Best of Budapest & Hungary

16 Horsepower was built around the trio of David Eugene Edwards, Jean-Yves Tola and Pascal Humbert. With their dark, gothic country sound, they became a guiding force for American folk musicians in the 1990s, before the members chose to pursue separate paths after 2005. Their legacy now continues: 16 Horsepower reunited in 2026 and will bring their unmistakable music to the House of Music Hungary on 25 April 2027.

    16 Horsepower fundamentally altered the landscape of alternative music rooted in American folk, drawing on the raw intensity and textures of Appalachian folk, bluegrass, gospel and country. The band employed traditional instruments such as banjo, Chemnitzer concertina, hurdy-gurdy, lap steel and upright bass, filtering these sounds through a modern, rock-informed sensibility. They were pioneers of the genre-defying sound often described as “gothic country” or “gothic Americana”, and played an important role in shaping the fertile Denver alternative scene of the 1990s, known as “The Denver Sound”.

    At the heart of the band were David Eugene Edwards, Jean-Yves Tola and Pascal Humbert. Their music was shaped by a changing cast of collaborators and a restless desire to push boundaries. Their songs alternated between the atmosphere of fire-and-brimstone sermons, haunted ballads and reimagined folk standards. The work of 16 Horsepower combines a dark, gothic country mood with a distinctly American sound.

    It is no surprise that the band has always enjoyed great popularity in Europe; after their 2005 split, the members also regularly returned to the continent with their solo projects. Now, however, their legacy continues: for the first time since 22 November 2005, the core trio have reunited and announced a European tour, which will bring them to Budapest’s House of Music Hungary 25 April 2027.

    Tickets go on sale at 10:00 AM on 12 October.