We Are Poppy: Beyond the Stream
Poppy left the House of Blues Anaheim shaking to its foundations on September 27th with a performance that felt like lightning in a bottle. Her iconic banshee screams, awe-inspiring stage presence and crushing riffs made it clear — this is a show that demands to be experienced in person. The genre-blending setlist and her artistic roots were on full display. The show was her canvas, and she took full control — painting every corner of the stage with intensity, precision and unpredictability. Though the performance was streamed live on VEEPS, no livestream could fully capture the raw energy and atmosphere she brought to the room.
MS Paint opened the night with a set that perfectly warmed the crowd for what was to come — a relentless performance from Dying Wish, followed by the artistic headliner, Poppy. Their sound fused psychedelic audio design with slower, heavy elements, but they never stayed in one lane. One moment was crushingly heavy, only for the rug to be pulled out with a sudden shift into fast, chaotic hardcore. A cross of nu-metal vocals and post-punk influences, MS Paint is nonconforming in every way — and somehow, it works. Their lyrics ranged from political and environmental themes to the abstract and performative. Altogether, it was a performance that reflected the evolution of what Poppy has created for herself: artistic, avant-garde, industrial metal.
Dying Wish’s vocalist, Emma Boster, hit the stage with one goal: get everyone moving. If you weren’t already in the pit, you would be soon. The venue turned chaotic — circle pits opened up, bodies flew and every bruise and drop of sweat was worn like a badge of honour. Coming off their new album ‘Flesh Stays Together’, the band showed why they’ve carved out a place in the hardcore scene. Their set moved between crushing riffs and relentless drum work to brief, melodic moments that gave just enough room to breathe. The energy never let up. Crowd surfers rolled in nonstop. For a support act, it felt anything but secondary.
When Poppy finally took the stage, she leaned into her classic artistic roots with a cryptic intro reminiscent of her viral YouTube days. Moments later, she erupted into her iconic banshee screams, opening with ‘Have You Had Enough’. The energy locked in instantly with a rapid-fire run of songs like ‘The Center’s Falling’, ‘Concrete’, and popular features ‘V.A.N.’ and ‘From Me to You’.
Her dynamic range was on full display. Tracks like ‘Crystallized’ and ‘Vital’ softened the industrial metal edge, trading chaos for melody and soaring vocals. There wasn’t a dull moment — she commanded circle pits and walls of death with ease, keeping the energy sharp and unpredictable. Even the VIP section couldn’t stay still, with the likes of Bad Omens’ Noah Sebastian spotted moving along to the chaos.
Poppy launched the second half of her They’re All Around Us tour with a spectacular bang. It’s been a dynamic year for her — fresh off releasing the collaboration single ‘End of You’ and finishing the first leg of her North American tour. Poppy has always been an ever-evolving artist who never lets her energy fade. Her music is a proclamation of independence and freedom, mirroring her personal journey. As she continues her tour later this year, it’s a show that demands your presence — and will hopefully leave you chanting, “We are Poppy”.
