Feeble Little Horse Brings the DIY Show Scene to Houston, Texas
Photographs and Article by Addison Lawrence
On Jul. 21, 2026. feeble little horse made their way down south to Houston, Texas to perform songs off their new album, “bitknot” as well as other hits from their discography. It’s worth noting that the all lowercase stage name is less feeble, and more of a trojan horse, as the group is nothing short of extravagant and exclamatory.
The band does an impressive job at transforming their largely synthy, “digital dreampop” music to a live atmosphere, and as you experience their songs live, it truly feels like you are in the music. Songs off their most recent album dive into consumerism, beauty standards, social media, transforming the listener into the life of someone grappling with adolescence in the digital age.
Due to low ticket sales, the show was moved from the larger stage downstairs to a smaller room upstairs. In the end though, the more intimate setting and arguably moodier lighting worked together to make the show that much more special, and in the end, feeble little horse proved that they belong on stages far bigger than that of White Oak Music Hall.
Opening up the night, Los Angeles based band Touching Ice walked on stage, starting off with “Heart like a Dog.” As they descended through their set filled with clever song titles like “I Just Remembered Everything Always Works Out for Me” and “Let’s Kill Ourselves,” the audience danced along and nodded their heads in approval.
When the band, composed of singer-bassist Lydia Slocum, drummer Jake Kelley, and guitarist Sebastian Kinsler, walked on stage it was evident that they were prepared to deliver a truly memorable show. Slocum, rocking a shaggy pixie cut, looked like she walked straight out of a 70’s film and had the stage presence of a well seasoned superstar.
The band began the set with a bang, playing “Freak,” from the band's 2021 album “Girl with Fish.” The song begins with the repeating buzz of feedback, making sure that the entire room was paying attention, before shifting into the more familiar strum of guitar accompanied by Slocum’s vocals. As the band dove into the song, the audience quickly caught on, and in no time heads were bumping and the mosh pits had opened.
The group kept the audience engaged even in between songs, brightening breaks between songs by breaking into punchy banter with the audience. At one point Slocum remarked, “I feel like the south is really turning us into men. We made a fire last night.” At another point the band inquired, “If we all had cowboy hats on, would you guys like us more or less?” Though more of a joke than a legitimate question, what the band failed to realise is that Texas could not possibly love them any more. The group's synthy sound, relaxed vocals, and clever lyrics had truly earned the love of everyone in the room.
The band closed out their set with more of a deep cut, “Dog Song 2,” from their 2021 debut album “Hayday.” The song starts off soft before the band kicks it up a notch to finish off the song with a bang. As the set comes to a jolting end, the exit feels fitting for a band so familiar with providing the unexpected and always keeping their audience excited for what is to come next.
