The Oriental Theater to Feature Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum

On the heels of their sold-out 2021 European tour, indie trio Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum is now embarking on their first-ever North American headlining tour, and they will appear at Denver’s Oriental Theater on Thursday, March 31.

Consisting of Michael C. Hall, Peter Yanowitz, and Matt Katz-Bohen, the band offers an eclectic sound that is exciting and eerie, yet mesmerizing and impassioned.

“We have really been looking forward to this tour,” Yanowitz says. “Before the pandemic hit, we were planning on playing in LA at Pappy & Harriet’s, but then everything got scuttled. Just the fact that we’re back and touring is very special. It’s going to be great.”

While Hall may be the most recognizable face in the band, best known for playing David Fisher in HBO’s Six Feet Under and infamous serial killer Dexter on Showtime, his bandmates boast similarly prodigious resumes. Yanowitz began his career playing drums in The Wallflowers before going on to co-found indie stalwarts Morningwood and work with various artists including Natalie Merchant and Yoko Ono.

Meanwhile, Katz-Bohen, spent the last decade touring and recording with Blondie, in addition to working with the likes of Boy George and Cindy Lauper.

The three met several years ago on Broadway during the production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and they quickly recognized their shared similar musical interests. After recording sessions furthered their chemistry, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum was born.

Hall says they never initially set out to start a band.

“It kind of happened to us as much as we happened to it,” he explains. “I think we just wanted to honor what seemed to be happening organically. There was no conscious intention. We just started exploring it, and the next thing we knew, we’d written nine to 10 songs. We collectively committed to showing up, and we wanted to see where this might take us.”

According to Katz-Bohen, his daughter came up with the band’s name.

“She was young,” he says. “She was around 4 or 5, and we were talking hypothetically about how she and her friend would be in a band. I asked what she would call the band, and she said, ‘Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum.’ It just kind of stuck around us and we kept thinking, ‘Wow, that’s perfect.’ I asked her if we could use the name and she said yes. She’s very proud of it. She’s  9 now, and she loves that she was able to influence us in that way.”

“I think the reason we were attracted to the name is because it conjured up this world mixed with camp and mystery,” Yanowitz adds. “Yes, it is a long name, but it somehow spoke to us. We did try in the beginning to come up with a shorter name, and we were advised to as well, but this one always stuck. We’re constantly writing new material, and when we do write, one of the questions we always ask is, ‘Does this fit into the museum?’ It’s a nice sort of house for this project.”

Since the release of their self-titled EP in 2020, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum has received critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Entertainment Tonight. The band released their debut full-length album, Thanks for Coming, last year, which showcases the trio’s myriad of influences that converge to create their glam and ambient sound.

Currently, they are working on their next album, and they recently released a Brandon Bost Remix of “Ketamine,” and an interactive video for “Sideways.”

“There is a lot going on creatively,” Katz-Bohen says.

Ultimately, Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum hopes audiences will be transported by their music.

“Hopefully, they’ll have a sense of being taken on a ride,” Hall states.

Before wrapping up their interview with OFM, Hall took a moment to talk about stepping back into the role that skyrocketed his career. Dexter: New Blood premiered on Showtime November 7 and is set 10 years after the events of the original series finale.

“It felt weird because it didn’t feel that weird,” he muses. “It was gratifying to revisit him and give people a window as to what the hell happened to the guy. As far as the future, I don’t know if I’ll be around for that, but the show definitely created new unanswered questions that audiences might be interested in finding out about.”

Hall stands by what happened in the original series finale but understands why audiences have mixed emotions.

“It was left in a place that was really kind of dissatisfying and open ended for people, so I understand why it’s something that was not so cherished,” he concludes. “I always hoped that we would come up with a story that made revisiting it feel like it was worth it.”

Stay up-to-date and connect with Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum by following them on Instagram @princessgoesoffical, or visit their official website, princessgoestothebutterflymuseum.com.

Visit theorientaltheater.com to purchase tickets for their upcoming performance.

Photos courtesy of Paul Storey