Lauren Mayberry performed her first ever solo show in DC on Monday. Formerly known as the lead singer in the synth-pop band Chvrches, Mayberry has embarked on a solo career starting with her first single “Are You Awake?”, released this past Friday. The Scottish-born singer gained fame as the frontwoman in Chvrches, which has had a slew of hits including “The Mother We Share”, “Clearest Blue”, and “Recover”.

The concert at 9:30 Club marks the first time Mayberry has headlined a show as a solo act. After this show, Mayberry will join Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service for a series of concerts in and around the DC area, followed by a short trip up the East Coast. Following these shows, Lauren Mayberry will begin her solo tour September 16th. The tour will run through the end of October and covers both North America and Europe.

Opening the show was DC-local Rachel Brassie, who performs under the name BRASSIE. BRASSIE performed a fully acoustic set during the surprise performance. With just a guitar and a water bottle, BRASSIE worked the crowd up in anticipation of Mayberry. Citing Lana Del Rey as an influence, BRASSIE’s music features heartfelt, nostalgic, and sometimes angry lyrics that reflect on love and growth. Reminiscent of the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Billie Eilish, BRASSIE is a rising force in the alternative genre. Interacting with the audience throughout, BRASSIE was a fantastic opener for the show.

Lauren Mayberry appeared on stage looking absolutely ethereal. Wearing a floating dress and metallic, star-shaped makeup adorning her face, Mayberry was absolutely stunning as she greeted the crowd. Thanking the crowd profusely over the course of the show, Mayberry revealed she wasn’t sure people would come to a show where they didn’t know the music. Performing her new single as well as several unreleased songs, Mayberry introduced each track before the live debuts with a short description of when and why she wrote them.

When announcing her upcoming solo work, Lauren Mayberry shared in a press release that “For a long time, I couldn’t imagine ever doing anything outside of CHVRCHES,” she says. “But as I sail / stumble across through this era of my life, it has started to feel like there are things I want to write and say and do that need to be done on my own. This solo project, I hope, will be my fun, freaky, sad, weird, joyful pop playground and I am so looking forward to sharing it with you.” Her new music featured a blend of synth-pop ballads with a handful of emotional deep cuts sprinkled in. A standout song from the evening was “Crocodile Tears”, an upbeat post-breakup revenge track. The song has subtle Paramore vibes, and Mayberry instructed the crowd to howl throughout the chorus. She then jumped into a cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”, showing off her impressive vocal range.

Lauren Mayberry absolutely crushed her first ever headlining show. The 9:30 Club was the perfect stage for the singer’s solo debut. Kicking off the tour in the District, Mayberry’s performance was phenomenal. If you weren’t able to make it to Monday’s show, there’s still a couple of chances to see her in the region. Lauren Mayberry will open for Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service on the 6th at The Anthem, and again on the 14th at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Final Grade: A

About The Author

Dean Rogers

Editor-in-Chief/Entertainment Reporter

I knew early on that I wanted to take my place among the stars. One day, my mother saw me reading The Washington Post at a very young age. Who would have known that it would be the building blocks of my journey? Since that day, I dedicated my life to learn all that is learnable. I read everything from encyclopedias, to books, to dictionaries, to magazines. I’m also an avid consumer of television, with my favorite genre being game shows. If you’ve seen me on Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Wheel of Fortune, then you know that this interest has served me well!

My unique style of reporting began back in junior high school, when I started to chronicle the events that shaped my life. Whether it was the annual family vacation or the local science fiction convention, I shot numerous pictures and recorded my thoughts so I could truly appreciate the history. During my senior year at Friendly High, I wrote what was to be my first masterpiece, “Advanced Space Academy – A One Week Journey.” I sent the eleven-page article back to the U.S. Space Camp staff. The article was highly praised for being “one of the best written articles in the history of U.S. Space Camp.” From then on, I knew what I wanted to do for rest of my life — to be a reporter.

Since then, I have trained in Broadcast Journalism at Bowie State University (2008) in Bowie, MD earning a B.S. in Communications. I gained experience in news production and editing through field experiences with Bowie Community Media Corporation, Prince George’s Community Television, and Bowie State University Television. I also wrote scripts for a variety of quiz shows for over five years.

As a lifelong movie buff, I now see close to 100 films every year. I took this love of movies to the next step when I became a co-host for Eclipse Magazine TV in the fall of 2005. While at EMTV, I interviewed celebrities, worked red carpets, and attended a wide variety of movie screenings. In January 2009, I took a leap of faith and started my own entertainment news magazine, The Rogers Revue. Shortly afterward, my life-long journey of studying the silver screen and writing about what I learned finally earned me a place in the Washington Area Film Critics Association.

All of this has led me here, giving you the latest entertainment news for the DMV and the entire nation, and I am truly excited for whatever will come next.

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