Road Report: The Mynabirds Walk Down Memory Lane in Washington, D.C.

Posted on Jun 4th 2010 6:05PM by The Mynabirds
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The Mynabirds have just set out on their first official U.S. tour in support of their debut album, 'What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood.' The soulful, 60s-influenced record is the solo effort from former Georgie James member Laura Burhenn.

Burhenn will be checking in from the road with personal stories of the band's cross-country excursion, and in her second entry, the Mynabirds revisit Burhenn's hometown, Washington, D.C. Read about all of her nostalgic moments, complete with pictures, after the jump.

Tuesday morning we woke in Joliet and headed east through the tangle of power lines leading north to Chicago and the flat farmlands of Indiana and Ohio. In Mishawaka, we uncovered how the suburbs began (at least some of them) and wished we'd had time to stop for a round of putt-putt. I mean, take a look at that elephant and giraffe. It was tough to resist... Even though Route 90 slices straight through a lot of farmland, all across Ohio I hummed the Pretenders' 'My City Was Gone,' which has a pretty incredible backstory. I knew the environmental bent of the song, but not the Hynde-Limbaugh feud that followed. Chrissie Hynde is a badass.

In Cleveland, we were treated like queens (and kings) by the Beachland staff. I'd played there years ago with Georgie James, when we opened for Ted Leo, and had fond memories. But they really upped the ante this time. They cooked us an incredible feast (complete with tofu stir fry), treated us to fine whiskey, and helped us celebrate Susan's birthday in delicious birthday cake style. It's probably not ideal to spend your birthday in a van, but a cake in a new city before a show might help. Here's hoping. Happy Birthday (again), Susan! The show was the best first tour show you could ever hope for. A really lovely crowd and great sound. Can't wait to get back.

Since we needed to be in D.C. for a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR by noon, we had to make some highway headway. We made it just outside of Pittsburgh and checked into a motel for 3 hours of sleep before climbing back into the van and starting again. Getting back to the place where I grew up (in the Appalachian hills in western Maryland with plenty of treks back and forth to grandparents in Pittsburgh and way south in West Virginia) and having D.C. on the horizon was all I need to wake up. Felt great to be heading home.

Once we got to D.C., we wound through the Rock Creek Park (to the soundtrack of the Blackbyrds' 'Rock Creek Park') and made our way to NPR. It was great, as always, to see Bob Boilen. I met him years back when Georgie James worked with him on Project Song. He's got such a great library of music in his brain (along with the whole All Songs Considered crew) and is just a huge sweetheart. It comes across in his podcasts and most certainly in person. The Tiny Desk Concert was great fun. It'll be live soon for your listening pleasure.

D.C. was such an amazing semi-homecoming. I really can't say enough good about it. It was wonderful to get back to familiar streets, walk past the places I used to live, run into friends I haven't seen in forever. The Black Cat staff was just incredible. Black Telephone played a great set to start the night. And what could be better than your mom showing up in her Mynabirds t-shirt to show her love?

I woke up to the D.C. skyline in my old neighborhood of Columbia Heights, looking north toward St. Stephen's -- the church and punk venue where all the album shots were taken. (There's a little bit of Mynabirds trivia for you.) Feels so good to be back in D.C. It's gonna be hard to leave. But I'll be back soon enough. NYC's on the horizon! Gotta move on. Coffee from Tryst then back to the road.

You've got a good heart, D.C.

Til we meet again,
Laura.
(The Mynabirds)

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