Stripped down songs with no bass, no drums, no support of any kind — just one person with a guitar and a microphone. No other setting provides such a transparent view.

This sort of presentation can take unsuspecting ticketholders by surprise but can nevertheless prove to be an unforgettable and intimate experience. Such was the case the night of Sept. 6 for the fans who made their way to Black Cat in Washington DC, where they’d find Damon McMahon all by his self.

The musician behind the Brooklyn-born Amen Dunes, McMahon is out in promotion of the project’s sixth and newest record — Death Jokes — but in small clubs he’s been taking a different approach. He’s been splitting his sets, first sharing favorites from the Amen Dunes catalogue in solo acoustic form and then performing tunes from the new record with only a mic in his hand and a backing track.

Listen to the newest album from Amen Dunes, Death Jokes, released on Sub Pop in May, via Spotify:

As dark as it was last Friday in the 14th Street venue, those on hand still got a clean look at the talented Philly-born artist, who has lived all over the world and brings a unique perspective to the songwriting he began in the early 2000s. He rose to prominence over the following decade, and his 2018 release, Freedom, was met with critical acclaim.

McMahon has openly discussed the abuse he suffered in his youth, and his newest release is a pivot both sonically and spiritually, as Death Jokes examines the toxicity in American culture.

He’d have to overcome a technical glitch at Black Cat as speakers went mute for a stretch toward the end of the set. But McMahon rose above it to showcase his music in undecorated fashion. Though soft-spoken and gentle, he wields wisdom and exudes bravery in his lyrics, and he uses his evolving songs to compelling effect.

Amen Dunes Setlist

Acoustic
Freedom
Saturdarah
IKM
Bedroom
Rugby
Green Eyes
Miki Dora
Love
Believe

Electric backed
Ian
What I Want
Boys
Exodus
I Don’t Mind
Purple Land

Below are images of Amen Dunes along with the night’s opening act, Mabe Fratti, performing at Black Cat in Washington DC on Sept. 6, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.

Amen Dunes

Mabe Fratti