By Setota Hailemariam
Laura Burhenn is a force to be reckoned with. No stranger to the music scene, the D.C. native has been releasing music for nearly two decades under her own name on the record label she founded, Laboratory Records; as half of the duo Georgie James with John Davis (of former D.C. punk band Q and Not U); and now under the moniker The Mynabirds, a band she started in 2010.
Though The Mynabirds are based out of Los Angeles and Omaha, Nebraska, Burhenn is returning to D.C. for a show at DC9 Nightclub Wednesday, September 20.
The show is coming on the heels of the group’s latest record, “Be Here Now,” released August 25.
The album is a collection of nine songs all written and recorded in just two weeks in Jan. 2017 — a climactic time most will remember.
“Be Here Now” blurs the lines between indie-pop and alt-rock, and serves as a chronicle of the intense emotions throughout the nation during that time period. The Mynabirds’ third project to date, it was originally released over the course of this past summer as three separate EPs with three songs on each.
Burhenn, who identifies as an activist, is very comfortable with including politics in her work.
In an interview with Billboard, she described the album’s social commentary, and explains the meaning behind its title: “I think [being present is] the best survival tool for any tumultuous period and just life in general because life is just pretty tumultuous.”
In addition to her work in The Mynabirds, Burhenn has been a touring member of The Postal Service and Bright Eyes. She has also helped found Omaha Girls Rock, a music education and empowerment nonprofit for girls, and has even given a TED Talk. In short, she can do it all.
The Mynabirds’ show, with singer/songwriters Luke Rathborne and Madeline Kenney as the supporting acts, is sure to be a night of girl power in action, with some great tunes to top it off.
You can buy tickets for only $12 here, or get them at the door for $15.
Featured Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jason Lester’s Vimeo.
Setota Hailemariam is a sophomore journalism major and can be reached at setotah98@gmail.com.
