“You want to hear some more?” a voice echoes through the chanting, cheering crowd, “Okay. Have some more.” The voice echoes once more before the lights switch suddenly open and synths start playing before band members and singer Poppy go back onstage with a screaming start: “Coward!”
I went to see enigmatic pop/metal artist “Poppy” this April 23 at The Wiltern for her “They’re All Around Us” tour. This was her last stop of the U.S leg of this tour. Poppy is one of my favorite artists, a chameleon who shifts genres, mixes them and blends them with a peculiar sense of humor. Now, it seems Poppy is at a career high, nominated at this year’s Grammys for featuring in a “Knocked Loose” song and performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Furthermore, she’s touring for her latest album “Negative Spaces” and potentially my favorite of hers as she displays that beyond any eccentricities, Poppy can make absolutely thrilling metal.
It’s only fitting that the first metal concert I’ve ever attended is for the artist who initially opened me up to heavier music. I was captivated by the crowd who all showed up in absolutely rocking fashionable outfits that I was certainly making mental notes and inspiration from.
The stage was covered by fog and the set was simple. There were white curtains, platforms for Poppy and her support band to stand on and a screen that showed black and white images, then a countdown. The crowd’s excitement was palpable, Poppy’s name was chanted and the crowd cheered as her band, dressed in all-black and ski masks went onstage and cheered harder as she took to the stage to kick off the concert with “have you had enough?”
Poppy, dressed in all white, gave an electrifying performance. Her voice can go from angelic, floating above the heavy instrumentation to raw, intense screams whilst maintaining a captivating stage presence throughout the entire show. From poppier cuts like “vital” to industrial tracks such as “Sit / Stay” or heavy bangers like “Bite Your Teeth”, Poppy remains high energy. The setlist takes mostly from her aforementioned latest album and older fan-favorite tracks from the “I Disagree” album. Overall, there’s a focus on the heavier tracks from her discography which makes it feel cohesive.
There’s a sense of humor present in the show, considering all the genre whiplash from the setlist and sometimes in the same song like “Concrete,” which goes from heavy to candy-colored in a matter of seconds. The song “push go” starts with a band introduction to which Poppy plays into the anonymity of the band members: “Ladies and gentlemen… On the guitar, make some noise for the guitarist!”
Speaking of which, her supporting band was fantastic. Playing lively drumlines, chugging heavy riffs and groovy bass lines with matching energies to Poppy. I felt particularly enchanted by these mysterious masked performers and I felt they added quite a lot to the show whilst not detracting from the singer. For me, there’s nothing much better than a thrilling guitar solo than a thrilling guitar solo from a masked man with flair.
The brightest highlights for me include “the center’s falling out,” which as someone who was actually in the center when the song began is an accurate description of what happened next as a mosh pit began, separating me and my friend. On the flipside, “crystalized” was the danciest track she played with its terrific synthpop groove that was an absolute delight to move along to.
Poppy is a metal princess who can give out catchy pop hits and scream metal in the same song. The show was impeccable, relentless but not tiring, the stage was simple yet entrancing all the same and Poppy was a performer you couldn’t take your eyes off. Poppy performed at the same intensity and raw emotion found in her albums and I couldn’t be more glad to have seen it live.
