Prince Daddy & the Hyena in Columbus

About Prince Daddy & the Hyena

Prince Daddy & the Hyena are a post-hardcore band from Fort Wayne, Indiana who've built a devoted following through relentless touring and a willingness to get messy with their sound. They emerged in the mid-2010s as part of a wave of bands digging into heavier, more abrasive territory while maintaining the emotional weight of emo and alternative rock. Their records are dense, layered things that reward repeated listening—full of unexpected turns and moments where screaming guitars suddenly pull back to let vocals breathe. The band's live reputation comes from a kind of controlled chaos, with frontman Kellen Hertz delivering vocals that range from melodic to gutural across the same song. They've never chased trends or tried to be polished, which is exactly why people keep showing up. Their fanbase tends to be deeply invested, the kind who know B-sides and remember specific setlist variations from tours past.

Their shows are physically demanding affairs where the pit gets legitimately intense but never unfriendly. Kellen rarely leaves the stage without looking completely wrung out. People sing every word.

Known for Torment, Waste, Come Together, Shape Shifter, Cosmic Joke

Prince Daddy & the Hyena + Columbus

Prince Daddy & the Hyena have maintained a quiet presence in Columbus over the years, building the kind of following that shows up for the weird stuff. Their May 2025 set at The King of Clubs felt like a conversation with people who actually know the catalog. They opened with "I Forgot to Take My Meds Today" and settled into the kind of set that rewards close listening—"A Random Exercise in Impermanence (The Collector)" landed with the weight of a deep cut that's been living in people's heads, while "Klonopin" and "God Complex" hit the specific nerve the band seems designed to strike. Closing out with "El Dorado" felt right, like the natural endpoint to whatever emotional math they'd been working through all night.

Prince Daddy & the Hyena in Columbus News

• Prince Daddy & the Hyena announce new album 'Hotwire Trip Switch,' share new song BrooklynVegan · Mar 3, 2026
• Prince Daddy & The Hyena The Columbus Dispatch · Jan 29, 2026
• Arm’s Length Announces Sophomore LP, Drops “Funny Face” idobi · Feb 12, 2025
• CLIFFDIVER Announces Upcoming Departure Of Two Band Members idobi · Nov 25, 2024
• Hot Mulligan, Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Sincere Engineer & Super American announce fall tour BrooklynVegan · May 12, 2021

Live Music in Columbus

Columbus has always had room for bands that don't fit easy categories. The indie and emo scenes here tend toward the introspective and anxious—the kind of emotional specificity that Prince Daddy & the Hyena trades in. It's a city that gets why someone would write a song called "Jesus Fucking Christ" and mean it with complete sincerity. The mid-sized venues and smaller clubs create space for artists who need an audience that's actually paying attention.

Columbus road trip to see Prince Daddy & the Hyena?

Stay in German Village, where the restored brick townhouses and tree-lined streets feel like an actual neighborhood rather than a tourist zone. Dinner at Harvest Bistro on High Street for refined American food done without fuss. Spend the afternoon at the Columbus Museum of Art, then walk through the Short North corridor—the gallery district has real energy without feeling manufactured. Catch the show at Nationwide Arena, then grab drinks at Drinkery in German Village for something low-key.