Racing Mount Pleasant & Victor (1.30.26)
poster by Nina Loofboro
Racing Mount Pleasant
This Friday, the Horn Gallery is thrilled to host Racing Mount Pleasant! The band, formerly known as Kingfisher, has performed annually at the Horn for the past three years and has become a Kenyon favorite. Formed at the University of Michigan, the seven-piece began to develop their unique sound in 2019 with a variety of instruments, ranging from the trumpet to the saxophone and violin. Just last year they released their second studio album, the self-titled Racing Mount Pleasant under R&R Records which lives alongside their debut album, Grip Your Fist, I’m Heaven Bound. These two records are wracked with confessional lyricism and a cacophony of orchestral instrumentation, mixed with influences of art rock and chamber folk. It’s a sound almost reminiscent of a film soundtrack. However, Racing Mount Pleasant is most notable for their striking and deeply intimate live performances. A New Yorker article describes their music as evoking “a sense of anticipation, like each of us was sitting at the highest point of a roller coaster, admiring the clouds for minutes at a time before being flung back to earth.” There is an undeniable sense of anticipation in Racing Mount Pleasant’s music, which makes the climaxes of each song that much more exciting. This past fall, they opened for Geese on their Getting Killed Tour, and they have recently embarked on a headlining tour of their own across the United States, stopping by the Horn this Friday, January 30, at 9pm. Listen here for a playlist compiling some of the band’s essential tracks:
Victor
The show will be opened by Victor, a familiar Kenyon band composed of current seniors: Avery Becker, LJ Cavenaugh, Ella Olsen-Richman, Maya Silver, and Liv Stripling. Formed during their freshman year, Victor has been treasured across campus for their honest poetic lyricism, stunning vocal harmonies, and skillful instrumentation. Beyond their musical abilities, audiences often walk away from a Victor performance with a tangible feeling of warmth, stemming from the undeniable love and friendship these bandmates share. They work together on stage as a cohesive whole, and their chemistry is palpable. They have released two singles, “Dry” and “Something to Remember” which are indicative of their indie-rock sound that evokes whispers of artists like Slow Pulp and Julia Jacklin, but is entirely their own. On Friday January 30th, 2026, doors will open at 8:30 for the 9pm show – come and join us for an unforgettable night of live music!
by Sophie Garman and Sara Yanelli