Poppy brought the ‘They’re All Around Us’ tour to the House of Blues in Houston on April 16th, in promotion of her latest album titled negative spaces.
Poppy returned to House of Blues in Houston on April 16, and it was a nothing less than [controlled] chaos. The pop turned metal singer started the night with “BLOODMONEY,” and it was clear what the night held – dark, loud, heavy. No easing in, no warmup, just impact. Poppy didn’t waste any time talking, as she let the music and hardcore notions speak for itself.
By the time “Flux” came around, the entire room was locked in. “New Way Out” and “X” played back-to-back, and both sounded even more insane live than recorded. The audience was screaming the lyrics back to her, especially during “Anything Like Me.” Prior to “VITAL,” she stood surveying the sea of fans and said “Arms up, Houston.” Everyone raised their arms without question; it wasn’t a request, it was an order. When the beat dropped, the room exploded.
“The Center Is Falling Out” was insanity. As soon as the intro notes started, a small pit near the front ripped open, and the energy was relentless. Poppy performed a new rendition of her 2019 single “Scary Mask” (featuring Fever333), and she held an enchanted horrifying mask to her chest as if it were a relic. The crowd caught on quickly and started singing the chorus louder than the speaker.
“Sit/Stay,” “I Disagree,” and “Bite Your Teeth” flowed right into one another. There was no room to breathe, and each had the potential to feel like a closer. The show ended with two new singles from Poppy’s latest album Negative Space, “new way out” and “they’re all around us.”
Poppy is a hardcore staple, known for collaborations with acts like Knocked Loose and Bad Omens. She’s completely rebranded herself as a heavy artists, and she’s mastered all things brutal and movement. Her show was completely full of rage and precision, no filler, no padding. Houston felt the whiplash, and everyone for sure left content.
All Photos by Alana Lopez for POPPY.
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
