The Roxian was buzzing with the kind of excitement that builds when everyone knows they are about to witness something special. Peach Pit had arrived in Pittsburgh to close out their Fall Quest tour, and the sold-out crowd made sure the night felt like a celebration. The Vancouver indie pop group, known for their breezy guitar tones and bittersweet lyrics, have always had a way of turning melancholy into something strangely joyful. As fans packed in tight from floor to balcony, it was clear this wasn’t just another stop on the tour. It was a finale, filled with gratitude, nostalgia, and the easy warmth that Peach Pit seem to carry with them wherever they go.
Miya Folick opened the evening with a performance that immediately pulled everyone into her orbit. Her voice soared through the room with a mix of power and vulnerability. She balanced emotional weight with playful energy, moving from tender ballads to upbeat indie pop with effortless charm. “Bad Thing” and “Love Wants Me Dead” filled the space with a cinematic glow, her vocals cutting clean through the chatter as the audience fell completely silent. Between songs, her banter was mostly light and funny, dipping into more serious topics later in her set, grounding the set in sincerity. Miya has been including a cover of “This Land Is Your Land” in her set this tour specifically to let het thoughts on the state of the country be known, which was accompanied with an emotional cry of “Fuck ICE.” By the end, she had won over every person in the sold-out room, leaving an atmosphere of calm anticipation for what was still to come.
When Peach Pit took the stage, the energy shifted from dreamy anticipation to instant elation. The crowd roared as frontman Neil Smith greeted them with a grin that made it feel like he was talking to friends rather than fans. The set opened with an intro of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” straight into the title track from Peach Pit’s 2024 album Magpie. The band wasted no time diving into favourites “Shampoo Bottles” and “Alrighty Aphrodite,” with their signature jangly guitars and laid-back grooves weaving through waves of cheers. Neil’s voice carried that familiar blend of melancholy and mischief, his lyrics dancing between heartbreak and humor. Guitarist Chris Vanderkooy played with both precision and flair, his solos spilling out like golden light, while bassist Peter Wilton and drummer Mikey Pascuzzi kept everything grounded in an irresistible rhythm. Dougal McLean added extra layers switching between synth and guitar.
The set felt like a love letter to fans who had been along for the ride since the beginning. Peach Pit moved through songs from across their catalog, mixing older tracks with those from their 2024 album Magpie, which recently got an extended release. Every song seemed to have its own story, and the band played them like they were living those stories all over again. The crowd swayed and sang every word, often louder than the microphones could handle. Between songs, Neil cracked jokes and told small stories, like how the band initially formed and how it’s the loyal fans who have made everything posisble. The energy never dipped. If anything, the band fed off the crowd’s emotion, stretching out certain moments just to let the room live in them a little longer.
By the time the encore arrived, the room had settled into a hush of anticipation. Instead of returning in full force, Peach Pit came back out for a stripped-down segment that felt intimate and heartfelt. Neil took the stage alone first, performing under a single spotlight with just his guitar. His voice carried through the Roxian like a soft echo, vulnerable and warm, making the packed venue feel impossibly small. Chris followed with his own solo, playful and melodic, showing the finesse and soul that define his guitar work. When the rest of the band rejoined for “Everything About You” and the always-emotional “Tommy’s Party,” the night found its perfect ending. The crowd sang every word, some laughing, some tearing up, all completely present in the moment. It was the kind of encore that didn’t just close the show but wrapped it in gratitude, the perfect farewell to a tour that had clearly meant as much to the band as it did to everyone attending.
October 10th, 2025
