📍 ACL Live — Feb. 17, 2026
Written by Clinton Camper
There’s something deeply comforting about a 7:00pm start time on a school night, and Peter McPoland respected that sacred contract. He hit the Scoot Inn stage right on time, no dramatics, no filler, just a prompt king ready to emotionally ruin everyone before bedtime.
The crowd locked in early. By the second song, “I Need You,” the audience was already fully activated, singing along like this was a hometown show — which, as it turns out, it kind of was.
McPoland took a moment to explain his lore: grew up in Texas, moved to NYC at 18 to find himself, then LA for the same reason, and eventually felt the pull back to Austin. “The answer is always Austin,” he said, casually dropping that he just moved here and is now declaring this his hometown show. His landlord Russ was apparently in the crowd. Shout out Russ.
In true Austin fashion, Kirby Lane entered the narrative. Peter claimed he went for the limited-edition lemon poppyseed pancake, then immediately admitted that might have been a lie. Honestly, very on brand. Austin loves a half-truth with good vibes.
Musically, seeing him live unlocked something I hadn’t fully clocked before. There’s a strong early Cage the Elephantenergy happening — gritty but melodic, loose but intentional — the kind of sound that feels better the louder it gets. Songs like “Shit Show,” “Mold,” and “Romeo & Juliet” hit with real momentum, while tracks like “Blue” and “Eloise”gave the set emotional breathing room without killing the pace.
The setlist was stacked and moved fast. A handful of songs (“I Love the Animals,” “Digital Silence,” “Last Looks,” and “Good Day”) were cut due to curfew, but honestly, the night still felt full. He closed strong with “Lady Bird” and “Swing Low,” sending the crowd home satisfied and emotionally buzzed.
Seeing Peter McPoland live made everything click. Confident without being cocky, casual without being careless, and clearly finding his footing in Austin. If this really is his hometown era, it’s off to a very good start.