Orville Peck rode on into Dublin last night, kicking off his massive European tour with a sold-out gig at The Grand Social. He and his bandmates took to the stage decked out in authentic Western garb, transforming the unassuming dive-bar venue into a hell-raisin’ saloon.

Peck started turning heads only a few months ago thanks to his fiercely original debut record Pony, so the crowd knew exactly what they were in for. After starting things off with an explosive rendition of ‘Big Sky’ and ‘Winds Change’ the enigmatic cowboy addressed the crowd, ‘Hello. My name is Orville Peck.’ He continued, ‘I’ve never been to Ireland, and we’re so happy to be here.’ The band then went right back to rifling through Pony’s numerous hits. Armed with three guitarists on stage, they were able to breathe a new and exciting life into the songs.

Before playing fan-favorite ‘Queen of the Rodeo,’ peck explained the song’s origin. ‘I wrote this song about a drag queen from Canada,’ he then asked the crowd, ‘How many of you have been to a drag show?’ The uproar of a response was a reminder that an Orville Peck gig is more than a performance, it’s also a queer safe space. Orville then declared, ‘Drag is the last subversive art form. This city has some of the best in the world, so you have no excuse.’ On a number of occasions instead of having an opening band, Peck has had a drag queen perform.

From start to finish Orville was full of energy. Feeding off of his bandmates, he busted out dance moves and performed with the utmost charisma. The set featured tight performances all around, beautiful harmonies, and of course that therapeutic country guitar twang. Another highlight included a root and tootin’ cover of Graham Parsons’ ‘Ooh Las Vegas.’

Finishing off the night with a one-two punch, Peck played his breakout anthem ‘Dead of Night’ and the riotous ‘Take You Back.’ His iconic croon was more raw live, and the more upbeat songs took on a new aggression. The crowd appropriately responded by singing along and breaking out into dance.

Orville Peck is certainly an artist to watch, and his live show proves that any hype that's come his way is justified. He’s a true original carving out a space of his own. To sum it up succinctly, I'll quote the attendee next to me as she walked out, 'Now that's class.'