Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum

From left to right: Matt Katz-Bohen, Michael C. Hall, and Peter Yanowitz performing at the Mercury Lounge, New York City, on 12 March 2020, courtesy of David M. Som.

### Other Names

Princess GoesPrincess

PGBM

PGTTBM

### Genre(s)

Kaleidoscopic sound weatherAvant-indie

Electronic

Alternative rock

### Associated Acts

Miss GuyTurbo Goth

Blondie

Morningwood

### Members

Michael C. Hall (Lead Vocalist)Matt Katz-Bohen (Keyboardist)

Peter Yanowitz (Drummer)

**Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum** is an avant-indie supergroup formed in New York City. The band made their public debut 23 September 2018 and consists of vocalist Michael C. Hall, guitarist and keyboardist Matt Katz-Bohen, and drummer Peter Yanowitz. They commonly describe their sound as "kaleidoscopic sound weather." Each of Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum's members has a nickname he goes by in the band. Hall is Kaleidoscope, Katz-Bohen is Storm Eye, and Yanowitz is Dream Weaver.

## History

### Founding and first single release (2018–2019)

Michael C. Hall, Matt Katz-Bohen, and Peter Yanowitz formed Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum after years of mutual friendship and group jam sessions. They met during Hall's stint as Hedwig in the Broadway production of *Hedwig and the Angry Inch*, wherein Yanowitz performed as Schlatko and Katz-Bohen was the substitute music director. However, Katz-Bohen and Yanowitz had known one another for years prior, as both were heavily involved in the New York City music scene. Katz-Bohen even modeled in a photoshoot for Yanowitz's band, Morningwood, with the intention to use one of the photographs for an album cover, but the endeavor fell through, which Katz-Bohen jokingly claimed was because the photos were "too sexy."

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum started as organically as they come, with Yanowitz even stating he felt the trio didn't start the band, but rather "the band started us." [1] Katz-Bohen's daughter originally came up with the band's name after she was asked what her own band's name would be when she got older. The band adopted their name with the blessing of Katz-Bohen's daughter. Hall has stated he likes the band name because he feels it always needs to be said twice.

The trademark for the band's name was filed in New York City on 7 May 2018. [2] Shortly thereafter, photos of the band together began to surface on social media, namely Instagram. The band's first official Instagram page, which was later deleted and replaced by their current official Instagram page, started posting a mere few months later. It was during this time the trio announced their debut show at Berlin, a venue and bar in Manhattan. The show took place on 23 September 2018 alongside Bunny X and Trevor McQueen. New York City-based musician Sarah Goldstone was involved in Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum near the beginning of its entrance into the public eye, and she played the keyboard with the band during its very first performance.

The music video for “Ketamine” was recorded 3 September 2019 in Tarrytown, New York. The single itself was officially released on 25 October 2019. The video for “Ketamine,” which premiered 12 December 2019, “is the imagining of one person’s attempt to jailbreak another from a life of emotional and sensory isolation and shows them the extraordinary beauty of life." The music video features two major characters: the daughter and the laborer, alongside roles played by the band members themselves. [3]

The band often alludes to their concept and imagining of the butterfly museum, mostly as a physical space that is entered during their performances or in the studio. The name of their band, in their eyes, has formed the aesthetic of their music, visuals, and style. According to Yanowitz, the band's songs are deemed worthy if they "[feel like they] could go into the Museum." [4]

Filming for the music video of “Come Talk to Me” occurred on 18 December 2019 in New York City. Prior to its release, the audio for the song could be found in full in the middle of episode 27 of the Eastside Punks podcast, which featured keyboardist Matt Katz-Bohen as a guest. [5]

### *Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum* and *Thanks for Coming* (2020–2021)

"Come Talk to Me", the band's second single, was released 7 February 2020. [6] The music video for "Come Talk to Me" premiered on Youtube around 7am eastern time 10 March 2020.

On 12 March 2020, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum played live at the Mercury Lounge. Referred to as "the last show ever" by the band and fans, the performance was indeed the band's last before the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, which was declared such only a day prior, prompted the shutdown of New York City and the country at large.

The band's third single, "Love American Style", and its music video were released 25 March 2020, followed by their eponymous debut EP on 2 April 2020. [7]

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum was set to play their first out-of-state show at Desert Daze RE+UNION in Pioneertown, California, on 17 April 2020, but the event was postponed indefinitely due to the virus.

The official music video for "Vicious" premiered on the Alternative Press website on 5 May 2020 and publicly on 6 May 2020. [8]

On 6 May 2020, Hall, Yanowitz, and Katz-Bohen took over the Consequence of Sound Instagram page to show fans a day in the quarantined life of Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum.

With Hall upstate in Stone Ridge, New York, Yanowitz in downtown New York City, and Katz-Bohen in Brooklyn the band could not physically gather to create during the pandemic. [9] Nevertheless, they were "somehow able to stay creative throughout" by emailing ideas and recordings to one another. [10][11] On 24 June 2020, the band's official Instagram account confirmed that a full-length album was in the works, saying, "We've been busy putting the final touches on our first full length. It's definitely all for u."

On 3 November 2020, the band released a teaser video featuring Hall against a black background with his head on fire using special effects. This was followed by another teaser video of Hall against a white background surrounded by butterflies on 6 November 2020 and yet another on 10 November 2020, this time again featuring Hall with his head on fire. The final teaser video featured "Eat an Eraser", which played in the background, and confirmed its 11 November 2020 release. "Eat an Eraser", the band's first single off their debut full-length album, was followed by the release of "Cruel World" on 9 December 2020 and "Armageddon Suite" on 13 January 2021, each accompanied by teaser videos on social media.

On 27 January 2021, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum played their first live show since the start of the coronavirus pandemic at The Cutting Room in Manhattan. Given the pandemic restrictions in place at the time, the performance was done without a live audience and instead livestreamed for fans to watch. Between songs, the band members answered questions posed by the livestream's host.

The band's debut full-length album, *Thanks for Coming*, was released on 12 February 2021 at midnight eastern time. The album's release was accompanied by a virtual listening party co-hosted by the band and Newbury Comics on Twitter, where the band answered questions and responded to comments from fans.

On 9 July 2021, a radio edit of "Too Cool to Care" was released, accompanied by a music video comprised of original footage and direction by Maceo Bishop and Samantha Scaffidi, as well as editing and video effects by Jennifer Ruff.

On 24 August 2021, the band announced the upcoming release of the music video for "Nevertheless", directed by Brooklyn-based cult filmmaker Dylan Greenberg. The music video premiered the next day, on 25 August 2021 at 10am eastern time, on Rolling Stone.

### Anticipated album and 2021 European tour (2021-pres.)

During the Twitter listening party for *Thanks for Coming*, the band members alluded to a new album already in the works, although the title of this album, its release date, or the tracklist in its entirety have not been confirmed as of August 2021. On 9 April 2021, the band's official Instagram account confirmed that a new album was being mixed and that the band was "actively looking for a booking agent" with the intention to tour, saying, "sooner than later we’ll hopefully be bringing the museum to yr city/country ❤️❤️❤️ ps. we’re mixing a new album and it’s 🔥🔥."

On 25 August 2021, various venues across Europe announced via social media that tickets had become available for upcoming Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum shows there. Soon after, the band members posted a full list of shows on their respective Instagram pages comprising the band's 2021 European tour (the first tour in the band's history), with shows in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Ukraine, and Germany. The tour was originally expected to run from 27 November to 16 December 2021. However, the band's social media pages announced on 26 November 2021 that "due to the new Covid-19 restrictions in place across parts of Mainland Europe," all Ukraine and Germany shows would be postponed indefinitely, thus prematurely ending the tour in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on 9 December 2021.

On 30 October 2021, the band held their first in-person, live performance since the start of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic at the Mercury Lounge in New York City, with Miss Guy and Hennessey as opening acts. This was followed by yet another performance at the same venue the very next day, on 31 October. The band's final performance before embarking on their European tour was held 24 November 2021 at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn.

## Musical Style and Influences

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum’s style—while given many names by fans and the media—has been self-described as “kaleidoscopic sound weather” and "danceable apocalypse." [12] Their music and performances contain heavy synth elements, as well as noticeable influence from a wide variety of genres. Their official Facebook page lists Giorgio Moroder, Black Sabbath, and Bach as influences. [13]

## Band Members

* Michael C. Hall – lead vocals (2018–pres.)
* Matt Katz-Bohen – keyboards, lead guitar (2018–pres.)
* Peter Yanowitz – drums, guitar (2018–pres.)

## Discography

*See also: Discography, List of known but unreleased songs, List of known setlists*

### Singles

* "Ketamine" (2019)
* "Come Talk to Me" (2020)
* "Love American Style" (2020)
* "Eat an Eraser" (2020)
* "Cruel World" (2020)
* "Armageddon Suite" (2021)
* "Too Cool to Care (Radio Edit)" (2021)

### EPs

* *Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum* (2020)