Broke Royals
Songbyrd, Washington DC February 21, 2026
Washington DC bands can be a lot of things. They could be raucous or political or chaotic or subdued, but
Broke Royals have decided to carve out a lane for them themselves as the most professional, disciplined, mainstream pop rock band in Washington.
This may seem like low praise, but Broke Royals are traditionalists and they do it well. I’ve seen this band probably three or four times, and they are led by a friend of a friend of mine, Philip Basnight. Philip has led the band for over 10 years and they have assuredly made themselves out as the most consistent, professional, and affable band in the Washington area.
This is mostly because of his own enthusiastic, good-natured sensibility, and the band’s undeniable democratic nature. While Philip is the leader, his wife, Rebecca on keyboards is also an able frontwoman, and their bassist, guitarist and drummer all sing competently, and several even have lead vocals in concert.
The band was playing at Songbyrd to commemorate their newest record,
Campr, newly and independently released. This record has more lead vocals by Rebecca than any other previous Broke Royals record, and the band’s unflashy, but extremely professional, songwriting and arrangements lend everything an appealingly Springsteenian kind of pop-rock sheen. Philip is unabashed about his love of mainstream 80s rock, and he’s a very able commentator on that and other musical influences.
I’ve written about Broke Royals before — they are consistent and likable and exceedingly decent folks, but they’re not always a terrifically memorable band. Most of their songs are fun and not terribly heavy in subject matter, and the band has hooks in store but I don’t think they’re really power-pop; my friend (kindly) referred to them as DC’s version of Maroon Five. I personally think of them as a spiritual descendant of Huey Lewis and the News — fundamentally decent dudes and ladies doing earnest, upbeat mainstream rock, a genre that doesn’t actually exist now.
Phil led the band throughout but for the first time, I saw Rebecca on lead vocals for two of the songs, swapping out with her husband and letting him play keyboards. And I have to say, I was impressed. She always sang backup when I had seen the band play before, but she had real frontwoman energy – again nothing like punk rock but a proper 80s pop rock bandleader, maybe a Patty Smyth of Scandal circa “The Warrior.” I realize it’s mostly Phil’s band but maybe his better half is the … better half as the frontperson of the group? Seriously, listen to Rebecca’s opening vocal after the booming drums and snappy keyboards opening Campr, on “The Weather,” and you’re cast back to an imagined John Hughes soundtrack.
Opening acts were
You and Me And You, a fun outfit, two men and two women. I have seen this ensemble before -
The Post and the
Washington City Paper put out some nice profiles when they released their debut album,
Just to Keep them Happy, in 2023. I recall enjoying them then, but their professionalism has grown. The originals were all endearing country-inflected pop-rock, and they did a purely straight 90s cover of Shania Twain’s “Still the One” that had the crowd happily swaying and singing along. The band describes themselves as indie, but let’s be candid: You cannot do a Shania Twain cover with sincere affection if you don’t really love the pop-country genre without it succumbing to snideness or pastiche. You and Me and You’s members are clearly queer, or queer-friendly, and had no problems mixing up genders in their sweet and occasionally corny love songs and flirtations.
Midamerican Elevator were the second opener, from Chicago, and they were also engaging, although quite different. More in the vein of slightly scuffed-up 90s alternative-pop like Blake Babies or the ilk, with two female singers in harmony, as on the catchy “Undercover.”
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2026 02:19PM by zwirnm.
