The band have announced two upcoming shows, the first of which is slated for the Shacklewell Arms in Hackney on August 29. The five-piece last performed live in November 2022 in Paris, but an Instagram story posted by the band declared: “The Horrors are beginning again. The Horrors are never-ending.” And the band has explained that the East London venue was not simply chosen by accident to play host to the band’s long-awaited return.

“It’s 19 years since we played our first show as the Horrors, almost to the day. It was august 8th 2005 when we performed at the Spread Eagle in Old Street, at a night Tom and I put on called “Cramped”. We played for barely 15 minutes to about 30 of our friends,” singer Faris Badwan wrote on the band’s Instagram page.

“Now it’s 2024 and the Horrors are somehow still going. We return to the Shacklewell – the studio we built was next door and we had it all through Skying/Luminous so we’ve spent a lot of time there,” he continued.

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The second show is set for the following day, August 30, at the Brighton Psych Festival. Tickets for both shows can be found here.

Emerging from Southend-on-Sea in 2005, The Horrors have carved a niche in the UK music scene with their eclectic blend of gothic rock, post-punk revival, and shoegaze. The band, consisting of Faris Badwan (vocals), Joshua Hayward (guitar), Tom Furse (keyboards), Rhys Webb (bass), and Joe Spurgeon (drums), quickly became known for their dark, brooding sound and striking visual style.

Their debut album, Strange House (2007), was a raw, garage rock explosion that caught the attention of critics and fans alike. Tracks like “Sheena Is a Parasite” and “Count in Fives” showcased their frenetic energy and penchant for macabre themes. The album’s success saw them gracing the cover of NME and performing at major festivals, solidifying their place in the indie rock pantheon.

However, it was their sophomore effort, Primary Colours (2009), that truly marked a turning point. Produced by Geoff Barrow, the album saw The Horrors embracing a more expansive, psychedelic sound. Singles like “Sea Within a Sea” and “Who Can Say” demonstrated an experimental streak and earned the band a Mercury Prize nomination. Subsequent releases Skying (2011) and Luminous (2014) further explored lush, atmospheric soundscapes, while V (2017) introduced a more polished, synth-driven approach.

The band have not yet announced any further plan to play live beyond a show in Manchester on August 31, and have not indicated that any new music is forthcoming to follow their 2021 release Against the Blade.

LINE UP

The first wave of acts for Manchester Psych Fest 2024 is here.

Featuring:@baxterdury@horrorsofficial@TemplesOfficial@NewDad @heyjuniore @MdouMoctar
Plus others, with more to be announced.

Tickets on sale now: https://t.co/gvgJ3geAB1 pic.twitter.com/QHNEPsPMb3

— ManchesterPsychFest (@mancpsychfest) November 30, 2023

The festival is scheduled to take place on 31 August 2024 and will once again turn the city centre of Manchester into a sprawling hub of psychedelic and alternative creativity. Iconic music venues such as YES, Canvas, Albert Hall and 02 Ritz will act as temporary stages, effectively allowing the areas immediately surrounding Oxford Street to be turned into temporary festival grounds. Circle Square, if aligning with last year, will act as festival hub and will be the place to go for merch, various band meet and greets and a diverse variety of street food stalls.

Last year’s edition saw American psychedelic rock giants The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Allas-Las perform, along with Sorry, The Murlocs, Ezra Furman and Los Bitchos. There were also several film screenings, including cult psychedelic classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and band films Chunky Shrapnel and Dig!. This year’s film screenings have yet to be announced, as have many more acts and artists.

Watch the music video for “I’m Not Your Dog” by Baxter Dury below:

Baxter Dury, son of legendary The Blockheads lead singer Ian Dury, is set to headline the festival with his wholly unique take on music, consisting of unapologetic, almost spoken word delivery backgrounded by post-disco and indie electronica beats. Also headlining will be Southend based group The Horrors, with a style that consistently merges gothic and psychedelic rock with post-punk and shoegaze.

Watch the music video for “Still Life” by The Horrors below:

The full list of acts that have been confirmed is below:

Baxter Dury, Bonny Doon, Divorce, Ebbb, Fat Dog, Floral Image, Gurriers, Heartworms, Hello Mary, Hotwax, James Holden, Juniore, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Mdou Moctar, Molly Payton, Mui Zyu, NewDad, Temples, The Horrors, Wax Head, White Flowers, Willie J Healey, Wine Lips.

Tickets are on sale now and are available to purchase here.

Posting on Instagram, The Horrors wrote: “Surpriiiise! Our favourite word. The Horrors are back to deafen/delight in equal measure. Our new song “Lout” is available to dissect, devour and destroy on all streaming platforms now. Taken from our upcoming EP, released in full on 12.03.21. Thank you to @laurenlaverne for giving it its first play today. Now hit it.”

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Lead vocalist Faris Badwan said of the single: “Lout is about the relationship between choice and chance, compulsive risk-taking and pushing your luck. As a band, particularly live, we’ve always had an aggressive side and as we began writing new songs it became clear that we were heading in that direction.”

The band have also released a short clip to promote the track. Directed by Jordan Hemingway and featuring Isamaya Ffrench, the eerie clip’s choppy editing and harsh, electronic sounds give a taste of what is to come from the group. Creative Director Bunny Kinney posted: “A decade of me foaming at the mouth upside down on your sofas the morning after the morning after has culminated in this! Three cheers for @thehorrors.”

The Horrors formed in 2005 in Southend-on-Sea, and includes guitarist Joshua Hayward, keyboardist Tom Furse, bassist Rhys Webb, and drummer Joe Spurgeon alongside Badwan. Each of their five albums – Strange House, Primary Colours, Skying, Luminous and V – charted in the UK Albums Charts. More recently, the band have been working on solo projects – in January 2021 Badwan collaborated with John Coxon on track Boiling Point, and Furse released his second solo album Ecstatic Meditations in September 2020.