Chicago’s Lifeguard sign to Matador, announce tour with Horsegirl
Chicago trio Lifeguard, who we just named a Band to Watch in 2023, have announced they've signed to Matador. They're from the same young scene as Horsegirl (who are also on Matador), and they share more than just a label. Lifeguard's Asher Case and Lowenstein were actually in an early lineup of Horsegirl, and Lifeguard drummer Isaac Lowenstein is the brother of Horsegirl's Penelope Lowenstein, making them a two Matador band family. There are more connections too: Asher Case is the son of Brian Case of '00s-era Matador band The Ponys (and 90 Day Men, Disappears, and currently FACS).
As we wrote in our Bands to Watch feature, "With the trio rounded out by singer/guitarist Kai Slater, Lifeguard formed when the three members were in their early teens – their one-sentence Bandcamp bio is 'The best teenage band since Squirrel Bait' – drawing from post-hardcore and post-punk, citing everyone from Unwound to Bauhaus as influences, which are definitely heard in their sound."
They have not announced new music for Matador yet, but you can listen to last year's excellent Crowd Can Talk and their 2020 debut album, Dive, below.
Lifeguard have hometown shows this spring opening for June of 44 and Eleventh Dream Day, and this summer they'll hit the road with Horsegirl. No NYC show has been announced yet, but they'll play Asbury Park's House of Independents on July 22. All dates are listed below.
LIFEGUARD - 2023 TOUR DATES
3.04 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen %
4.29 - Chicago, IL @ The Metro #
7.21 Philadelphia, PA @ Ukie Club ^
7.22 Asbury Park, NK @ House of Independents ^
7.23 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar ^
7.25 Washington, DC @ DC9 ^
7.27 Durham, NC @ The Pinhook ^
7.28 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle ^
7.29 Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records ^
7.30 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade ^
8.1 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn ^
8.2 New Orleans, LA @ Toulouse Theatre ^
8.3 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall ^
8.4 McAllen, TX @ The Gremlin ^
8.5 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger ^
8.7 Austin, TX @ Parish ^
8.8 Dallas, TX @ Sons of Hermann Hall ^
8.9 Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic - Lounge ^
8.11 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck ^
8.13 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall ^
% w/ June of 44
# w/ Eleventh Dream Day
^ w/ Horsegirl