It is an indisputable fact that energy pours out of the doors of Songbyrd Music House; the rhythm of the music being played within is easily audible from the street, and the painted exterior displaying the venue’s signature bird makes for an attention grabbing sight.
I felt this energy the first time I walked past Songbyrd on my way to pick up chairs from a venue next door, and I felt it again as I was walking to my first concert there with Songbyrd co-owner Alisha Edmonson. Edmonson was walking me to Songbyrd from our interview at Byrdland Records, Songbyrd’s adjacent record store, and we talked about all the life things we could.
I was fortunate enough to spend a week in June with Edmonson and co-owner and co-founder Joe Lapan, flipping through records in Byrdland before our interview, watching their crew set up a DJ booth and mini stage in a park and, of course, listening to some incredible live music. I got to attend a concert in the Sunset Sounds series, photograph upcoming R&B singer and rapper Jean Deaux one night and promote Songbyrd’s Summer So(u)lstice Party all over the course of just six days. Seeing Mambo Sauce, The Crystal Casino Band and several others perform, I got to take part in the Songbyrd experience.
Edmonson and Lapan have been in business for nine years and are coming up on the 10 year anniversary of Songbyrd’s founding, they told me. What started as a record cafe and music venue in Adams Morgan has since expanded and moved into two separate stores, both located in Union Market.
Both Lapan and Edmonson agreed they wanted to create a space curated by music lovers for music lovers, but they didn’t want their business narrowed down to a singular purpose.
“The original seed of the idea was ‘what’s an all day space that that celebrates and builds community around music?’” Lapan said, seated comfortably on one of the couches in Byrdland Records. “Just brainstorming around that obviously we thought of a venue and some version of live music. But we always wanted to get involved with physical music and vinyl records and get involved with music celebrations, listening parties, album debut parties … just sort of a wider lens on a place that people might want to go to.”
The two were inspired to bring this by nostalgia and the era of music on physical mediums rather than streaming, Edmonson said. From the first time they met, they talked about how this time made listening to music a social activity instead of something people do on their own with headphones in.
“I used to bartend at this bar in Adams Morgan, and Joe and I met there and we used to talk about how we loved that we grew up in an era where you listen to music in its entirety, and that we all should music with our friends, like mixtapes and CDs,” Edmonson said. “And a DJ friend of mine was like, oh, you should go to New York and listen to this Classic Album Sundays. and from there we just started talking about how we wanted to create something that kind of brought back that nostalgia of fully enjoying and listening as a group to music and a community space.”
Working with Lapan and Edmonson is decidedly a pleasure, according to their partners in business. Claire Newbegin, the manager of the D.C. soul band Oh He Dead, spoke about the band’s partnership with Songbyrd and Byrdland and how it differs from the work she does with other people in the music industry.
“[Lapan and Edmonson] are heavy hitters in the DC music scene altogether,” Newbegin said. “They’re really kind, and they are really on the artist’s side. I feel like I’m in league with them, and fighting for the rights of artists, that’s their vibe.”
Edmonson handles a lot of hands-on, in person activities — her day might start at a storage facility grabbing records for Byrdland and end with her fixing in the ice machine at Songbyrd, all while working on staffing and payroll in between. Lapan takes care of all media and promotions, so posting on social media, sending out newsletters and checking show sales all fall into his list of duties.
Balancing the myriad ways people enjoy music between two different locations is a large task. This makes the day-to-day look different for Edmonson and Lapan and keeps the duo on their toes.
“The thing about having these two spaces that encapsulates like the beginning, middle and end of music kind of between recorded and live, is there’s always something to do,” Edmonson said. “They operate very differently.”
Additionally, Edmonson stressed how instrumental the staffing has been at Songbyrd and Byrdland combined.
“Having the staff ready to assist in that and giving them the knowledge so that they have knowledge to give to other people,” Edmonson said. “I think we’re very, very fortunate that our staff have been with us for a very long time. And so it makes it an easier team … we talk to each other, we know each other.”
All three of the concerts I attended felt exactly like what Edmonson and Lapan had envisioned when they set out to create somewhere that would foster a community centered on music. People turned towards the stage similarly to the way sunflowers turn towards the sun, only facing away from the main reason they came to Songbyrd to order a drink at the bar. The music Songbyrd brings to the masses grabs your attention in a way that many other music venues don’t; looking down at your phone for a second or going to the bathroom is detrimental.
At a place like Songbyrd, which has hosted artists and bands ranging from Tyler Childers to JPEGMafia to Turnstile, there’s never a lack of performers. However, even during the summer months that are dominated by touring acts, Lapan puts a heavy emphasis on giving a platform to local acts.
“Everybody likes the idea of local music,” Lapan said. “And there’s so many people that talk about it. Developing those people into show going fans is something that we think about and try to play a part in and there’s a lot kind of to that as well. Locals are almost always at least openers or support on some of the larger touring shows. So we’re even, you know, touring artists, we’re working with locals at all times.”
Anticipating the needs of any artists that perform at Songbyrd is a huge part of Edmonson and Lapan’s mission to accommodate all people who may be in attendance.
“I love that a musician can be like, ‘Hey, can we make the bathrooms all by nonbinary pool?’ They already are. ‘Hey, I have a nut allergy.’ Well, we don’t have any nuts in our building. ‘Hey, I need ADA.’ Well, we’re fully ADA compliant,” Edmonson said. “Those are really nice things to be like, we are already that. So you don’t need to ask us for that.”
Above all, the Songbyrd team just wants everyone they interact with to enjoy themselves and find a new musical family.
“The number one thing that matters to me is people seeing our name or coming in our door and having a good time,” Lapan said “Being treated well and coming away with a human experience.”
To check out photos from the Summer So(u)lstice Party, click here. To check out photos from the Sunset Sounds concert with Mambo Sauce, click here. To check out a recap reel Wild Side Media’s week with Songbyrd, click here.