Landon Laney, Stephen Dawes, and Peter McPoland: the perfect trio you didn't know you needed. Peter McPoland’s third tour has just wrapped up as his debut album Piggy was released August 11th, 2023. This was his first tour since he joined Twenty One Pilots as an opener for The Icy Tour. Piggy explores a deeper rock and roll/alternative sound than the music he has put out in the past, allowing him to fully embrace this new style and bring these songs to life on tour.

Performing at the House Of Blues, Houston is an important feat for the 23-year-old artist, as it is 30 minutes from his hometown in The Woodlands, Texas. That being said, a lot of Peter's friends and family were supporting him in the audience, and on stage. Landon Laney is Peter's high school best friend, who also happened to be in Peter's first band, “Peter McPoland & The Haps,” with him.
Starting the night at 7:30pm, Landon brought a calm demeanor over the crowd, performing three original songs. He kept it simple with blue jeans and a navy sweater to match his blue electric guitar.

Following Landon was Stephen Dawes at 8:00pm. Stephen hit the ground running, opening with “Lucy” from his debut EP titled, The Day We Met. Stephen brought a smile to everyone's face with his charismatic stage presence and high-energy songs. He played his guitar for a few songs and spent the rest of the time singing and dancing alongside his band members. Covering “Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry towards the end of the set, Stephen took a pop hit and made it his own by toning it down into a more dreamy song that got everyone singing along.

By 9:00pm, the lights dimmed, the bass kicked in, and the boot stepped out onto the stage. Within the opening song “Mold,” Peter McPoland was seen hopping around the stage, one foot in the air wearing a bedazzled boot. On his sixth show of the tour, Peter broke his fifth metatarsal after jumping into the pit during his song “Turn Off The Noise”. This was far from a setback. Peter immediately embraced his boot and didn't let it slow him down.
Peter kept the energy from the start, leading with his songs “Make It Stop”, “Tonight”, and “I Need You”. Taking a breather from these high energy songs, he played “String Lights", “Dead Air", "Eloise", and an unreleased song “My Baby (Won’t Mess Around)” on his guitar in front of the mic. Even though he played these songs attached to his guitar, this didn't stop his high intensity energy from reaching the audience.
Soaking in his hometown show, Peter invited Landon back to the stage to sing “Fare Thee Well” by Oscar Isaac and Marcus Mumford. The two shared one mic as they gave a raw acoustic performance, living out their childhood dreams together.

He then picked it back up to speed with “Were You There?,” “Slow Down,” and “Blue.”
Effortlessly switching guitars, Peter made
an exhilarating transition between “Slow Down” and “Blue” without missing a beat. He then went on to explain that he wrote his next song “Saint Peter” about his love for “Find Me Out,” the song that follows. He used to play “Find Me Out” with his old band and wanted to still be able to play a fraction of what his band used to, claiming “It's my favorite Peter McPoland song.”
For the rest of the set, Peter did not take a break, singing some of his fan favorites back to back. The fans understood the expectations of a Peter McPoland show, starting his song “Dog” with a crowd full of barking. Peter fueled the crowd by barking back and screaming the lyrics as he shredded on his electric. During the bridge, two of the strings on his guitar broke under his fingers, and blood flowed from his fingertips. Without hesitation he dove head first into the next song “Ceiling Fan/Piggy” followed by “Turn Off The Noise”.
Being the song Peter broke his foot in, “Turn Off The Noise” is debatably the most hardcore song on the set. Going into it he hyped up the crowd by saying; “Don't make it a good night, don't make it a great night, If you so chose, Houston, make tonight the first fucking night of the rest of your fucking life!”
He led the crowd in moshing together as the lights strobed over him on the stage. The energy was at its peak as he closed out the last four songs, “I Want You”, “Shit Show”, “Romeo & Juliet”, and “Digital Silence” In the midst of sweat, coarse voices, and emotion, Peter paused during the bridge of “Shit Show” for a moment of appreciation. Through heavy breaths, he said:
“When I started playing the guitar when I was 14, this is all that I could have ever imagined, that I could want. And for every single night of this entire tour, I’ve been so fucking grateful. And I love every single one of you. And I'm not going anywhere, as long as you keep listening, I'll keep singing.”

During his heartwarming song, “Romeo and Juliet,” the song that truly started his career, a couple in the pit got engaged. Peter celebrated them by dedicating his last song “Digital Silence” to them, and saying “You go home and you tell your friends
that's what happens at the Peter McPoland show.”
Peter put everything he had into Digital Silence, concluding the show with strobe lights, showering water into the crowd, lifting his piggy prop into the air, and curtseying before the crowd.
Peter McPoland is hands down one of the most passionate, driven, and caring breakthrough artists of our generation. While the Piggy tour has come to an end, it would be an understatement to say you’re missing out if you don't stream his music and follow him on his social media platforms listed below:
All Photos of Peter McPoland, Landon Laney, and Stephen Dawes are
by Marisa Gomez
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