Instead of calling the fire department, BURNHOUSE called Baton Rouge residents to get funky with them at the Varsity Theatre on March 10.
The band is made up of three LSU students: guitarist and finance sophomore Logan Maggio, drummer and marketing junior Jude Housewright and lead singer/bassist and marketing junior, Michael Rayburn.
“We are only a three member band, but our sound is full for a small band,” Rayburn said. “It feels natural playing with these guys on stage.”
The band released their newest album, “The Fugitive,” at the show Saturday after working on it for two years. The album is produced by Jack Miele and will soon be available on Spotify, Apple Music and most other music streaming sites.
“It’s a blend of rock and funk, but mostly rock,” Housewright said. “Michael and I have been working on it for a while, and when Logan joined the band, it all came together.”
Housewright and Rayburn said they began to practice together at a young age with their fathers practicing with them. As they grew older, Rayburn began singing and the two of them eventually broke off playing with their fathers to start their own band.
The band’s name is a combination of their last names and a subtle shoutout to their dads, Mark Rayburn and Brian Housewright, who brought them together. At first, Rayburn and Housewright only performed acoustic covers. Now, they have two original albums.
Maggio joined the band in July 2017. He had just left another band, and BURNHOUSE happened to be looking for a new guitarist. Their first performance as a trio was a few weeks after Maggio joined, and they performed covers at The House in Tigerland on Tuesday nights.
“We hadn’t even practiced much as a group before we performed at Tigerland, but we clicked well so it didn’t matter,” Rayburn said.
BURNHOUSE now identifies as a classic rock band with a funk twist. “The Fugitive” is a reflection of the band’s local style. They said they are inspired by AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns N’ Roses.
The band’s favorite songs from the album is “Painted Pictures.” The song talks about anxiety and how it can control our lives. It has been in the works for over two years, being perfected and tweaked so that it could accurately depict the real aspects of anxiety.
“The song is something that we’re all really proud of,” Rayburn said. “It’s a classic rock song that sort of has an ‘80s vibe. It’s about anxiety and is true to who we are.”
The band is dedicated to their listeners and wants to travel to other colleges to perform. They are continuing to work on new music, while still practicing covers. Overall, they want to keep performing for people who genuinely appreciate their music and a genre that will never die out. They still perform at local venues on Tuesdays, like they did when they first began.
“Our performance Tuesday will last about two hours and you can expect to probably see Michael shirtless within the first five minutes,” Housewright said.