Horsegirl – Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece have unveiled a new single/video, ‘Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty)’, from their awesome debut album, Versions of Modern Performance, out June 3rd on Matador. Watch bemow.
After their first three London shows selling out, the band have also announced a further London date at The Dome on June 23rd. A full list of upcoming UK, European and North American dates can be found below.
‘Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty)’ rustles with fuzzy riffs, alliteration and sewn together rhymes, as it swells on a bed of instruments and infectious “oohs”, it leaves a tantalising taste of their For the song’s video, Horsegirl and friends, many of whom will play the Horsegirl record release party, were given the reins to Lowenstein’s elementary school where they filmed all day last month. As a band who do everything as a unit, from songwriting to trading vocal duties and swapping instruments to sound and visual art design, this new video captures the essence of this trio’s special bond.
The band elaborates: “The three of us filmed the ‘Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty)’ video over one day in Penelope’s elementary school. The video provides a small look into our Chicago youth scene—it includes members of bands like Lifeguard, Friko, Dwaal Troupe, and Post Office Winter all grouped into oddball bands with weird gimmicks. We always have the best time making our videos with our friends in spaces we feel connected to. All of our friends showed up with various assortments of clothing and props, like wooden spoons, a bowling shirt collection, and an accordion. We wanted to harness the strangeness of everything that was brought to us, and wanted to showcase all of the people and bands that mean so much to us.”
Chicago is baked into the core of Versions of Modern Performance. Cheng, Lowenstein and Reece learned to play—and met—through the significant network of Chicago youth arts programs, and they have their own mini-rock underground. Across the album, recorded at Chicago’s Electrical Audio with John Agnello, there’s elements of the ‘80s and ‘90s independent music the band love so deeply and sincerely.
In the US, Horsegirl will celebrate Versions of Modern Performance with a record release show June 5th at Thalia Hall (the same day Lowenstein graduates high school). Alongside performances from Horsegirl and friends, there will be a special zine sale at the venue (youth zines will be prioritized). Then, the band will tour across Europe and much of the United States, playing most cities for the first-time ever.
Horsegirl Tour Dates
Sun. May 29 – Allston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
Sun. Jun. 5 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall (RECORD RELEASE SHOW) ^
Fri. Jun. 10 – Giessen, DE @ Stadt ohne Meer
Sun. Jun. 12 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifield Derby
Thu. Jun. 16 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix Bar
Fri. Jun. 17 – Paris, FR @ Pop Up Du Label
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (EARLY SHOW) – SOLD OUT
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (LATE SHOW) – SOLD OUT
Tue. Jun. 21 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Basement)
Wed. Jun. 22 – London, UK @ Bermondsey Social Club – SOLD OUT
Thu. Jun 23 – London, UK @ The Dome
Sun. Jun. 26 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Tue. Jun. 28 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
Wed. Jun. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Monarch
Fri. Jul. 1 – Denmark, DE @ Roskilde Festival 2022
Sat. Jul. 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Upstairs
Fri. Jul. 15 – Vancouver, BC @ Wise Hall *
Sat. Jul. 16 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
Sun. Jul. 17 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall *
Tue. Jul. 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Thu. Jul. 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon *
Fri. Jul. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
Sat. Jul. 23 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Tue. Jul. 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *
Wed. Jul. 27 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *
Fri. Jul. 30 – Sat. Jul. 31 – Detroit, MI @ Mo Pop Festival
Sat. July 31 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza Music Festival
Tue. Aug. 2 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe *
Wed. Aug. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
Fri. Aug. 5 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *
Sat. Aug. 6 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus *
Wed. Aug. 10 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
^ w/ Lifeguard, Friko, Post Office Winter
* w/ Dummy
Versions of Modern Performance
Digital Tracklist
1. Anti-glory
2. Beautiful Song
3. Live and Ski
4. Bog Bog 1
5. Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty)
6. The Fall of Horsegirl
7. Electrolocation 2
8. Option 8
9. World of Pots and Pans
10. The Guitar is Dead 3
11. Homage to Birdnoculars
12. Billy
Physical Tracklist
1. Electrolocation 1
2. Anti-glory
3. Beautiful Song
4. Live and Ski
5. Bog Bog 2
6. Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty)
7. The Fall of Horsegirl
8. Option 8
9. World of Pots and Pans
10. The Guitar is Dead 3
11. Homage to Birdnoculars
12. Billy
