Orville Peck
Channel 24, Sacramento
October 28, 2026
Photos by Paul Piazza
Orville Peck recently headlined at Sacramento’s Channel 24. The masked singer was opening his Man Turned Mule tour in support of his recently released Mule album.
Peck has rapidly ascended in the music world, drawing a fan base that is extensive and diverse with his exceptionally evocative songwriting as well as his unique and haunting baritone. His mysterious persona doesn’t seem to hurt his appeal either — he wears a mask during his musical performances. Earlier in his career, he wore a handmade leather fringed mask. Currently he has scaled it down to a half-face bandit mask that allows you to see his ice blue eyes, but still disguises his face partially. He says he wears a mask for a number of reasons; it’s more theatrical, for one, and it shields his evolving state of vulnerability, for another.
Peck is a natural showman, and the packed house in Sacramento was treated to a show that was musically pleasing while also displaying a touch of theatrics. His music can range from traditional country to alternative rock and features elements of rockabilly, blues, and even shoegaze at times in the guitar tunings.
Peck is also an openly gay country music artist who frequently utilizes his platform, music, and public appearances to amplify visibility, fight for equal rights, and support queer youth.
Peck was born Daniel Pitout in South Africa, but he’s professionally known as Orville Peck. He keeps his identity private, though most observers think he began his music career as a punk rock drummer in the Canadian band Nu Sensae. He immigrated to Canada in 2003 and joined the band after a childhood that was steeped in dance and theater, including 12 years of ballet classes.
This was evident when he made his Broadway debut in the recent revival of the musical Cabaret, where he played Emcee. And he was certainly at the helm throughout this Sacramento night.
The band started the show by sitting around an 1800s-style Wild West bar stage left. After receiving service from the bartender (bassist Kyle Edward Connolly), the band picked up their instruments and started the show as Peck entered to a rousing reception. The band fired up “Big Ol’ House” from the new Mule record.
With the stage outfitted with old-time Western decor, there were similar brief interludes throughout the show.
Of course, Peck was the center of it all, and his captivating presence was accentuated by his tall, exceptionally fit frame. During the darkly stirring tune from the Bronco album, “The Curse of the Blackened Eye,” when Peck voiced from the silence, “Acting out the opus of your eternal heartache,” while soaring into a climbing range of octaves, you could have heard a pin drop. The crowd was absolutely floored.
His vocals have garnered comparisons to Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley in both resonance and range. His vocal and songwriting talents have led to collaborations with major artists throughout the music world. His latest album features Emmylou Harris on one track and Allison Russell on another. His 2023 record, Stampede, consists entirely of vocal duets, featuring the likes of Willie Nelson, Elton John, and Kylie Minogue.
At the Sacramento show, he performed a duet from that album with the show’s opener, Abbie Callahan, on the Margo Price song, “You’re an Asshole, I Can’t Stand You (and I Want a Divorce).” Earlier in the night, Peck covered “Papa Was a Rodeo” from the exceptional Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Fields album, 69 Love Songs.
Callahan, who hails from Iowa City, Iowa, has released a pair of EPs and received attention for her brand of kaleidoscope country, which features elements of folk, bluegrass, country, and pop.
As for Peck, he had his feature film debut earlier in the month with the film Streetfighter. He plays the iconic villain Vega in the movie that’s based on one of his favorite video games as a kid in South Africa. Thus, a film career looms. But on this night, he was a dramatic hero to the crowd, where many dressed in masks and vests or suits in homage to him. And one certainly could hear the singing swell along to his songs as well.
It felt great to see Peck in a mid-sized venue before the looming temptation of arenas comes calling, because everyone in Channel 24 was able to experience the intimacy, power, and emotions of his vocals and see his piercing ice blue eyes up close through the mask slits.
