Peter McPoland Plays His Perfect Set
Nashville, Tennessee - February 22, 2026
The Sunday scaries were no match for Nashville’s energy on Sunday, February 22nd, when Peter McPoland brought the Big Lucky tour to the Brooklyn Bowl. Supported by Dug, an American-folk duo that marries traditional old-time with Irish folk music. Dug harnessed the energy of the anxiously awaiting fans, starting with small callbacks and ending with successfully getting the entire room to square dance, swinging their partners round and round – infusing the atmosphere with unmistakable verve.
The set started slowly, a stripped-back, acoustic rendition of his song, “Dead Air,” with his band members gathered around the mic at center stage. It’s a simple and honest start to a show that serves as a creative homecoming for the 25-year-old artist. The crowd dissolves into a cacophony of shouts, singing the song right back to McPoland.
He completely revamped the setlist on the last tour stop, and the change has clearly bolstered him. He recalls playing his album, Piggy, in Nashville in 2023, a confusing time in McPoland’s life that left him feeling stranded outside of himself. What he’s doing now is different, softer, and he makes sure to let the crowd know how thankful he is for them sticking with him throughout all of his various “eras.” He knows himself now, knows that he wants to one day make the folk music that inspires him, proclaiming, “I don’t want to be cool if it means I can’t listen to John Prine,”
It’s hard to determine what bolsters the crowd more, a high-energy rendition of his hit song, “Shit Show,” or the emphatic statement, “I fucking love Minecraft!” that follows the song, matching the chaotic spirit of the room.
He continues the set with the vitality of someone who knows that he is exactly where he is meant to be. Stillness overcomes the crowd when the band once again joins him around the mic. This time, there is no acoustic guitar to lead the room through the melody; it is just McPoland and bandmates harmonizing together, the crowd falling completely silent despite the rambunctious energy they have held onto the entire night. Together, they sing “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” the African-American spiritual that was, in part, popularized by Nashville’s very own Fisk Jubilee Singers.
Before leaving the stage, McPoland has one more song to sing, “Last Looks,” off his most recent album, Big Lucky. It is the perfect song to close the night, but the crowd chants for more despite it all. It makes no difference, in this new era of self-assuredness, McPoland knows one thing for certain: he played his perfect set, and now it is time to rest.
There are plenty of chances left to see the Big Lucky tour live. Check out the dates here.
