Reverend Horton Heat in New York

About Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of Jim Heath, a Dallas-based musician who's been playing psychobilly since the mid-80s. He built Reverend Horton Heat as a solo project with a drum machine before adding a full band, creating a sound that splits the difference between rockabilly's swagger and punk's raw aggression. Songs like 'Psychobilly Freakout' and 'Big Sahara' became underground staples, blending twangy guitar work with dark humor and relentless energy. Heath's approach to psychobilly strips away the novelty aspect—there's real musicianship and storytelling underneath the gimmick. The project has maintained a cult following for decades, releasing records consistently and touring without ever needing mainstream validation. Reverend Horton Heat represents the kind of artist who makes music because they have to, not because it's fashionable.

Shows are controlled chaos. The band locks into a tight groove while the crowd oscillates between dancing and moshing. Heath commands the stage with deadpan intensity, barely cracking a smile while the music pounds. People actually move at these shows—not posing, just genuinely dancing to something genuinely heavy and genuinely fun.

Known for Psychobilly Freakout, Big Sahara, Daddy's Got a Belt, Cigarettes and Coffee, Whole Lotta Woman

Reverend Horton Heat + New York

Reverend Horton Heat has always kept New York in their orbit, and their June 2025 stop at Xanadu Roller Arts felt like a natural fit for a band that thrives on grimy, unpretentious venues. They tore through twenty songs that night, anchoring the set with their psychobilly credentials—"Psychobilly Freakout" hit exactly as hard as it sounds, while "Bales of Cocaine" and "The Devil's Chasing Me" proved they're still committed to that combustible blend of country twang and raw punk energy. They opened with "D" for Dangerous and didn't let up, closing with a cover of "Ace of Spades" that felt less like a novelty and more like a mission statement. The band's relationship with the city has always been straightforward: show up, plug in, play like they mean it.

Reverend Horton Heat in New York News

• Take a look at the artists playing Tallahassee concerts in 2026 Tallahassee Democrat · Dec 27, 2025
• Psychobilly band Reverend Horton Heat to perform in Albany NEWS10 ABC · Dec 15, 2025
• The Reverend Horton Heat Keep the Rock and Roll Torch Burning in Portland, OR (SHOW REVIEW) Glide Magazine · Feb 4, 2020
• Jim Heath Interview: Reverend Horton Heat's Studio Secrets Tape Op · Nov 23, 2019
• Review: The Reverend Horton Heat delivered fiery, high-speed set at Friday's show at The National RVA Mag · Dec 14, 2016

Live Music in New York

New York's psychobilly scene is a small but devoted corner of the city's larger underground. While the mainstream music world orbits around Manhattan's bigger venues, bands like Reverend Horton Heat find their audience in smaller rooms and roller rinks—places that prioritize raw energy over polish. The city's punk and country roots have always coexisted here, making it fertile ground for a band that refuses to choose between them.

New York road trip to see Reverend Horton Heat?

Stay in the Upper West Side near Central Park—quieter than Midtown, better restaurants, and close enough to everywhere that matters. Dinner at Balthazar in SoHo if you want classic New York energy, or Gramercy Tavern if you prefer something less scene-y. Spend your afternoon at the Met or catching live music at Blue Note or The Basement—both venues where you'll see the players who influenced Mars's sound. Walk through Washington Square Park, grab a coffee, remember why New York mattered to music in the first place.