Dreary weather couldn't rain on Orville Peck's parade | A&E

At the Orville Peck show on Wednesday at Chateau Ste. It was raining heavily in Woodinville. Michelle, but that hardly stopped the large, diverse crowd that filled the winery's beautiful grounds from seeing the popular country star. Couples, groups, singles and young and old wore cowboy costumes and were able to present themselves without shame despite the terrible weather. The staff were friendly and helpful, drying chairs and directing people to their seats; The rain seemed an apt metaphor for letting go of the suffering and tragedy you've endured – crying it all out – and letting the light shine again. Peck's soulful music is a good engine for this kind of catharsis. He is also the one who provides the light.

When I saw him perform at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland a few years ago, I was first struck by Peck's incredible showmanship and mesmerizing confidence on stage. It was an intimate show; I appeared to be one of the few straight and/or cisgender men in the crowd. Peck strikes a masculine pose but challenges notions of traditional “masculinity” by consistently wearing a fringed mask or wearing statement pieces such as pastel pants – details that are indelibly linked to his act. This openly gay cowboy partially disguises his identity, offering drama but also color and robustness in equal measure. His voice – a deep baritone with incredible range and seriousness – is reminiscent of Elvis, Johnny Cash and gospel.

Peck canceled his Bronco tour last year because of media burnout and severe depression – something he spoke openly about at his concerts. For the Stampede Tour, which includes Chateau Ste. Michelle was part of the show, reappearing with a smaller mask and dropping “the veil,” as a fan in the crowd mused to me. Peck now resembles Zorro if the swordsman wasn't afraid to add pops of color to his all-black look. I've been thinking about whether the slight change in presentation is due to Peck's real name, Daniel Pitout, becoming public knowledge and the fringe feeling a little more frivolous lately. “The truth follows me everywhere,” Peck states in “The Curse of the Blackened Eye.”

Most of the songs on Peck's setlist — warmed up by solid opening performances from rising Nashville-based country artists Emily Nenni and Nikki Lane — were from his previous album, Bronco. A select few come from “Pony” and “Show Pony.” It was an outstanding performance with a well-rehearsed band and a great song sequence that had the audience clapping, swaying and cheering loudly. Some songs were particularly powerfully translated live, such as the breathtaking, sad ballad “Hexie Mountains”; the tearful “Outta Time”; and “C'mon Baby, Cry,” where the full extent of Peck's wide vocal range is best experienced. Peck's album Stampede wasn't as well-received as his other LPs (he only played four songs from it), although one might reasonably assume that's because it's a duet album and he didn't have many of his partners among them People like Willie Nelson, Elton John and Mickey Guyton – there. (He was still playing the Nelson track – “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” – anyway.)

On titles like this and many others, Peck rewrites the narratives and mythologies that surround the American cowboy with campiness and darkness. He skillfully swings the pendulum between seriousness and cheeky comedy; His mysterious and colorful cowboy personality is proof that in cowboy lore, the way you present yourself doesn't always reflect the whole picture. By consistently arguing that identity is malleable and benefits from exploration, it makes sense that Peck, despite being unabashedly gay himself, would attract fans from all walks of life. While his lyrics largely reflect his own experiences, many of the emotions evoked have a universal resonance.

For the encore, Peck nodded to the person he once was, once again channeling the fringe-mask style that made him famous as he performed “Bronco,” the final song of the night. “Now it feels really good again!” he declared cheekily in front of a cheering crowd of rain-soaked fans.