Photos by Alana Lope
Singer-songwriter Poppy visited the DMV area this weekend for a show at The Fillmore. The metalcore singer is on tour promoting her new album Negative Spaces. Poppy launched her tour last month in California and has crisscrossed the country with various supporting acts, including Chinese American Bear, Kumo 99, and now House of Protection. Her show at The Fillmore marked her second time playing at the venue and was one of her largest DC-area shows to date.
Poppy rose to internet stardom in the mid-2010s with her YouTube videos, which were called ThatPoppyTV. Her videos frequently contained uncanny valley elements and were widely discussed on social media. She released her first single in 2015, and while her earlier music was heavily pop-based, she has since switched genres and is now an established metalcore artist. Her sixth studio album, Negative Spaces, was released last year and received critical acclaim.
The They’re All Around Us tour features three different openers, with the Silver Spring show featuring House of Protection. Consisting of duo Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta, the bandmates were formerly in rock band Fever 333 before splitting from the group to create House of Protection in 2022. Their debut EP Galore was released in September of last year, and their debut album Outrun You All will be released this May. The duo had a short set, but made the most of their time onstage. Throughout their set, they opened several mosh pits and riled the crowd up for Poppy.
Poppy took the stage shortly after, greeting the screaming crowd. Between songs, frequent video interludes showed a doll-like version of the singer asking what the audience wanted. The juxtaposition of the doll version of Poppy mixed with the singer’s impressive scream singing created a unique metal experience that left the crowd wanting more. After most songs, chants of “Poppy! Poppy!” filled the venue as the crowd cheered for more.
Poppy’s Silver Spring show was a refreshing take on a traditional metal gig. Poppy has spent years carving her space in a traditionally male-dominated genre, and her recent show proves her success at growing the genre. The They’re All Around Us tour features creative and artistic elements that make this tour a one-of-a-kind experience. Poppy will continue touring throughout the South, before making her way back to California for the tour’s finale. House of Protection will remain on tour through the Austin, TX show and Chinese American Bear will fill in the opening slot for the remainder of the tour.
Final grade: A
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