By: Ava Shumway

All yays and no neighs at the Horsegirl concert this past Monday at the High Noon Saloon. The Chicago-based rock trio kick-started their North American Summer tour in the great land of Madison, Wisconsin. The tour is in support of their sophomore studio album Pheonetics On and On, which further solidifies their space in the indie rock scene. 

Having a tardy entrance to the show, I am met with the powerful voice of Judson Kolk and sophisticated production from the other five members that comprised the opener, Godcaster. The New York art-rock band created a lively stage presence from theatrical movements and solos from different band members. Jan Fontana brought in her flute at one point, which brought me back to my high school days in marching band, and demonstrates the avant-garde aspect of art-rock. 

In contrast to the maximalism and high energy from Godcaster’s performance, Horsegirl’s stage presence was characterized by minimal, playful lyrics paired with playful guitar phrases. Their song “2468” encapsulates the childlike essence of their album, where it feels like a childhood nursery rhyme. 

Mirroring the nostalgic feel of the music, Horsegirl members Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reese brought a sense of familiarity amongst each other. From the crowd, one could tell their closeness as friends, as they all faced each other when playing Switchover. That song stuck out to me because of its country twang, with the chipper vocal melodies. 

Closing the concert, they played one of my favorites, “Anti-Glory” from Versions of Modern Performance, which sounded so much better live than what my worn-out porta pro headphones could ever deliver. This song encapsulates the band’s unique sound, starting with a messy guitar riff that turns into the unified chorus when they all chime in “dance!”. 

Overall, this was a perfect mellow concert for a summer evening. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading their Sterogum Interview, where they explore how childhood experiences shaped their most recent album. Their creativity and experimentation are only making them better with every release, and I can’t wait to see what they put out there in the future.

Cover Image: “Horsegirl” by davidjlee is licensed under CC BY 2.0.