Peaches Squeezes The Juice At Varsity
Having never seen Peaches live, didn’t know what I was going to be getting into, headed down to Varsity for what I was hoping would be a good show.
It wasn’t a good show. It was an epic performance.
Got there a little bit after doors, crowds were already pretty decent. Tons of sick outfits. Leather boots and fishnets dotted the landscape, but also cute dolly fits and glitter layers that made people watching a bit more interesting than the typical black t-shirt sea typically witnessed at the shows I attend. Got myself, you guessed it, a succulent IPA while waiting for the opening support. Chatted with a few fans, many arms full of merch. Not gonna lie, Peaches almost got me with her merch. My friend Tyler fell victim to her sick offerings, including a reusable tote and a No Lube So Rude crew sweatshirt which I am VERY jealous of. I’m a black zip up hoodie lady, but dream of someday becoming a cool girl that wears colors and labels again. She almost got me. My favorites were her oversized black fans with cheeky statements in blood red lettering. Overall well prices and plenty of variety than the average offering at a show. Well done, Peaches.
The opening support was an artist I didn’t have any familiarity with, or so I thought. Bounding onto the stage solo dressed in a very cute jacket and camo pants, donning angelic blonde bouncing curls came Cortisa Star. Right away the energy spiked to 100. So much movement sometimes it felt like a blur. Blending between poppy filters and hyperpop maximalist sound, an internet earworm arrived. I did NOT realize this was the artist who made the very viral song “Fun” which has been haunting the TikTok and Reel For You Pages ever since it was created. Found myself singing along with the also very surprised audience to this surprising tune. The only real hiccup was that they accidentally played one song twice during the set. Acknowledging it about 30 seconds in, but paying it no mind to hinder them, Cortisa continuing the encore and leapt around the stage to complete its second occurance. Not my typical genre, but really enjoy watching a young person have fun, as ancient as that seems to say. Would be great to see some other visual aspects added to to the stage performance, but overall an engaging and viral gem.
And then started what may be my favorite live performance of the year so far.
Seriously, if you ever get the opportunity to see Peaches live, run at that chance as fast as you can. From countless outfit changes and choreographed dances to the vigor of an ancient army inside one person. Peaches is a living legend and must be treasured and protected at all costs.
Unapologetically herself, dripping with artistic talent from every angel, the show was epic. First few costumes were very 2001 coded outfits. A bouquet of flaccid penises adorned every inch of her. Covering Peaches completed. Then as the songs progressed, slowly taking them off to reveal a very Neanderthalic looking outfit complete with a micro-penis to complete the look. Two phenomenal dancers accompanied Peaches throughout the set, as well as a few other helpers along the way to adjust the changes in set between almost every song. Configuring the metal risers into new shapes, bringing in new lights, quick-changes into new elaborate costumes, her assistants and tour crew were insanely good. Like give them an award yesterday. Only getting the super close view aka through my camera lens for the first three songs, am chomping at the bit to photograph an entire show. It was a Hollywood production.
The crowd was in love. And Peaches showed that back. In case you are going to see her on the rest of the tour, I won’t be spoiling every big reveal. There are so many it would be an exhausting list of epic after epic moves. My personal favorite is when she crawled on top of the audience to the back of the venue, performing a few songs while shaking rhythmically to the striking strobe lights. Of course, can’t not mention the giant blow up on stage this tour, which was a bus-sized prolaped anus that was performed with then elegantly became a beautiful fleshy pastel ballgown as it deflated around her. Then in another twist, going from soft to badass diamond, swinging a giant metal chain around her neck like a ring of Saturn for, no joke, five minutes without fail.
An emotional and striking cover of Barbara Steisand’s song from Funny Girl, “People Who Need People” was emotively expressed during not the first but SECOND encore in the set. 25 songs in total, I am not sure if there is a better bang for your buck. From the stage presence, the vocal quality, the varying degrees of humor mixed in with earnest commentary on societal norms and gender constructs. This was an 11 out of 10 show. I am still in awe reflecting back at how truly surprised and wowed I was at ever turn.
Peaches > ALL.
