Will Westerman has been open about his recent embrace of spontaneity in the process of writing songs and recording.
But as he set out this month for the United States, the London-born, Athens-based musician, who records and performs under his surname, found himself up against the unexpected on his current tour across America.
Originally planned as a full-band — a trio — show, Westerman arrived in Washington DC recently as a two-man operation. While temporarily losing a member of the band to snarled travel would hamper the immediate plans for most, Westerman seized the opportunity to deliver a beautiful performance to the intimate crowd on hand.
Playing songs from his latest and most acclaimed record to date, A Jackal’s Wedding, Westerman mesmerized The Atlantis the evening of March 19, using his distant, tender voice and a variety of instruments to offer up stunning takes on tracks like “About Leaving” and “Nevermind.”
Listen to Westerman’s latest album, A Jackal’s Wedding:
He was assisted by Jacob Grissom on drums, but he could only wonder about Daniel McIntyre, his Irish bass player and backup vocalist.
“I’m really happy to be here,” he told the audience. “We were not sure we were going to be able to be come. The world is quite strange, currently. And we’re down one band member. So please, spare a thought for Dan, who’s stuck in — I don’t even know where Dan is currently. But wherever he is, I’m hoping he’ll be able to get here at some point.”
Albeit a departure from what Westerman had planned for his stop in the nation’s capital, he shared his music with grace and ardor and presented a breathtaking set of songs.
Below are images of Westerman performing at the Atlantis in Washington DC the night of March 19, 2026. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
