Poppy’s “Constantly Nowhere” tour hits Philadelphia
BY CHELSEA VAUGHAN
Poppy as an artist can be described in numerous ways. Some people primarily know her from her metal music, with hits like “new way out”, “the cost of giving up,” and even collaborating with artists such as Knocked Loose, Bad Omens, and Evanescence/Spiritbox. Other people (me being an example) also know her from her pop YouTube era in 2016. Poppy has done a lot over the years, and especially in recent time, evolving throughout the metal/alternative genre; and her latest album “Empty Hands” is no exception. She announced her “Constantly Nowhere” tour back in February, with Philadelphia being the second stop of the tour.
I feel like I should add for context that I have seen Poppy live before, twice actually. The first time I saw her was at Theatre of Living Arts back in 2022, for her “Never Find My Place” tour where she promoted her alternative album “Flux” (also my personal favorite album by her). I then saw her a second time just over a year ago at The Fillmore, shortly after her release of “negative spaces.” I’m not gonna lie, her performance was incredible both times, however I did not realize how much her fanbase had grown until I had numerous crowdsurfers over my head the second time I saw her. I was not as prepared for the mosh pits/large amount of crowdsurfers (I counted, she had 13 crowdsurfers in one song!). But, this time around, I knew I was going into a lively crowd, so I watched the first portion of the show from the bar on the side of the venue.
I would also like to note that this was the first show that I was testing out Plug & Play earplugs; concert earplugs that protect your hearing while simultaneously adding style to your look. I found out about them two weeks prior from a separate concert and figured this was the perfect show to test them out. Spoiler alert: they were comfortable, they protected my ears well, and they looked super cute! More info on Plug & Play can be found on their website here.
The first opener of the night was Thousand Below, a post-hardcore band from the west coast (specifically San Diego, California). They opened with their hit “Kerosene,” and the crowd was immediately attached to them. Coming from someone who has seen Poppy live multiple times, she never fails when it comes to picking her opening acts. Thousand Below kept great energy throughout their set, and also reminded me a little bit of Linkin Park when it came to their style (specifically Meteora-era Linkin Park). I also noticed a mosh pit from afar as soon as their set started, which meant the night was off to a great start.
Next on the bill was Landmvrks, traveling all the way from France! This was my first time hearing of the band, however the audience clearly came prepared, as they knew every word to every song. They led the crowd through their heavy growls with hits like “Sulfur” & “Self-Made Black Hole.” They also earned the first crowdsurfer of the night!
Shortly after, it was time for Poppy to take the stage. First of all, I was obsessed with the stage design for this show; Poppy started out on a tall ledge with her opening song “have you had enough?” and hooked the crowd in immediately.
Poppy knows how to control a crowd with ease. She called for a circle pit during her 2019 single “Concrete,” and the crowd exceeded expectations (not just with this song, but throughout the entire night). She went back and forth between new singles and old classics, ranging from “Bruised Sky” to “Scary Mask” (which never gets old no matter how many times you hear it live). It was also nice to hear older songs get a chance at the setlist; “negative spaces” (title track) & “halo” were two songs off of her previous album [“negative spaces”] that did not make it to last year’s setlist, but made the cut this time around.
At this point, I was curious: watching the mosh pit from the side of the venue is one thing, however, I have not yet moshed to a Poppy song, which I feel like is a crime in itself. The first time I saw her live I was way too anxious to even think about moshing (plus I don’t even think there was one), and the second time around I wasn’t expecting it. This time I was prepared with comfy shoes and a confident mindset, so I went to explore the mosh pit for a few songs, starting with Poppy’s heaviest song on the setlist, “the center’s falling out.”
I feel like Poppy’s audience earned some major points for pit etiquette. As much fun as they were having throwing each other around, spinning each other, and pushing each other whilst screaming “Let me take you back to where you’re from,” the pit would freeze as soon as someone fell, as soon as an item was lost, and as soon as somebody wanted to leave. Obviously mosh pit etiquette is to be expected, however this audience earned a gold star in moshing with respect for the people around them. People also used “Time Will Tell” to just take turns doing the worm, which was such a fun way for others to take a breather.
As soon as the intro to “V.A.N.” started, the crowd went insane, and the mosh pit turned into pure chaos in the best way possible. Obviously pit etiquette was still there, however the crowd got rougher. As Poppy states later in her set, “When our energy combines, we are one big ball.” She then concluded her show with an encore of two songs, “halo” (as mentioned earlier, where everyone put their flashlights up), & “new way out” where confetti rained upon the crowd. In the blink of an eye, the show was over, and as much as everybody wanted to stay, it was time to go home.
Poppy is an amazing example of evolution throughout artistry, and coming from someone who has been a fan of her for 10 years now (and has seen her live 3 times, officially making her the artist I have seen live the most), it’s truly amazing how much of a show she puts on every time, as well as how much she has grown confident in her work throughout the years. If you ever get the chance to see Poppy live, I highly suggest you take it; even if you don’t know her music, you will not be disappointed.
To keep up with Poppy’s tour, check out her Instagram here.
