Prize Horse: Tied Down 2025

Prize Horse will be the first band on the Tied Down 2025 lineup that no fights will break out during. They’re a three-piece out of Minneapolis, Minnesota who label themselves as “alternative rock” but I don’t think that does enough to describe how well this band rides the line of shoegaze and grunge while still maintaining that dreamy, indie-rock feel.

Their debut album Under Sound was released in February 2024 on New Morality Zine (Life’s Question, Soul Blind, Stateside, Stand Still). To be a three-piece that stands out a band must have truly incredible musicians on every instrument, and Prize Horse truly stands out in this regard. Their drummer, Jon Brenner, stood out to me as soon as the acoustic drums entered one minute and twenty-two seconds into the opening track Dark Options. Brenner adds a level of technicality that needs to be appreciated. It’s intricate, but not so much that it drowns out the heavy, distorted riffs played by guitarist and vocalist Jake Beitel and bassist Olivia Johnson (who also created the album art).

Something I love about hardcore festivals is there will typically be a band or two that has the job of keeping the crowd excited about the fest but breaks up the back-to-back-to-back-to-back chaotic environments of violent mosh pits and endless stage dives… and I think that Prize Horse is the perfect band for that task at Tied Down 2025. Funny enough, they’re playing Detroit tonight (May 13) alongside Superheaven, Glare, and SPY, so Tied Down will be their second time playing our city in three weeks.

Find them on Instagram.

Album I listened to: Under Sound
Favorite track: Stone

No paid promotion. This series is not endorsed by any of the bands or festivals being written about. Doing this for the love of the game.