Somewhere in Arlington, within the confines of a town hall run by the punk activist group Positive Force, Tsunami was formed. Nearly 35 years later, the indie-rock group makes its return: on November 8, it releases Strong is likea five-LP collection containing all of the band’s singles, a series of demos released in 1991, and remasters of three of their four albums. The band also announced their first tour in over two decades.

Singers Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson were roommates in Positive Force. The duo, who had already launched the label Simple Machines, founded Tsunami in the late 1990s. Keeping the DIY spirit, the band created a unique sound in the DC indie-rock music landscape: slower but still upbeat with complex melodies borrowed from the developing genre of math rock, Riot Grrrl, and a touch of twee.

Tsunami released four albums and dozens of singles during its seven-year peak. They have toured the United States and Britain, performed at festivals and played alongside local artists and big names such as Elliott Smith and Alice in Chains. The band fizzled out around 1998 but never really broke up, returning for sporadic gigs throughout the 2000s. Last year, Tsunami signed Group Numbera label focused on reissuing music.

The band has a few standalone shows booked in 2023 through Numero. In September, Tsunami announced the release of Strong as it is, which also includes a book of essays and photos from the 90s.

Next year they’ll hit the road to tour with the band Idaa frequent collaborator that Toomey and Thomson worked with at Simple Machines. The bands will hit the road in March 2025 for a national tour. They will stop at Black Cat on March 27.

Strong is like is available on Tsunami Band Campand tickets for the DC show can be found at their website.