted downstairs immediately, it’s my favorite song, and I knew I needed to experience it from the pit.
Though the track leans semi-scream-heavy, Peter pours every ounce of himself into performing it live, amplifying the emotion tenfold. I haven’t cried at a show in a while, maybe from show fatigue, maybe from lack of performance intensity, but during the pre-chorus of “Blue,” I genuinely broke into tears. I instinctively recorded part of it, and I’ve already rewatched it countless times since. There’s something indescribably special about hearing a favorite song live for the first time… and honestly, I think I would’ve cried just as hard the eighth time around. That’s the power of Peter’s performance ability and emotional connection to his own music.
Later, Peter shared a story about a fan named Sarah who had been persistently DMing him asking for “Mold” to be added back to the setlist. He teased the story without naming the song, but the moment the opening keys hit, my jaw dropped. It felt especially full-circle since Peter released a live version of “Mold” from this very D.C. show on his Piglet Live album, a recording I listen to religiously.
Toward the end of the night, Peter delivered what can only be described as the rock hit of the century: “Digital Silence.” In the nation’s capital, the song’s fury felt particularly fitting. The pit erupted into moshing and unified screams of “THEY’RE GONNA EXECUTE THE MOTHER TO ELEVATE THE MAN,” channeling collective rage into something powerful and communal. It was another moment of unity, but this time, through anger rather than joy. Peter’s ability to shift emotional tones so drastically while keeping the audience completely engaged is what makes his live show so magnetic. Whether you knew his music beforehand or not, it’s impossible to leave without becoming a listener.
After the final song ended, it felt wrong to leave. The venue had somehow begun to feel like home. I’ve rarely encountered a crowd so dedicated yet so open. Fans lingered long after the show, chatting with one another and even hanging around the merch booth talking with Dug.
Reflecting on the night now, I have to admit I’m experiencing some severe post-concert depression, and honestly, the evidence is probably all over this review. Peter has this infectious energy that makes you want to scream every lyric with him one second and then have a deep conversation about something ridiculous the next. That’s the kind of energy no one wants to walk away from.
I’m excited to see what Peter does next (and yes, more Piggy content would be greatly appreciated. I am severely biased), but one thing is clear, his passion is still fully alive, and his fanbase is only growing stronger.
In the meantime, I’ll cope with the post-show sadness by booking a tattoo appointment for every lyric of “Blue” and patiently waiting to see Peter’s next move.
I truly felt “Big Lucky” to witness this show and I’m already counting down until the next one.
