House of Large Sizes is headed for Dublin, Ireland, for what bassist Barb Schilf calls their “first European anything.” House plays the M-Shop on Saturday before leaving for Ireland.

The “In The City International Music Festival” will be held Sept. 7 through Sept. 10. House is among the 54 bands chosen to appear at the event, which has been dubbed a “European version of South By Southwest or CMJ Music Festival.”

“We played in a club right above the international stage at South By Southwest,” Schilf explained. “They had a chance to check out our show and that’s kind of how we got invited. Blink is really making it possible; we’ll be staying with them and stuff.”

The band will only be overseas one week, but hopes to do some sightseeing. “We are hoping this will parlay into a tour there,” Schilf said.

HOLS will release a 7″ on Spot Records within the next few weeks. According to Schilf, they are recording a full-length record for release next year. House has been down to Alex The Great studio in Nashville to record with ex-Iowa City musician Brad Jones.

“We’re making an effort to make every song totally different,” Schilf said. “My Ass-Kicking Life was more of a cohesive (record); a lot of the same sound. We’re using different amps and guitars this time.”

My Ass-Kicking Life spawned from the band’s early demos and was originally picked up by Columbia. Songs from the record are a big part of the energetic House show.

“High energy seems like a natural thing,” Schilf explained. “Personally, that’s how the music ffects me. I get excited about other bands the same way.”

She described her stage antics as “honest expression” or more specifically “good exercise.” Schilf lists Solvent (another Cedar Falls band), Arc Welder, Babe The Blue Ox and Mercy Rule as her favorite bands.

HOLS is scheduled to play the Midwest Music Conference is St. Louis this fall. They are hoping to have a contract settled by then.

“I’ve learned a lot, business wise, in the last few years,” she said. “The whole music business atmosphere has changed in the 10 years we’ve been together. Back then, no bands formed to get on a label or go to Ireland. You needed to do music, it was fun.”

“It still is fun, things have just changed. You have to come to the realization that it is a business.”

Schilf knows a lot about business. She and partnerSarah DiDonato currently own and manage two clothing stores. Schilf opened the first Mohair Pear in Cedar Falls two years ago.

“I remember thinking ‘I run a business now, why not have another one,'” she said. “I had so much clothes, I just decided to start a store.”

Schilf also felt there was a need for a retro-clothing store in Cedar Falls. Their second store opened in Iowa City last year.

Jimmy Eat World opens for House of Large Sizes at 8 and 11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. Tickets for the show are $5 in advance, $6 day of the show.