“We believe that there should be a place in our city for creative arts to thrive and sustain,” Joe Lapan, Co-owner, @songbyrddc and @byrdlandrecords. Joe Lapan and partner Alisha Edmonson long dreamt of a sacred but approachable music space that was welcoming and comfortable for music fans of all stripes. They first opened Songbyrd at Adams Morgan in 2015 before moving to its ‘airy’ location at Union Market District in 2021, where it has continued to be an incubator and launchpad for up-and-coming local and national bands looking to gain a foothold in the DC region. Songbyrd gave DC music lovers their “I saw them when” moments, hosting artists like Khalid, Shaed, Jessie Reyez, Homeshake, Tank & the Bangas, Lil Peep, Free Nationals and Xavier Omar before they hit it big. Lapan and Edmonson opened Byrdland records at Union Market District a year earlier, in 2020, which is now your go-to shop for vinyl records, turntables and all your vinyl music needs. Launch. Scale. Innovate. #cheersto10years 🎉