Small venues can serve as a sanctuary of sorts for well-known musicians who prefer to step off the beaten path to play the most intimate of shows and connect with people in a comfortable setting.
There’s perhaps none in DC better suited to host such a relaxing and comfortable engagement than Rhizome, the community-operated arts space snugged in Takoma.
Rhizome, it turns out, is a favorite stop for Bill MacKay, a prolific guitarist, singer, composer, and writer based in Chicago and a respected member of the Drag City roster.
MacKay just a few weeks ago released his newest work, an absorbing and expansive solo recording titled Locust Land. Out to promote the record in humble fashion, MacKay lined up a series of recent appearances at nooks throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
The night of June 6, he visited Rhizome, a spot that makes him feel at home.
“It’s great to be back at Rhizome again,” MacKay told those gathered last Thursday in the first floor living room; some folks watched from the kitchen, others from the adjacent hallway.
Listen to the new album from Bill MacKay, Locust Land, via Spotify:
Before his set, MacKay shared that his pieces are written to be, at their foundation, a lot like folk songs that he can perform by himself.
Stripping away some of the layers on his latest recording, he offered natural takes on the intrepid title track and a few others like “When I Was Here” and “Half of You.” He opened the set with “Flight Logs” — a piece he created for a 2020 documentary with the same title, but that has yet to be released — and “Arcadia,” a gripped rumination from his 20219 album Fountain Fire.
With a short but compelling set, MacKay casually showcased his ingenuity and expansive vision as a composer as well as his uncommon expression.
“A holy space. A sacred space. A temple,” he added more praise for Rhizome. “Thanks for coming out.”
Bill MacKay setlist
Flight Logs
When I Was Here
Half of You
Locust Land
Keeping In Time
Arcadia
Below are images of Bill MacKay, as well as Catherine Sikora & David Menestres and Dave Heumann, performing at Rhizome on June 6, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
Bill MacKay
Catherine Sikora & David Menestres
Dave Heumann
