Sitting in the worn leather chairs of SPOT Coffee, Buffalo native Mairead Cloherty recalls her first performance with Washington Highway, “I thought it was out of a movie. From meeting the managers to doing soundcheck, it was an out of body experience.” 

Washington Highway has no relation to the state nor the nation’s capital, but rather is a family band from Buffalo, New York. Mairead plays alongside two of her brothers (Conan and Aidan Cloherty), her cousin (Patrick Zerkle), and her brother’s friend (Matthew Keane). The name is a clever reference to the street where the band’s parents grew up, and where some family members still reside. Mairead has grown up in a musical family, playing flute and violin before moving to guitar like her brothers. Her brother, Conan, has been writing for a long time, even releasing his music to streaming platforms. For some of the songs though, Mairead has been able to write and sing on them. With all of her contributions, the family decided that they would create a band this summer. “It’s new for everyone, and fun to just try something new,” she explained. 

While Mairead is able to see her siblings quite a bit, the full five piece band was only able to practice the night before their debut show, as the bassist currently resides in Chicago. Despite only a small bit of practice, the show was a total success. The band opened for indie rock band Prairie Pavement at The Caz, a former bank turned 400 capacity venue in South Buffalo. The band played countless melodious original songs with catchy hooks, as well as a stunning rendition of The Cure’s “Lovesong.” After the lively performance, the venue told Washington Highway that their show was one of the busiest since the venue opened in the fall of 2024. With the excitement around Washington Highway’s debut, Mairead says that they are hoping to play a few more shows this summer before she heads across the country to California for her sophomore year of college. 

With influences like Fleetwood Mac and The Marcus King Band, Mairead is constantly coming up with witty lyrics for songs. If she’s in the living room while her brother is working on a song, she’ll always help add lyrics to the guitar riffs he dreams up. Mairead loves creating fake scenarios in her head for songs, which is highlighted in her storytelling in Washington Highway’s songs. 

Washington Highway is just getting started, and Mairead is excited to see where it goes. From writing in her living room to playing packed venues, the band has already come so far in such a short amount of time. Be sure to check out frontman Conan Cloherty’s music on your favorite streaming platform while we wait for the full band to record. Also, keep on the lookout for Washington Highway shows by following their Instagram (@washingtonhighway).