Columbus-based trio Leghorn brought a grounded energy to the Live & Loud stage, delivering garage rock with a side of cowpunk charm. Tight, hook-driven, and a little bit ragged in all the right ways, the band proved unpolished doesn’t mean unprepared.
“We don’t stray too far from the norm on local bands,” guitarist and vocalist Matthew Hollis said in a post-show interview. “We aren’t doing anything too out of the park for Columbus.”
That humility runs through everything Leghorn does on stage, in the studio and across their growing catalog of lo-fi rock releases.
Their Live & Loud set featured songs from their debut EP, Wait… Don’t Tell Me, released in January 2025. The four-track collection is a fast, fuzzy snapshot of the band’s DIY roots.
“In terms of our upcoming EP, we recorded those songs in an hour, two I’d say,” said drummer Fritz Manuel. “Mixing and mastering is the hardest part we ran into.”
That rough-around-the-edges’ immediacy was intentional.
“I had this urgency to get into the studio and immediately get out,” Hollis added. “It was just a really nice way to cap this off and put it to bed.”
Their second release, No Stones, continues the raw sound with an even more stripped-down recording style. Clocking in under five minutes, it feels more like a sharply written demo reel than a traditional single, but it works. The tracks capture the trio’s energy and identity without pretense.
Leghorn’s Instagram, @leghorn.sound, documents their ongoing evolution sharing gig flyers, basement snapshots, and occasional band banter. It’s a simple but genuine look into the lives of three guys who love playing music.
The band founded by bassist Luke Garvine isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
“We want to be approachable,” Hollis said. “Nothing too artsy. Just songs people can connect with.”
With their gritty tone, disarming honesty, and an instinct for pacing both on stage and in the studio, Leghorn isn’t trying to redefine rock; they’re just doing it right.
