EXHIBIT - Selena Noir Jackson: Faces of America
Jan
11
to Feb 1

EXHIBIT - Selena Noir Jackson: Faces of America

Exhibit runs January 11 - February 1
Opening Reception: Sunday January 11, 3-5pm
Artist Talk: Thursday January 15, 7:30pm
Live Portraiture Demonstration: Tuesday January 20, 7:30pm
Closing Reception: Sunday February 1, 3-5pm
Open during all events, or email us (info@rhizomedc.org) to schedule a different time to view

Rhizome DC presents “Faces of America,” a Solo Exhibition by Selena Noir Jackson - A Living Archive of Untold Stories and Contemporary Identity - Curated by: Babatunde Olufon

What sets Jackson’s work apart is the depth of connection behind many portraits. Longstanding friendships, such as her 14-year relationship with Michaelanne from Anacostia, generate portraits filled with authenticity and lived knowledge. Her choice to paint artists including Lew, Roxxy, Paulino, Var, and Niki reflects her investment in creative communities and mutual recognition across marginalized groups.

“Trained in classical oil techniques, I use the language of the old masters to build a visual practice rooted in care, inquiry, and dignity. Each figure I paint is rendered with attention to light, surface, and symbolism—mirrors, natural elements, and compositional choices that speak to protection, reflection, and transformation. These are not passive representations; they are living embodiments of memory and becoming.”

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"a shrine for us" a work-in-progress showing by niki afsar - performance
Jan
29
7:30 PM19:30

"a shrine for us" a work-in-progress showing by niki afsar - performance

Thursday January 29 * 7:30pm * Free / donations * RSVP

artist niki afsar shows their current work in progress, "a shrine for us," an installation involving suspended mirror shard "curtains" that mimic the mirrored shrines and aristocratic architecture of Iran (the artist's heritage country.) a queer iranian-american of Tehran-born parents, afsar has remained captivated by the ecstatic visual metaphor of one's fractured reflection, nestled within the dogmatic, hierarchical markers of status and sacredness in Iranian culture. working exclusively with shattered and discarded mirrors, afsar insists that the queer body is sacred--despite the violence that dogma has inflicted upon us--and that our existence persists as a result of our ecstatic commitments to love and freedom. commitments made only sharper and stronger by power's attempts to destroy and discard us.

the performance on thursday, january 29 at 7:30 pm will run 30 minutes and will involve the artist's body in conversation with the mirrors. the artist will invite viewers to experience themselves in the mirrors.

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Mt Plantry presents 4x4x5: An Alternative Darkroom Fair
Jan
31
12:00 PM12:00

Mt Plantry presents 4x4x5: An Alternative Darkroom Fair

Saturday January 31 * 12-5pm * $15-30 * REGISTER

Mt Plantry is back at Rhizome on January 31st for 4x4x5: An Alternative Darkroom Fair! When you enter, we'll snap a 4"x5" portrait (of you, your art, an object you love, anything!) which you'll develop in coffee. Then you'll take the negative to 3 different stations, each with its own alternative printing process to make 3 very different printed interpretations of your negative. So you'll leave with 4 4x5s (aka 4x4x5!). Keep an eye out as we reveal each of the alt processes over the next few weeks! Admission is $15, with donations over $15 going to DC Migrant Mutual Aid.

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Crochet 101 - Applique and patches
Feb
1
11:00 AM11:00

Crochet 101 - Applique and patches

Sunday February 1 * 11 am * $15 suggested * REGISTER

Learn how to fix that hole on your sleeve with a crochet patch. We will learn the basics of how to make and attach shapes that add detail to projects or can be used to repair holes. No experience necessary, but recommended for best experience: slip knot, single crochet, chain stitch. Supplies will be provided, but bring your own if you like!

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Prabir Mehta / Naoco Wowsugi & Maya Glicksman
Feb
1
7:00 PM19:00

Prabir Mehta / Naoco Wowsugi & Maya Glicksman

Sunday February 1 * 7pm * $15-25 * TICKETS

Prabir Mehta: Prabir will be playing music from his latest album "Prabir From Yoga, Meditation, and The Rest of Life" - a guitar based exploration of various ancient raags. A collection of songs curated for a yoga and meditation practices. Prabir reaches deep into his family roots and offers a new approach to these sacred, treasured aspects of life on the subcontinent of India. Offering some sounds that lead the ear to calm.

Naoco Wowsugi is an interdisciplinary, community-engaged artist. Wowsugi’s extensive fieldwork includes community gong baths that activate the gong as an instrument for deep, broad, and collective listening experiences, often offered on a moon-cycle basis. 

Maya Glicksman draws from her background in earth science and personal connections with land to imagine an environmentally just and resilient future. Her work explores intersections of food, community wellness, and climate resilience in Washington DC. Sound and fermentation are core components of her experimental practice.

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"a shrine for us" a work-in-progress showing by niki afsar - artist discussion
Feb
2
6:00 PM18:00

"a shrine for us" a work-in-progress showing by niki afsar - artist discussion

Monday February 2 * 6pm * Free / donations * RSVP

artist niki afsar shows their current work in progress, "a shrine for us," an installation involving suspended mirror shard "curtains" that mimic the mirrored shrines and aristocratic architecture of Iran (the artist's heritage country.) a queer iranian-american of Tehran-born parents, afsar has remained captivated by the ecstatic visual metaphor of one's fractured reflection, nestled within the dogmatic, hierarchical markers of status and sacredness in Iranian culture. working exclusively with shattered and discarded mirrors, afsar insists that the queer body is sacred--despite the violence that dogma has inflicted upon us--and that our existence persists as a result of our ecstatic commitments to love and freedom. commitments made only sharper and stronger by power's attempts to destroy and discard us.

the artist discussion on monday, february 2 at 6:00 pm will be a talk facilitated by Fargo Tbakhi in which participants will be asked to share thoughts and feedback, and to be in conversation directly with the artist.

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Rachel Beetz - Tone Keepers & James Tenney's "In A Large Open Space"
Feb
4
7:00 PM19:00

Rachel Beetz - Tone Keepers & James Tenney's "In A Large Open Space"

Wednesday February 4 * 7pm * $10-30 * TICKETS

Outside Time presents a night celebrating the release of Tone Keepers, a new album of compositions for flute and piccolo by Rachel Beetz.

Rachel will begin the evening by performing Tone Keepers in its entirety. Each piece revolves around a simple but inventive technique for generating acoustic sound coupled with a discrete mode of electronic processing, spinning out variations on the unique effect it produces. She encourages sounds to crystalize rather than expand, uncovering new permutations and emotional dimensions as curiosity leads her forward. The evening will culminate with Rachel leading a performance of James Tenney's "In A Large Open Space," scored for "any 12 or more sustaining instruments." The audience will be invited to move freely among the musicians, who will be spread throughout Rhizome. Performers will be drawn from throughout the DMV's vibrant experimental music communities.

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Microcinema: Before Disappearing by Linleyi Xu
Feb
5
7:00 PM19:00

Microcinema: Before Disappearing by Linleyi Xu

Thursday February 5 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

I create documentaries about ordinary lives, nostalgia, and memory in rural China: micro worlds you don’t see on the news. I want to protect what existed before the Internet: an old style of life that has quietly continued for thousands of years but is now about to disappear in modern life.

This is my first Chinese documentary series, Before Disappearing. It records the unique dialects of my hometown through my grandma’s experience. I want to show you the voice and language that AI cannot recreate: spoken within a small town, carried through daily life, rarely found online, and vanishing as generations change.

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OFFSITE - Matthew Shipp, solo piano
Feb
6
7:00 PM19:00

OFFSITE - Matthew Shipp, solo piano

Friday February 6 * doors at 7, music at 7:30 * OFFSITE at Tonal Park * $25-35 * TICKETS

Transparent Productions presents pianist Matthew Shipp, solo, at Tonal Park Studios. Tonal Park is at 7014-C Westmoreland Ave, Takoma Park, MD. Enter through the WOWD entrance at 7014-B. Any questions, email Transparent at transparentprods AT gmail DOT com; please don’t contact Tonal Park.

New York City-based pianist, MATTHEW SHIPP, has collaborated with, among others, David S. Ware, William Parker, Joe Morris, Roscoe Mitchell, Matt Maneri, Darius Jones, Michael Bisio, and Gerald Cleaver. Downbeat describes Shipp as “the connection between the past, present and future for jazzheads of all ages” and as “a musician who deserves a place of choice in the jazz piano pantheon.” He is the author of the book “Black Mystery School Pianists and Other Writings” which was published earlier this year. Shipp’s latest solo piano recording is “The Cosmic Piano” on Cantaloupe Music: https://matthewshipp.bandcamp.com/album/the-cosmic-piano

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whitepicketfence / little a / Boat Burning
Feb
6
7:00 PM19:00

whitepicketfence / little a / Boat Burning

Friday February 6 * doors at 7, show at 8 * $15 * TICKETS

whitepicketfence -  Inspired by the likes of John Cage, Heroin (the band), The Dead C, and DC punk writ large, Chris Lauterbach (Your Majesty) and Katy Otto (Trophy Wife) have combined forces in their new outfit whitepicketfence. A project over fifteen years in the making, this guitar/drums overblown duo writes ear splitting songs of the quiet desperation and seething fury that modern life provokes.

little a - DC punks making their own noise. Previous members of1905, Birds and Wires, Blue Bodies, Body/Cop, Forensics, & Tiny Bombs.

Boat Burning - Founded by Andras Fekete (1956-2018), BOAT BURNING plays "maximum minimalism" -- elemental phrases that create towers of densely stacked harmonics. The resulting sound combines the wide-screen sweep of classical with the physical thrall of punk.

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Puppet Lab
Feb
7
10:00 AM10:00

Puppet Lab

First Saturday of the month * 10am-noon * to REGISTER, please email rhizomepuppetlab@gmail.com

Rhizome Puppet Lab is committed to the performance side of puppetry. It supports the development of works in progress. You can present work for feedback or direct others in the lab to improvise or puzzle out specific scenes. You may use the group to figure out how your show might work. Anyone may lead a lab about any aspect of performance.

Puppet Lab’s purpose is to be a hub for all those interested in puppet theater who would benefit from: boosting creative power; honing puppet-manipulation skills; cross-pollinating ideas; receiving feedback about works in progress; building puppet community. Types of labs have included shadows, Laban, suspense, metaphor, music, voice, Clown, character development, props, table top, humanette, hand puppets, and much more. Open to all levels of experience.

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Group Date - A Rhizome LARP
Feb
7
1:00 PM13:00

Group Date - A Rhizome LARP

Saturday February 7 * 1pm * Free / donations * REGISTER

Live Action Role Play is a combination of improv, theater, physical movement, crafts, and just about any genre of story you can think of! All are welcome to these 2-hour LARPs hosted at Rhizome DC, whether you're completely new to the artform or a seasoned veteran.

On Saturday, February 7 from 1-3 pm we're getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day with Group Date by Sara Williamson. In this game for 4-9 people, two groups of players give voice to the different parts of two people's psyches and play out their first three dates before the 'define the relationship.' It's funny, fast-paced, and won't take up your date night!

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Intro to Vocal Feminization Workshop
Feb
7
3:00 PM15:00

Intro to Vocal Feminization Workshop

Saturday February 7 * 3pm * $25 / scholarships available * REGISTER

This is an in-person workshop on the basics of vocal feminization: raising your pitch, shifting your resonance, and sustaining your trained voice. It'll be interactive, so come prepared to try the exercises in a judgment-free setting. Instructor: Jessica Austin

Scholarships available - please email info@rhizomedc.org

To find out more about me or schedule private lessons, visit my website: https://thetransjessicaaustin.com/

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2026 Fun-A-Day Showcase
Feb
8
to Feb 22

2026 Fun-A-Day Showcase

Sunday February 8 * 2-5pm * $5 suggested * RSVP

Showcase exhibit will remain open through February 21. Open during all events, or email us to make an appointment.

Come celebrate creativity, fun, and community with us as we display this year’s Fun-A-Day projects!

Please let us know if you are thinking about showing your work, by signing up for the project here.  Bring all or some or just one piece of the work you’ve created for D.C.’s Fun-A-Day 2026 Showcase!  Click through for Drop-off & Pick-up info below, please.

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TRHÄ + BARBELITH / Mass Ego / Pilau
Feb
8
7:00 PM19:00

TRHÄ + BARBELITH / Mass Ego / Pilau

Sunday February 8 * doors at 7, show at 7:30 * $15 * TICKETS

TRHÄ + BARBELITH - Combining black metal with elements of atmospheric & ambient music but with a concentrated improvisational core. https://barbelith.bandcamp.com/album/barbelith-trh

Mass Ego - Blackened Hardcore from Baltimore
https://massego.bandcamp.com/track/sinking-ship

Pilau - Hardcore Punk / Grind from DC
https://council-records.bandcamp.com/album/pressure

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LMB / Will Evans & Rinatt Montoya / Walsh Kunkel
Feb
9
7:00 PM19:00

LMB / Will Evans & Rinatt Montoya / Walsh Kunkel

Monday February 9 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

LMB is an improvised duo from Washington, D.C. consisting of Abe Mamet (French horn and effects) and Jamie Sandel (violin and effects). With all their music, the duo tries to use practiced improvisation to seek beauty and peace within the spaces they play and communities they play with. As well, both Jamie and Abe use the platform to dive deeper into the worlds of their instruments, seeking new sounds, modes, and relationships with music-making devices.

Will Evans is a trumpet player and composer based in Richmond, Virginia. Working in a variety of styles but primarily rooted in jazz / Black American improvisational music while drawing from and fusing a wide range of styles and traditions, Will makes feeling-first music that prioritizes honesty, emotionality, and connection. Rinatt Montoya  is a guitarist and composer based in Richmond, VA. His improvisations explore the convergence of ambient soundscapes and aggressive noise guitar. The two come together in a new improvised duo.

Walsh Kunkel is a guitarist, composer, label curator and electronic musician hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. Here, Kunkel will debut a new solo work exploring interplay between improvisation, jazz, pop, and song-form.

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JeJaWeDa Quartet / Bao Nguyen
Feb
12
7:00 PM19:00

JeJaWeDa Quartet / Bao Nguyen

Thursday February 12 * 7pm * $15-25 * TICKETS

JeJaWeDa Quartet
Jeb Bishop – trombone, electronics
Jaap Blonk – voice, electronics
Weasel Walter – drums, percussion
Damon Smith – double bass

Jaap Blonk (www.jaapblonk.com) is unique for his powerful stage presence and playful freedom in improvisation, combined with a keen grasp of structure. The frenetically prolific bandleader/composer/multi-instrumentalist Weasel Walter summons myriad timbres from a (mostly) conventional drum kit, while also bringing a strong performative element to the proceedings. Jeb Bishop is an extraordinary improviser, composer, and simply one of the finest living trombonists, and has been a major voice in improvised music for more than 20 years. Tireless organizer, improviser, and Balance Point Acoustics label head Damon Smith expands both the sound world of the double bass and the roles it can play in an ensemble. The sonic result of this alchemical gamble is a wide-open, unruly field of play where anything can and will happen. The band’s performances run the gamut from delicate chamber textures to cracked-video-game burbling to all-out electronic meltdowns.

Bao Nguyen is a performance and visual artist based in Baltimore and raised in Vietnam. They improvise through movement, action, voice and words to unravel a range of emotions. Recently, they recited Cardi B’s “WAP”, rolled in a blanket while being naked, ate soil, scolded the audience and asked for their keys. Bao messes up the DIY and institutional spaces they perform in to uncover collective intimacy, openness and vulnerability.

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Exit Angles (album release) / Red Sunflower / Alma Laprida & Harley
Feb
13
6:30 PM18:30

Exit Angles (album release) / Red Sunflower / Alma Laprida & Harley

Friday February 13 * doors at 6:30, show at 7 * $12-24 * TICKETS

Exit Angles is here and now punk ROCK, formed in Wheeling, WV, in 2021 by Jay Demko (ex singer/guitarist of the post hardcore band Lincoln). Their debut album, A Sickness and a Fire, was released in March 2023 by Blind Rage Records and mixed by J. Robbins (Jawbox). Their 2nd album, Iterate,released April 2024 on their own label, Intentional Grounding. They toured after its release supporting Brainiac, and then Explosions in the Sky. A third album is set to release in February 2026 with touring to follow.

Red Sunflower is a DC-based instrumental trio formed by brothers Kiyan Saifi (guitar) and Teymour Saifi (bass), with Jaden Shahin on drums. The band explores noise, textural improvisation, and experimental rock. Drawing on the energy of punk and free music, Red Sunflower favors intensity and unpredictability over convention.

Alma Laprida + Harley / Harley + Alma Laprida
A duo of tromba marina and turntable

Alma Laprida is a musician and multi-disciplinary artist whose creative pursuits encompass composition, improvisation, performance, installation, instrument building and radiophonic pieces. She’s known for her work with the tromba marina, a rare string instrument mostly used between the Middle Ages and the Baroque eras in Europa.

Harley is a city girl and a lifelong musician who in another life was a classical singer. Since getting a pair of turntables, she's been playing with the different sounds she can bring out of records. She invites you to come and decide if she's making noise or music. She also uses turntables to DJ, both solo and as part of Free Pussy, an all-female vinyl party.

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Online Puppet Lab
Feb
14
11:30 AM11:30

Online Puppet Lab

2nd Saturday of the month * online at 1130am Eastern * to REGISTER, please email rhizomepuppetlab@gmail.com

Rhizome Puppet Lab is committed to the performance side of puppetry. It supports the development of works in progress. You can present work for feedback or direct others in the lab to improvise or puzzle out specific scenes. You may use the group to figure out how your show might work. Anyone may lead a lab about any aspect of performance.

Puppet Lab’s purpose is to be a hub for all those interested in puppet theater who would benefit from: boosting creative power; honing puppet-manipulation skills; cross-pollinating ideas; receiving feedback about works in progress; building puppet community. Types of labs have included shadows, Laban, suspense, metaphor, music, voice, Clown, character development, props, table top, humanette, hand puppets, and much more. Open to all levels of experience.

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Exquisite Corpse: A Collaborative 16mm Film Workshop
Feb
14
1:00 PM13:00

Exquisite Corpse: A Collaborative 16mm Film Workshop

Saturday February 14 * 1pm * $10-20 * REGISTER

Participants are invited to select, modify, and animate directly onto 16mm film scraps or blank polyester film using permanent markers or tools to scratch the emulsion from the surface. Work produced during this workshop will be spliced together to make a singular short collaborative film. The resulting short film will be projected at the end of the session. The film will be scanned and distributed to workshop participants who wish to receive a link via email after the session. 

Instructor Emily Francisco is a sculptress utilizing signal flow as medium. Born in Honolulu, raised in the lead belt, educated in Saint Louis and the District of Columbia - she has exhibited work internationally and occasionally performs around Washington DC.

Results from a previous workshop at Hillyer Art Space: https://vimeo.com/1091366265

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Death Cafe
Feb
15
3:00 PM15:00

Death Cafe

Sunday February 15 * 3-5pm * RSVP

Death Cafes are opportunities for people to enjoy refreshments together and discuss the topic of death. The objective is to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” There are Death Cafes all over the country. What's on your mind about death and dying? Contact Death Cafe Facilitators Margaret Branch at margaret603@gmail.com or Monica Lynch at mlynch19@comcast.net.. Death Cafes are NOT therapy, grief support, or counseling sessions. Cost: Free (small donation for the space encouraged)

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Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk - a film by Sepideh Farsi
Feb
16
7:00 PM19:00

Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk - a film by Sepideh Farsi

Monday February 16 * doors at 7pm * $10+ * TICKETS

DC for Palestine presents...

Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk - a film by Sepideh Farsi

An intimate window into life in Gaza amidst Israeli bombardment, captured through video calls with photojournalist Fatima Hassouna. 2025.

$10+ with all proceeds going to Gaza mutual aid efforts

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Jeff Barsky / No One and the Somebodies / Nice Breeze
Feb
18
6:30 PM18:30

Jeff Barsky / No One and the Somebodies / Nice Breeze

Wednesday February 18 * doors at 6:30, show at 7 * $10-20 * TICKETS

Jeff Barsky - moonlit melodies from Silver Spring, MD

No One and the Somebodies - all-sibling weird-punk from NYC

Nice Breeze - The trio of John Howard, Martha Hamilton & Andy Fox churn out solid, hook-laden, bullseye-pop gems by the bushel. Must be something in that Potomac water supply, because Everything Disappears delivers in a way that evokes the lost wryness of Tru Fax And The Insaniacs matched with the going-for-it gusto of Iridescence era Half Japanese. DC area bands have always seemed to possess that extra digit when it comes to honing a particular strain of post punk expression & Nice Breeze are no exception.

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¡FIASCO! / Hunter Koray & Zulfugar
Feb
19
6:30 PM18:30

¡FIASCO! / Hunter Koray & Zulfugar

Thursday February 19 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * $20-30 * TICKETS

Washington DC-based ¡FIASCO! was first assembled in 2016 building a unique repertoire of sounds and materials rooted in droning folk songs, jittery hip-hop grooves, grunge, and punk rock. ¡FIASCO! was signed to Unit Records in 2023 and released their Unit debut Anger Artist in January 2024. Throughout years of club gigs, experimentation with original and re-imagined repertoire, and growing sophistication with electronics and effects, combining a jazz form with rock aesthetics and attitude, ¡FIASCO! built a following and a sound uniquely their own. Andrew Frankhouse (sax), Nelson Dougherty (guitar), Steve Arnold (bass), Keith Butler, Jr. (drums).

Hunter, Koray, and Zulfugar are a trio of improvisers with one foot in fusion, jazz, and funk, and the other in outer space. This high-energy group straddles this line, playing mind-bending impromptu compositions that expand horizons.

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Indigo Ranch / Weapons Envelope / Levogyre
Feb
20
7:00 PM19:00

Indigo Ranch / Weapons Envelope / Levogyre

Friday February 20 * $10-20 * 7pm * TICKETS

Indigo Ranch: Reminiscent of C86-era pop music enveloped in a wall of hiss, Indigo Ranch is Emily Eichelberger (guitar, vocals) and John Pyle (bass, drum machine) of Philadelphia, PA, past and current members of Oaken Tower, Pleasure Island, and Louie Louie. Described as, “A contrite and rainy release, remnant of the saddest and most obscure UK 80s indie pop. The snare is only static as you pass through stations on the radio at 2am. The kick is your pulse. Every song is an unclear disclosure, late night confession, or phone booth lullaby. Neil Taylor would be proud." Or more concisely: Mazzy Star with muscle, Ladytron on cough syrup or if Joy Division was born in Sonora.

Weapons Envelope: harsh noise and power electronics by Emily Haugh (DC). War poetry for remembering.

Levogyre: Found and transmitted sound from DC.

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Artists Recovering Together
Feb
21
12:00 PM12:00

Artists Recovering Together

Saturday February 21 * 12pm * $20 * REGISTER

A.R.T. Artists Recovering Together

Expressive painting can help us release stress and gain emotional resilience by uncovering subconscious thoughts and feelings that are difficult to put into words.

In this workshop we will use acrylic inks to create process-based paintings in community with others recovering from addiction. Goals include connection with others, gaining a deeper understanding of our inner worlds, and discovering new ways to use art as a coping mechanism. Facilitated by Kanchan Balsé. Materials included. Email info@rhizomedc.org for scholarships.

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Modular Meetup
Feb
22
12:00 PM12:00

Modular Meetup

Sunday February 22 * noon-4pm * $5-10 suggested * RSVP

The DC Modular Society is a group focused on learning, teaching, and performing electronic music with modular synths. DCMS meetups are open to all with an interest in electronic music, modular and other hardware synths, and hybrid systems for creating and performing music. We encourage and support building a diverse and inclusive community—if you’re wondering if you belong—the answer is yes! No equipment is necessary to attend meetups, but feel free to bring gear if you like. Mixer and PA system provided. We frequently do informal demos of synths and electronic music techniques.

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Raphael Rogiński / Kimia Hesabi
Feb
22
5:00 PM17:00

Raphael Rogiński / Kimia Hesabi

Sunday February 22 * 5pm * $15-30 * TICKETS

Presented by Outside Time. Runs 5-8pm. Homemade soup will be available to attendees. This will be an intimate, early evening performance. 

Raphael Roginski is a guitarist, composer, improviser, cultural animator and researcher of musical folklore. Educated in jazz and classical music, his interests include musicology and ethnomusicology, which combine in his work in terms of both composition and performance, referencing Jewish culture, blues and more. For this performance he will be performing original arrangements of Crimean Tartar music. His LPs have been released by Unsound to acclaim. Read an interview about his interpretations of John Coltrane's music here.

Dr. Kimia Hesabi is a violist, educator, and administrator currently residing in the D.C area. Kimia is an active performer and has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra musician in various prestigious concert halls across the country as well as her home country Iran. A recent appearance includes performing at NPR’s Tiny Desk along with Sleater-Kinney. Hesabi released her debut album entitled Nemāno Gaona featuring works for viola by composers of the Iranian Diaspora under New Focus Recordings in 2022.

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Wrekmeister Harmonies / Sadness / Oldest Sea / Witch's Mirror
Feb
23
6:30 PM18:30

Wrekmeister Harmonies / Sadness / Oldest Sea / Witch's Mirror

Monday February 23 * doors at 6:30, music at 7pm sharp * $15-25 * TICKETS

Wrekmeister Harmonies: Pastoral doom, droning metal, sonic maximalism from Kingston, NY. On Thrill Jockey Records
https://wrekmeisterharmonies.bandcamp.com/

Sadness: Shoegazey, emotional black metal 
https://sadnessmusic.bandcamp.com/

Oldest Sea: Ethereal heaviness from New Jersey 
https://oldestsea1.bandcamp.com

Witch's Mirror: Magic hour doom from Washington, DC
https://witchsmirror.bandcamp.com/

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Wayne Horvitz & Sarah Schoenbeck Duo plus Trio with Anthony Pirog
Feb
26
7:00 PM19:00

Wayne Horvitz & Sarah Schoenbeck Duo plus Trio with Anthony Pirog

Thursday February 26 * 7pm * $15-25 * TICKETS

The Wayne Horvitz and Sara Schoenbeck Duo navigate through original tunes and improvisatory soundscapes. With feet firmly planted in a genre-less zone, electronics and an ever-expanding textural palate serve to deepen the feel of a shared melodic language. Their first CD, entitled “Cell Walk”, was released on the Songlines label in May 2020.

Washington, D.C.-based guitarist Anthony Pirog is a musician who knows no stylistic limits. Educated in jazz but enthusiastically embracing diverse forms from indie/punk-informed rock to ambient experimentation, Pirog has emerged as one of the most noteworthy artists on the 21st century D.C. area music scene, defying predictability with live appearances in myriad configurations.

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Screening: Indelible / Performance: Jenna Camille
Feb
28
3:00 PM15:00

Screening: Indelible / Performance: Jenna Camille

Saturday February 28 * doors at 3pm, event at 3:30 * $10-20 * TICKETS

"INDELIBLE" is a hybrid documentary series highlighting performing artists in the DMV and Baltimore. Since 2018, series creator Antonio Hernandez (aka "Electric Llama") has published 15 episodes, and has screened unique edits of the film at venues such as Busboys and Poets, Suns Cinema, Eaton Hotel and The Village Cafe. This will be the first time the project is screening at Rhizome.

Singer, songwriter and producer Jenna Camille, star of Episode 8, will perform live.

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Mar
4
6:30 PM18:30

Phillip Greenlief (solo saxophone) + The Keefe Jackson Trio with Luke Stewart and Mikel Patrick Avery

Wednesday March 4 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * $20-30 * TICKETS

Since his emergence on the west coast in the late 1970s, saxophonist/composer PHILLIP GREENLIEF has achieved international acclaim for his recordings and performances with musicians and composers in the post-jazz continuum as well as new music innovators and virtuosic improvisers. He has performed with Wadada Leo Smith, Meredith Monk, Rashaun Mitchell & Silas Reiner, and They Might Be Giants. Albums include two LANTSKAP LOGIC TRIO releases (w/ Evelyn Davis and Fred Frith), THAT OVERT DESIRE OF OBJECT with Joelle Leandre, ALL AT ONCE with FPR  (Frank Gratkowski and Jon Raskin), and OH THAT MONSTER with LA punk pioneers Thelonious Monster.

KEEFE JACKSON, saxophonist/clarinetist/improvisor/composer, arrived in Chicago in 2001 from his native Fayettevile, Arkansas. He performs regularly in the U.S. and in Europe with many musicians including Pandelis Karayorgis, Tomeka Reid, Tim Daisy, Dave Rempis, Jeb Bishop, Jason Roebke, Jason Adasiewicz, Mike Reed, Jason Stein, Josh Berman, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Frank Rosaly, Oscar Jan Hoogland and Marc Unternaehrer. "...the impeccable logic of his lines and the richness of his tone leave you wanting more... Jackson's high-register squiggles and coarsely voiced, rippling runs push the limits of the tenor's tonal envelope." Trio with Luke Stewart (bass), and Mikel Patrick Avery (drums).

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Microcinema: Short Films by Sara Kazemimanesh & Shahriar Shafiani
Mar
5
7:00 PM19:00

Microcinema: Short Films by Sara Kazemimanesh & Shahriar Shafiani

Thursday March 5 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

We are pleased to present an evening of films by Sara Kazemimanesh & Shahriar Shafiani, both of whom will be present for a discussion with the audience following the screening.

Sara Kazemimanesh (b. 1988, Rasht, Iran) is a writer, filmmaker, and educator. Her work moves between interpretative and critical writing and expanded art practice. In her films, and often through restrained, formally attentive storytelling, she explores displacement, agency of women, and the nuanced ways private lives collide with larger socio-political forces. Sara’s films have been showcased and recognized internationally. She holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Ohio University.

Shahriar Shafiani is a film director, scholar, and educator. Born and raised in Iran, Shafiani began his career as an independent filmmaker before relocating to the United States for graduate study. Shafiani holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Arts and an MFA in Film from Ohio University. He is an Assistant Professor of Film at Howard University, where he also coordinates the Graduate Film Program. Alongside his academic work, Shafiani continues to direct, edit, and coach performers for film and television.

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Ceremony East Coast / Osmia / JACKY COUGAR & THE VAMPIRES FROM AFRICA / Caustic Hologram
Mar
6
7:00 PM19:00

Ceremony East Coast / Osmia / JACKY COUGAR & THE VAMPIRES FROM AFRICA / Caustic Hologram

Friday March 6 * 7pm * $15-20 * TICKETS

Ceremony East Coast is the bass and drums duo of John Fedowitz and Sandra Fedowitz playing raw love songs with distortion at glistering volumes. You get fuzz bass lines, ear piercing guitars, savage drums and intense vocals. Nothing polished, highs and lows. Each live show and record is raw, real and Ceremony style: #lovesongswithdistortion.

Osmia started as a recording project in Oregon, currently based in Maine. Sometimes fuzz pedals set to ten and sometimes spacey reverberations. Post rock / post punk genre derivations. Loud, quiet rock and roll for a folk soaked sea coast. This is their second time in DC..

JACKY COUGAR & THE VAMPIRES FROM AFRICA is the electro punk project from Jack Abok (Foul Swoops, Des Demonas, Sex Faces) melding his love of the delta blues, hip hop, post punk and Krautrock with Hana Racecar, his bandmate from Sex Faces ripping raw primitive beats.

Caustic Hologram is our hadean algorithmic cyberverse designed to fragment our souls into terminal consumption. They are also a band and a group of friends navigating this dystopian timeline together who believe in the unifying magic of repetitive rhythms and raucous dissonance.

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Indigo & Shibori 101
Mar
8
1:00 PM13:00

Indigo & Shibori 101

Sunday March 8 * 1pm * in the backyard * $15-25 * REGISTER

Itching to get creative? Come dye with me! This class will cover making and dyeing with indigo, including the basics of shibori (Japanese tie-dye). You'll learn how to:-make an indigo vat-dye with indigo for long-lasting color-tie up the cloth for a variety of beautiful patterns-care for your indigo-dyed itemsEach participant will receive 1 bandana to dye with. All other materials provided. You may bring a few additional items to dye from home. Small to medium sized items with 50% or more natural fiber content work best.. In addition, wear clothing that you don't mind getting stained. Bring an apron if you wish, and rubber gloves if you have them.

Instructor: Sophie Kanter: www.thebluesti.com/

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Peter Evans & Sam Pluta / Heather Stebbins & Ning Yu / Erin Demastes
Mar
8
7:00 PM19:00

Peter Evans & Sam Pluta / Heather Stebbins & Ning Yu / Erin Demastes

Sunday March 8 * 7pm * $15-25 * TICKETS

Peter Evans (trumpet) and Sam Pluta (electronics) have been collaborating since 2008 in a wide variety of contexts. Their music bridges Evans' efforts to explore new sonic worlds for a traditional acoustic instrument with Pluta's customized and highly flexible software. Their instruments are at some points fused into a unified sonic entity indistinguishable as two voices, while at others engaged in violent counterpoint. 

Heather Stebbins is a DC-based composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work explores the porous boundary between memory and emotion. She foregrounds cello, synthesizer, and an array of other electronics, creating music that is imbued with patience, unfolding slowly over the course of multi-movement suites.

Pianist Ning Yu emerges as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music. Ning brings virtuosity and adventurous spirit to a wide range of music, both in solo performances and in collaborations with some of today’s most distinguished creative artists.

Erin Demastes is an experimental composer, performer, and sound artist. She uses everyday objects and hacked electronics for her installations and performances and subverts their use and perception with play and experimentation.

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Paper Lady / babybaby_explores / Flo Petite
Mar
9
7:00 PM19:00

Paper Lady / babybaby_explores / Flo Petite

Monday March 9 * 7pm * $15-25 * TICKETS

Paper Lady is the immortal crone, casting spells and wreaking havoc in Boston, MA. This indie dream-rock outfit, consisting of Alli Raina, Rowan Martin, Alex Castile, and Taylor Morris was formed in the depths of the Northeast DIY scene in 2019. They have been conjuring up noisy freak folk and driving dream rock alike in basements and on stages around the US and Canada.

babybaby_explores is the citation of the run on sentence providence art-rock project, “Baby; Baby: Explores the Reasons Why that Gum is Still on the Sidewalk”, created by three scrappy bffs Lids B-Day (effected Vox & sampler), Sam M-H (e. gtr.) & Ramona Cano-Daly (keys & rhythm), three working-class art freaks raised in the haunted clam chowder suburbia Warwick, RI. Utilizing guitar effects pedals to manipulate sounds they create dissonant and lighthearted simple structured danceable songs that pay homage to musique concrète, European underground synth punk of the late 70’s through the 80's, anthem music, dada, and the Providence DIY & noise scene.

Flo Petitemakes music for degenerates, dog lovers and anyone prone to an existential crisis. Based out of Washington DC, they’ve spent the last few years creating hodge-podge indie-pop sounds between toting around to house shows and touring out of their moms car. Next up : releasing a song more than every three years. Stay tuned!

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Amoeba Ray / Greg Rekus / Cat Anatomy
Mar
15
7:00 PM19:00

Amoeba Ray / Greg Rekus / Cat Anatomy

Sunday March 15 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Amoeba Ray (Washington, DC)
https://www.instagram.com/amoebaraydc
Instrumentally fronted rock with backing vox. We like to dance and stave off angst. Influenced by Yorke, Homme, and Brubeck, but making our own vibe.

Greg Rekus (Winnipeg, CA)
https://gregrekus.com/
"Sinners go to Church, Saints go to Jail" out now. Road-tested folk punk.

Cat Anatomy (College Park, MD)
https://catanatomy.bandcamp.com/
Maryland-based rock n roll

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Flute Fest DC: Alex Hamburger Quartet / Samantha Kochis Quintet
Mar
18
6:30 PM18:30

Flute Fest DC: Alex Hamburger Quartet / Samantha Kochis Quintet

Wednesday March 18 * doors at 6:30, music at 7:30 * $20-35 * TICKETS

Presented by Transparent Productions in collaboration with the 2026 Washington Women in Jazz Festival

Alex Hamburger Quartet: Alex Hamburger (flute/voice), José Luiz Martins (piano), Tyrone Allen II (bass), Eliza Salem (drums)

Samantha Kochis Quintet: Samantha Kochis (flute), Judette Elliston (voice), Matei Predescu (piano), Finn Carroll (bass), Josh Mathews (drums) 

For the last decade, flutist, vocalist and composer Alex Hamburger has been creating her own musical direction. Her debut And She Spoke gave voice to female poets and composers while her acclaimed sophomore album, What If?, blended acoustic and electric textures to explore transformation and perception.

Samantha Kochis is a Brooklyn-based flutist, improviser, and composer who explores various creative environments as an artist of experimental music. In her creative works, Samantha draws from the tradition of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation to engage in sonic conversations with listeners and collaborators alike. Her playing is described as “deeply intentioned” and “sensitive yet powerful”.

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Quiet Room / Holy Terror / Kinoko
Mar
20
7:00 PM19:00

Quiet Room / Holy Terror / Kinoko

Friday March 20 * doors at 7, music at 7:30 * $10-20 * TICKETS

Quiet Room is a grunge fusion rock band consisting of four musicians from across the greater DMV area. Quiet Room features guitarist Ja’Wuan Martin-Cooper, mountain dulcimer player Thiel Secrist, bassist Yvonna Liszewski, and drummer Arturo Carchedi exploring many different sounds at once to invite listeners in while simultaneously pushing boundaries.

Holy Terror is a progressive Cold Wave band from Silver Spring, Maryland. They compose music for the Dance Dance Revolution cabinets in Hell with lyrics circling mortality, the sacred, and human sacrifice. Holy Terror is a power trio featuring Robin Zeng on Drums and providing the live visual elements, Sly Samudre on Keys and Vocals, & Christopher Luis-Jorge on Bass and Lead Vocals. 

Kinoko is self-conscious, self-irreverent, diy emo.

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$500 / Fire Select / The Armors
Mar
22
6:00 PM18:00

$500 / Fire Select / The Armors

Sunday March 22 * doors at 6, music at 7 * $15 * TICKETS

$500 is a three-piece rock band from Kingston, NY. Consisting of longtime musical collaborators and couple Kaitlyn Flanagan and Ian Donohue with Lilly Griffin on drums. They self-released their debut album Twelve Eyes in September of 2025. https://500dollars.bandcamp.com/album/twelve-eyes 

File Select are a three-piece band from Baltimore, Maryland. Their latest release is the 2019 EP , John Connor's Last Words.
https://fileselect.bandcamp.com/album/john-connors-last-words

The Armors (DC) combine hard-hitting classic rock swagger and punk rock urgency while nodding to the emo born out of DC’s Revolution Summer. https://thearmors.bandcamp.com/album/ep

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Inevitable / Courage Mother / xmiseryisabutterfly / xmemoriestoburnx
Mar
27
6:30 PM18:30

Inevitable / Courage Mother / xmiseryisabutterfly / xmemoriestoburnx

Friday March 27 * doors at 6:30, music at 7:30 * $15 suggested * TICKETS

Brittany + Mad Sculptor Productions presents a fundraiser for a local domestic violence shelter

Inevitable (PA)
https://inevitable.bandcamp.com/album/cowards-die-here

Courage Mother (DC)
https://couragemother.bandcamp.com/

xmiseryisabutterflyx (DC)
https://xmiseryisabutterflyx.bandcamp.com/album/demo

xmemoriestoburnx (MD)

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Physical Media Swap
Apr
11
12:00 PM12:00

Physical Media Swap

Saturday April 11 * noon-4pm * Free / donations

Bring your pre-loved working physical media to swap with your community! Take what you want and leave what you don't!! This is a free event - No money will be exchanged for goods at this event but donations at the door to Rhizome are always accepted and appreciated!

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Tom Teasley - Dave Ballou Duo
Apr
12
6:30 PM18:30

Tom Teasley - Dave Ballou Duo

Sunday April 12 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * $20-30 * TICKETS

Transparent Productions presents Tom Teasley (percussion, voice, electronics) and Dave Ballou (trumpet)

As a global percussionist, composer, and sonic explorer, Tom Teasley creates music that dissolves boundaries—cultural, musical, and spiritual. Grounded in the belief that rhythm is a universal language capable of fostering dialogue across traditions and identities, his work draws inspiration from Middle Eastern frame drumming, West African grooves, Indian tala cycles, jazz improvisation, and contemporary electronic textures. The result is a synthesis that is immersive, expressive, and deeply human.

Trumpeter/Composer Dave Ballou can be heard in a variety of settings; from solo trumpet improvisations to large ensembles performing notated compositions. His recordings as a leader can be found on the Steeplechase, CleanFeed and pfMentum record labels. Ballou has performed or recorded with ensembles led by Rabih Abou-Kahlil, Steely Dan, Michael Formanek, Woody Herman, Andrew Hill, John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble, Sheila Jordan, Oliver Lake, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Dewey Redman and Maria Schneider. 

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Ember (Sperrazza/Wheeler/Garabedian)
Apr
17
6:30 PM18:30

Ember (Sperrazza/Wheeler/Garabedian)

Friday April 17 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * $20-30 * TICKETS

The Brooklyn, NY based collaborative trio Ember sits at the crossroads of musical and personal exploration. Each of the members— Caleb Wheeler Curtis (stritch, sopranino, trumpet), Noah Garabedian (bass), and Vinnie Sperrazza (drums)— are integral parts of the NY jazz and creative music communities as leaders, collaborators and instigators. Founded in 2018, inspired by Arthur Blythe, Henry Threadgill/AIR, Steven Bernstein/ Sex Mob, and Jason Moran/Bandwagon, Ember’s music is open and expressive but down-to-earth, direct, and emotive. Their latest release, "August in March" is available everywhere via Imani Records.

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Robber Robber / others tba
May
22
7:00 PM19:00

Robber Robber / others tba

Friday May 22 * doors at 7, show at 7:30 * $15 * TICKETS

Red Brick presents:

ROBBER ROBBER (Burlington, Vermont) - "Pinpointing the specific catalyst for an avalanche can be slippery — any combination of classic elements, human interference, or freak accident can trigger disaster — and documenting these precise moments often rests on serendipitous reflexes. On Two Wheels Move the Soul, Robber Robber offer themselves as ignition and capture every sound in the wake. Involuntarily thrust into the throws of rootless nomadism, Robber Robber ringleader Nina Cates collects a series of pressurized vignettes to assemble the Burlington quartet’s thrillingly explosive sophomore album….”

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Online Dream Cafe
Jan
28
8:00 PM20:00

Online Dream Cafe

2nd & 4th Wednesdays * online at 8pm Eastern * Free / donations appreciated * RSVP

A weekly guided dream-sharing hangout…. Welcome to the theater of your dreams—an inexhaustible source of images and stories that can provide entertainment and insight, and that requires no cable service and no subscription—just attentiveness and an open mind. Participants will share dreams, using a gentle, non-intrusive method for unlocking the metaphors that structure dreams (derived from the long-tested method of Dr. Montague Ullman). We’ll also talk about techniques for recalling and recording dreams, as needed.

Please click through for more details.

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***POSTPONED*** Jason Anderson / Majda Gama / Ronya-Lee and the Light Factory
Jan
28
7:00 PM19:00

***POSTPONED*** Jason Anderson / Majda Gama / Ronya-Lee and the Light Factory

***POSTPONED*** new date tba soon

Wednesday January 28 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Jason Anderson is an award-winning indie/folk artist based in New Brunswick, Canada. He has collaborated with Mount Eerie, toured with Kimya Dawson, and worked with a number of seminal independent labels including K Records and Salinas. His songs celebrate the poetry of the present tense, and his legendary live show is a connective, communal experience. Personal and passionate, Anderson's music crackles with life. 

Majda Gama was born in Beirut to a Saudi father and American mother. Her hometown is Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and her roots Hijazi, but she also has a long, complicated relationship with Northern Virginia where her father was stationed in the 1970’s. Majda is the author of the debut poetry collection In the House of Modern Upbringing for Girls, winner of the Wandering Aengus Press prize for poetry, and the chapbook The Call of Paradise selected by Diane Seuss for the Two Sylvia’s press chapbook prize.

Ronya-Lee and the Light Factory is a musical project created by Ronya-Lee Anderson. The Light Factory names that she creates with many lights: collaborators, ancestors & witnesses. A Jamaican singer-songwriter from Washington, DC, her musical stylings fuse folk, soul & rock with underlying strokes of psychedelia. Her enchanting soprano & well-crafted lyricism reveal a unique blend of pop.

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***POSTPONED until FEB.10*** ZZZZZZZZZZZ ft. Will Mulanny / Jonathan Williger & Alma Laprida / Naoco Wowsugi
Jan
27
7:00 PM19:00

***POSTPONED until FEB.10*** ZZZZZZZZZZZ ft. Will Mulanny / Jonathan Williger & Alma Laprida / Naoco Wowsugi

POSTPONED! NEW DATE: Tuesday February 10 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Featuring:
Will Mulanny
Jonathan Williger & Alma Laprida
Naoco Wowsugi

ZZZZZZZZZZ is a transcendental sound dozing experience, weaving tones including gong baths, theremins, plant synthesizers, cassette loops, poetry, ambient drones, vinyl DJ sets and more.

Drift into a nap, wrapped in experimental soundscapes. Bring a mat, blanket, and water as you wish.

ZZZZZZZZZZ (ズズズズズズズズズズ)は、ゴングバス、テルミン、植物シンセサイザー、カセットループ、詩、アンビエントドローン、そしてヴァイナルDJセットなどの音色を織り交ぜた、超越的なサウンドうたた寝体験です。実験的な音の風景に包まれながら、心地よい眠りへと漂いましょう。マット、毛布、水など、必要に応じてお持ちください。

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***CANCELLED*** Experimental Jam
Jan
25
7:30 PM19:30

***CANCELLED*** Experimental Jam

***CANCELLED*** next jam is scheduled for March 29

Sunday January 25 * 7:30pm * $5-10 * TICKETS

Jam nights are an opportunity for people to show up and create art together. Bring a guitar, sticks, sketch pad, didgeridoo, or your dancing shoes and come vibe. Amps, speakers, drum set, and microphones are provided. Featured artist: Jude Carrisosa @vyscera

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***POSTPONED*** Forget Why Poetry Series - Sylvia Jones & Sommer Browning
Jan
24
7:00 PM19:00

***POSTPONED*** Forget Why Poetry Series - Sylvia Jones & Sommer Browning

***POSTPONED*** to be rescheduled for Fall 2026

Saturday January 24 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Sylvia Jones lives in Baltimore, MD, and teaches creative writing at George Washington University. She is poetry editor for Black Lawrence Press—and senior reader for the journal, Ploughshares. Her debut collection —Television Fathers (Meekling Press, 2024) was published last fall. It’s follow-up, Dope Callisthenics—is forthcoming from Relegation Books. Her writing appears in DIAGRAM, Smartish Pace, Shenandoah, R&R Journal, Blackbird, the American Poetry Review, and elsewhere. She earned her M.F.A. from American University in Washington D.C.

Sommer Browning is a poet and writer, mostly. Her latest book is Good Actors (Birds, LLC; 2022). She’s the author of two other collections of poetry, Backup Singers and Either Way I’m Celebrating, as well as the artist book, The Circle Book (Cuneiform Press), the joke book, You’re On My Period (Counterpath), and others. Her poetry, art writing, and visual art have appeared in Hyperallergic, Bomb, Artforum, The American Poetry Review, The Comics Journal, and elsewhere. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.

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Pearring Sound - Jeff Pearring, Jon Elbaz, Evan Palmer, Lou Grassi
Jan
23
6:30 PM18:30

Pearring Sound - Jeff Pearring, Jon Elbaz, Evan Palmer, Lou Grassi

Friday January 23 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * $20-30 * TICKETS

Transparent Productions presents Pearring Sound with Jeff Pearring (sax), Jon Elbaz (piano), Evan Palmer (bass), and Lou Grassi (drums).

JEFF PEARRING has released four critically endorsed albums under Pearring Sound, and continues to perform under the Pearring Sound moniker with trios, quartets, quintets, and a double trio all formed from thoughtful combinations of world class musicians.

JON ELBAZ is a pianist and composer from New Jersey. His compositional and ensemble approach incorporates interest in the 20th century’s written structures and systems, as well as its many pioneers of improvisation and creative thinking.

EVAN PALMER (they/them) is a bassist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator based in Brooklyn. Through improvisation, composition, and an arsenal of traditional and extended techniques, they are developing a deeply personal artistic language and concept that can be heard across their many different projects, from solo bass performances, to hard-hitting free jazz ensembles, to jazz standards and more.

LOU GRASSI is internationally known for his work in both the traditional and the avant-garde jazz worlds. He has literally played from Ragtime to No-Time. Lou appears on more than 80 recordings including more than 30 as a leader or co-leader.

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Open Secret Internet Cinema Screening / Performance by Jeremy Ray
Jan
22
7:00 PM19:00

Open Secret Internet Cinema Screening / Performance by Jeremy Ray

Thursday January 22 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

@_opensecret_  arrival imminent @rhizome_dc Washington DC. 

OS is an international internet-spawned phenomenon of movies made site-specifically for the web. Its form is defined by a cloud drive that lands in various localities and transforms into a physical screening experience. 

Act 1 presents the core participants of the OS project. Act 2 represents the local curation and unique embodiment of OS in Washington, DC. A performance by Jeremy Ray links the two acts, bridging the gap between human and web through the ephemeral realm of sonic arts. Come and see something you never knew existed, but has always been ready at the touch of a finger.

Act I e.g. Core OS curated forever by @dansdansrev Featuring Films by: @dansdansrev @redactedcut @poorspigga @carcrashdaddy @the.ontological.turnt

Live Performance by @sealedcontainer

Act II e.g. Yotta Meltdown curated by @lumen_floss Featuring Films by: @survival_dance @janice.kei @antimemoria_____ @lumen_floss 

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Caleb Duval / Jeff Surak / Rumpus Room
Jan
21
7:00 PM19:00

Caleb Duval / Jeff Surak / Rumpus Room

Wednesday January 21 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Caleb Duval is a improvisor, and bassist from Manchester, Connecticut. He has performed with Joe Morris, Tony Malaby, Tatsuya Nakatani, Brandon Lopez, James McKain, Jack Wright and Mike Pride. He is founder of the record label firstnamelastname, co-organizes the FIM Improvised Music concert series and record label in New Haven, and regularly performs and records with his Connecticut-based extreme metal band Beth. FIM has hosted over 100 shows in the Connecticut area and has presented the music from musicians all over the world.  His work has been featured in The New Haven Independent and Jazz Podium, on BBC3 Radio’s Freeness and at the 2022 Catalytic Sound Festival.

Jeff Surak - distressed sounds for distressed moments.

Rumpus Room - DC-based movement collaborative.

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Documentary Screening & Community Workshop - Harvest of Empire
Jan
19
6:00 PM18:00

Documentary Screening & Community Workshop - Harvest of Empire

Monday January 19 * 6pm * Free * RSVP

TELAS Theater Collective invites you to a free, public film screening series exploring: Forced Migration; Intervention & Extractivism; Mass Incarceration & Policing. Through documentary films, we’ll come together for collective dialogue, creative movement, and social theater exercises, building strategy and action rooted in our local context of militarization and ongoing attacks on Venezuela and the Caribbean.

TELAS Theater Collective les invita a una serie de proyecciones de documentales gratuitas y abiertas al público que exploran: Migración forzada; Intervención y extractivismo; Encarcelamiento masivo y control policial. A través de estos documentales, nos reuniremos para el diálogo colectivo, el movimiento creativo y ejercicios de teatro social, con el fin de construir estrategias y acciones arraigadas en nuestro contexto local de militarización y los ataques continuos contra Venezuela y el Caribe.

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Anastasia Coope / Autobahn / Alligator Hands
Jan
18
6:30 PM18:30

Anastasia Coope / Autobahn / Alligator Hands

Sunday January 18 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * $12-24 * TICKETS

In Anastasia Coope's world, there is little difference between a confrontation and a welcoming gesture. Listening to her music, one is struck by her gift for vocal harmony and rich personal vision that borrows as much from the light and color of painting as it does from experimental music. The release of Darning Woman in 2024 saw critical acclaim and international success as she pushed the idiom of folk music to its limits. Coope has now responded to the success of Darning Woman by enclosing the space around her voice and casting aside the baggage of her folk forebears. On DOT, her first EP on Bonzo, Coope extends a generous invitation into her inner life, and inside a new musical language built from the gorgeous and the mundane, an everyday sublime. The result is a beauty that is light on its feet and almost abrasive in its clarity, avant-garde and as easy as turning on the radio: What's that song...? 

Autobahn is a three piece band from New York: Findlay Fullarton, Liam Barton, and Louisa Tantillo.

Alligator Hands blends alt-rock, rap, and pop into something honest and hard to define. The Baltimore band formed in late 2024 after Brady Scott (vocals/ukulele) brought a binder of lyrics and chords, written over the past five years, to Ryan Fitzgerald (drums) and AJ Lockner (bass).

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Rhizome Writers’ Retreat
Jan
17
to Jan 18

Rhizome Writers’ Retreat

Saturday & Sunday January 17 & 18 * $125 - $225 (scholarships available) * REGISTER (you can also email us to register without paying large processing fees - info at rhizomedc.org)

Rhizome Writers’ Retreat: Calling all writers who need time and space and no distractions! Whether you are just starting a project, thick in the middle of it, or needing to finish it, come spend two full days with other writers at RhizomeDC. You will have your own table and space to throw papers and books on the floor, and lots of quiet. Space will be shared but not tight (if you’ve been to Rhizome, imagine two people in each room, each with their own table). Coffee, tea, snacks, lunch, provided. Wine or beer at the end of the day. The Rhizome Writers Collective knows how hard it is to enter that writerly trance/get sh*t done. We’re here to facilitate the magic! We have space for 8 people.

Click through for schedule details

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Henbane / Mia & The Argonauts / Sagecraft
Jan
16
7:30 PM19:30

Henbane / Mia & The Argonauts / Sagecraft

Friday January 16 * doors at 7, music at 7:30 * $10-15 * TICKETS

Henbane (from Philadelphia) was formed in the summer of 2023 by Kohoutek percussionist Scott Verrastro and bassist Griffin Vernor Drutchas based on the framework of 1968-1970 Fairport Convention, covering a repertoire of traditional British Isles folk ballads, lyrical gems from '60s and '70s songwriters, and original compositions. Henbane has been called “Dirty Three with Sandy Denny singing” and compared to acts such as Mazzy Star, Palace, and Neko Case.

Mia and the Argonauts - A new quartet from Washington, DC featuring all teachers from Jackson-Reed High School, formerly known as Wilson. Singer-songwriter Mia Chu on guitar and vocals, with James Kelly (Boys Club) on lead guitar, Marc Minsker (MFS JMB & Co.) on bass, and Tom Murphy on drums.

Sagecraft - Long ago, the four genres lived together in harmony: rock, indie, pop, and emo. Everything changed when numetal attacked. Only Sagecraft, master of all genres, could tie them together, but when the world needed them most, they disappeared.

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Online Dream Cafe
Jan
14
8:00 PM20:00

Online Dream Cafe

2nd & 4th Wednesdays * online at 8pm Eastern * Free / donations appreciated * RSVP

A weekly guided dream-sharing hangout…. Welcome to the theater of your dreams—an inexhaustible source of images and stories that can provide entertainment and insight, and that requires no cable service and no subscription—just attentiveness and an open mind. Participants will share dreams, using a gentle, non-intrusive method for unlocking the metaphors that structure dreams (derived from the long-tested method of Dr. Montague Ullman). We’ll also talk about techniques for recalling and recording dreams, as needed.

Please click through for more details.

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LiButti/Leguía/Nadien / Jenny Moon Tucker & Sarah Hughes / Plutonian Burrito
Jan
13
7:00 PM19:00

LiButti/Leguía/Nadien / Jenny Moon Tucker & Sarah Hughes / Plutonian Burrito

Tuesday January 13 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

LiButti/Leguía/Nadien is a working trio made up of some of NYC’s finest improvisers; all three of them preparing their instruments with an extraordinary assortment of different objects to create some truly mind-bending textures. Chris LiButti - prepared guitar; Teté Leguía - prepared electric bass; James Paul Nadien - drums and percussion

Jenny Moon Tucker primarily plays Alto Sax and percussive textures sourced though a variety of scrappy tools and contact microphones. Through play she coaxes voices out of objects that speak to her. She currently performs and records by herself and in various collaborations in the Baltimore and DC area.

Sarah Hughes is a performing and visual artist. She has 26 years of experience playing the alto saxophone and also doubles on the soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet. Her music is intuitive and genre-liberated while displaying an unquestionable command of her instrument and musical vocabulary.

Plutonian Burrito are a Panhandle/New Orleans based improvisational duo blending and deconstructing multiple genres in search of the humorous and unknown. Formed in 2013 by Charles Pagano - drums; and Scott Bazar - guitars, homemades, and animations.

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Bex Burch & Friends / John-Francis Quiñonez
Jan
12
7:00 PM19:00

Bex Burch & Friends / John-Francis Quiñonez

Monday January 12 * 7pm * $15-25 * TICKETS

We are pleased to welcome percussionist & composer Bex Burch (Berlin) and friends, debuting a new work in progress piece, "as yet untitled" - a 60 minute piece for structured, improvisatory, messy minimalism, following up on of her critically acclaimed solo albumThere is only love and fear (International Anthem). Opening set of poems by John-Francis Quiñonez.

Whether combining the rhythmic timbres of wood, metal and audience claps or duetting with the atmospheric and elegiac echoed sounds of water dripping into a metal basin, Bex Burch is a composer, percussionist, instrument maker and improviser who emphasises space, repetition and aspects of chaos. These themes characterise an ongoing approach she describes as “messy minimalism”.

Burch’s critically acclaimed 2023 solo album, 'There is only love and fear' was released via Chicago’s International Anthem and named The Guardian's Contemporary Album of the Month. She runs the label, Vula Viel Records, the domestic music event, Kantine Musik, and has collaborated with influential artists including Thomas Sekgura, Leafcutter John as part of ‘Boing!’, Tamar Osborn, Sarathy Korwar, Al MacSween and Danalogue in ‘Flock’, Peter Zummo, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Ben LaMar Gay, Dan Bitney and Macie Stewart.

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Psychic Sense Organs / Max Julian Eastman / As Surviving Total / Lustre Chantant / Vasterian
Jan
11
7:00 PM19:00

Psychic Sense Organs / Max Julian Eastman / As Surviving Total / Lustre Chantant / Vasterian

Sunday January 11 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

Psychic Sense Organs - Members of Heat Signature and Outdoor Horse Shrine

Max Julian Eastman - psych noise tape-manipulations.

As Surviving Total - As Surviving Total centers around the idea of Loss, viewed through a number of different connotations. Examining through the lens of litigious judicial practices, Loss gives a quantitative dollar amount to the damages suffered through personal injury, medical malpractice, negligence, and injury resulting from exposure to toxic substances, among other things. AST also examines Loss through the lens of deterioration of personal relationships, death of friends and family, the quantitative measure of pain, and the inevitable reconciliation of future hardships.

Lustre Chantant - H.S.F.B. and Christopher Griffiths.

Vasterian - tape manipulation, radio, feedback and voice.

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OFFSITE - Ches Smith’s Clone Row with Mary Halvorson, Liberty Ellman, and Nick Dunston
Jan
11
6:30 PM18:30

OFFSITE - Ches Smith’s Clone Row with Mary Halvorson, Liberty Ellman, and Nick Dunston

Sunday January 11 * doors at 6:30, music at 7 * OFFSITE at Tonal Park * $25-30 * TICKETS

Transparent Productions welcomes Ches Smith’s Clone Row to Tonal Park Studios with Ches Smith: (drums, vibes, electronics), Mary Halvorson (guitar), Liberty Ellman (guitar), and Nick Dunston (bass, electronics).

Tonal Park is at 7014-C Westmoreland Ave, Takoma Park, MD. Enter through the WOWD entrance at 7014-B. Any questions, email Transparent at transparentprods AT gmail DOT com; please don’t contact Tonal Park.

Ches Smith's new release, “Clone Row”, features an adventurous new quartet with guitarists Mary Halvorson and Liberty Ellman and bassist Nick Dunston. Smith finds endless possibilities in this seemingly limited instrumentation, weaving together varied threads from his divergent earlier projects in ways that sound not quite like any of them. “This definitely ain’t your father’s guitar band,” writes no less an expert on six-string subversion than Marc Ribot, who penned the album’s liner notes. “It’s as if I’m hearing a Jim Hall concert in which one of us did a lot of mushrooms, or… some post-punk post-Dave Brubeck post-trip-hop experiment with classical form.”

“One of the wiliest drummers on the experimental scene” --The New York Times

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Death Cafe
Jan
11
1:00 PM13:00

Death Cafe

Sunday January 11 * 1-3pm * RSVP

Death Cafes are opportunities for people to enjoy refreshments together and discuss the topic of death. The objective is to “increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” There are Death Cafes all over the country. What's on your mind about death and dying? Contact Death Cafe Facilitators Margaret Branch at margaret603@gmail.com or Monica Lynch at mlynch19@comcast.net.. Death Cafes are NOT therapy, grief support, or counseling sessions. Cost: Free (small donation for the space encouraged)

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Winter Tree Identification
Jan
11
10:30 AM10:30

Winter Tree Identification

Sunday January 11 * 10:30am * Sliding Scale * REGISTER

Need a reason to get outdoors this winter? Are you wondering what trees do in the cold? This class will explore the biology and identification of trees in winter. Every time I teach this class people tell me "I didn't know there was so much to see" and "I can't believe I never noticed buds before." Join me to learn about common DC trees.

Class is divided into two sections: 10:30am to noon will be held indoors (in-person) to learn about the characteristics that are useful for winter tree ID. We'll look at samples and photographs during this portion, then move outdoors to apply the skills to wild and cultivated trees from 12:30 to 2:30. 

The focus will be on trees that are common in the DC area, with the hope that participants will later be able to identify some of the same trees around the city and watch them transition into spring.

The outdoor portion of the class will involve some walking but we spend significant time standing, so dress in several warm layers with hats, scarf, and gloves. Standing usually feels colder than you expect!

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Our Wits / Mondrary / Nesting / Denouement
Jan
10
7:00 PM19:00

Our Wits / Mondrary / Nesting / Denouement

Saturday January 10 * doors at 7, show at 7:30 * $15 * TICKETS

Our Wits - NJ Post-Hardcore. Members of Massa Nera.
https://ourwitsnj.bandcamp.com

Mondrary - Baltimore Screamo
https://mondrary.bandcamp.com/album/no-better-than-man

Nesting - Baltimore Post-Hardcore/Indie
https://nestingmd.bandcamp.com/

Denouement - DMV metalcore
https://denouementdmv.bandcamp.com/

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We Are The Worst - A Rhizome LARP
Jan
10
1:00 PM13:00

We Are The Worst - A Rhizome LARP

Saturday January 10 * 1pm * Free / donations * REGISTER

Live Action Role Play is a combination of improv, theater, physical movement, crafts, and just about any genre of story you can think of! All are welcome to these 2-hour LARPs hosted at Rhizome DC, whether you're completely new to the artform or a seasoned veteran.

This month, we'll be playingWe Are The Worst by Laurie Penny, an evil LARP about evil people. The Final Battle has ended in victory for the forces of Light, and we, servants of the Dark Lord, are scattered in disarray. Over the course of these two hours we will meet to commiserate, regroup, and maybe even find a way to bring Him back. This is a tragicomic game, and we will work together at the beginning to calibrate the tone and content to make it comfortable for all players.

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Online Puppet Lab
Jan
10
11:30 AM11:30

Online Puppet Lab

2nd Saturday of the month * online at 1130am Eastern * to REGISTER, please email rhizomepuppetlab@gmail.com

Rhizome Puppet Lab is committed to the performance side of puppetry. It supports the development of works in progress. You can present work for feedback or direct others in the lab to improvise or puzzle out specific scenes. You may use the group to figure out how your show might work. Anyone may lead a lab about any aspect of performance.

Puppet Lab’s purpose is to be a hub for all those interested in puppet theater who would benefit from: boosting creative power; honing puppet-manipulation skills; cross-pollinating ideas; receiving feedback about works in progress; building puppet community. Types of labs have included shadows, Laban, suspense, metaphor, music, voice, Clown, character development, props, table top, humanette, hand puppets, and much more. Open to all levels of experience.

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Nice Breeze / Rob Parrish / The Caribbean
Jan
9
7:00 PM19:00

Nice Breeze / Rob Parrish / The Caribbean

Friday January 9 * doors at 7, show at 7:30 * $10-20 * TICKETS

Washington DC's Nice Breeze have been kicking around since before the start of the decade, releasing vast tunage via their Bandcamp page. The trio of John Howard, Martha Hamilton & Andy Fox churn out solid, hook-laden, bullseye-pop gems by the bushel. Must be something in that Potomac water supply, because Everything Disappears delivers in a way that evokes the lost wryness of Tru Fax And The Insaniacs matched with the going-for-it gusto of Iridescence era Half Japanese. Siltbreeze is proud to have'em on board. Finally!  

Rob Parrish is a musician, filmmaker, and performance artist. He will be staging a performance as a supervisory employee leading a mandatory office retreat for The United States of the Technological Utopia, Inc. (USTU). Come enjoy a preview of the coming (already here?) techno-dystopia. 

Engaging smart pop, filled with literate twists and turns and inventive instrumentation, feels like an odd thing to emerge from the Washington DC scene, but The Caribbean speak to an educated audience with a fantastic record collection that inhabits the offices of any city. “The folk music of the new American service economy” -Pitchfork

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Microcinema: Short Films by Jim Doran
Jan
8
7:00 PM19:00

Microcinema: Short Films by Jim Doran

Thursday January 8 * 7pm * $10-20 * TICKETS

We are pleased to present an evening of films by Jim Doran, who will be present for a discussion with the audience following the screening.

Jim Doran is a Baltimore artist, musician and filmmaker. He earned a BA in music composition at Washington College, and an MFA in studio art at Towson University. His work has been exhibited/screened in the United States, Europe, and in the American Visionary Art Museum. 

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Chávez / Ismaily / Saunier
Jan
7
6:30 PM18:30

Chávez / Ismaily / Saunier

Wednesday January 7 * doors at 6:30, show at 7:30 * $20-30 * TICKETS

Maria Chávez, Shahzad Ismaily (Arooj Aftab, Ceramic Dog), and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) came together as a trio for the first time for a show in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in May 2025. That debut performance received a glowing review in The Wire, where writer Vanessa Ague heralded it as “a reminder of [...] the sheer joy of seeing what surprises we can find in sound”. 

Each of the players’ inimitable approach to their instruments has earned them vivid, varied and longstanding careers. Now, in this new formation, a fresh breath arrives: combining abstract turntablism, outré drumming and uncanny instrumentation, their sonic searching is as playful as it is profound.

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Joe Westerlund / Jay Hammond
Jan
6
7:00 PM19:00

Joe Westerlund / Jay Hammond

Tuesday January 6 * doors at 7, show at 7:30 * $15-30 * TICKETS

Under his own name, Joe Westerlund has emerged as an intuitive improviser and composer during the last decade, scoring deep meditative practice over the course of three full-length solo records. After all, Westerlund—a longtime student of Milford Graves—has now spent more than a quarter-century gleaning lessons from folk musicians and avant-garde icons, from close friends and challenging strangers alike. He served as the dynamic backbone of Megafaun, the North Carolina trio that he cofounded, and initiated collaborations with Arnold Dreyblatt, On Fillmore and Justin Vernon. As a session drummer, he has worked as the pulse beneath the plaintive Americana of Watchhouse, Daughter of Swords, and Jake Xerxes Fussell and been a textural anchor for the folk abstraction of Califone. Currently, he tours and records primarily in an improvisational trio, Setting (with Jaime Fennelly and Nathan Bowles), as a duo with trumpeter Trever Hagen, and as a solo artist on Psychic Hotline. His latest release, Curiosities from the Shift, is Westerlund’s definitive statement so far: a playful exploration driven by beats but not bound by them.

Jay Hammond is a guitarist and songwriter from Jackson, TN living between Washington DC and Asheville, NC. He records and performs his original songs under the moniker Trippers & Askers, whose 2021 release, “Acorn” was called a "shimmering homage to nature" by The Guardian. In 2023, he released an album of instrumental music alongside Andy Stack (Wye Oak) entitled "Inter Personal" that was called "gold" by Talkhouse. As a guitarist, he has performed and/or recorded with Psychic Temple, Eamon Fogarty, No Lands, Chessa Rich and Libby Rodenbough.

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Rhizome Magazine Launch Party
Jan
4
7:00 PM19:00

Rhizome Magazine Launch Party

Sunday January 4 * 7pm * Free / donations * RSVP

Come celebrate the launch of Rhizome's new literary and art magazine!

Edited by Jasper Swartz with Leslie Bumstead, Amanda Huron, Anna Josephson

Contributors: Alex M / Anonymous / Caddain Moe / Charlie Welch / Chris Mason / Christopher Luis-Jorge / Corey Thuro / Daniel Tsoy / David Mitchell / Eric Owen Doyle / Gerald Majer / Isabella Rhoten / Jennifer Jantzen / Joe Gassert / JR Osborn / Jude Lavelle / Kalea Matsakis / Kristen Marcinek / M. Tappert / M. Woods / Matt Gordon / Nadia Sohn Fink / Olivia Braley / Parth Raval / Paul Killebrew / Saheli Khastagir / Stella Marie / Theodora Danylevich / Vance Hedderel / Will S-W / Wynn Tucker

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Riya Devi-Ashby - Butch Braids
Jan
4
1:00 PM13:00

Riya Devi-Ashby - Butch Braids

Sunday January 4 * 1-5:30pm * Free / donations * RSVP

A pop-up exhibit honoring South Asian genderqueer expression and sisterhood through the metaphor of braids.

This multimedia piece is both a love letter to queer identity and to the long braided tresses that have so long been synonymous with South Asian femininity, with the goddess-- a gilded cage, or a reclaimed adornment? How does femininity transform as it passes through different people's hands? 

Riya Devi-Ashby was born in 2001 in Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2023, she received her BA in Studio Art from Wesleyan University with a concentration in painting and mixed media installation. As an emerging artist, Devi-Ashby has already been featured in juried group exhibitions such as “Creative Confluences” at Towson University and “Intricate Layers” at Motor House, and she completed her first solo exhibition ‘Veni, an Unweaving’ in 2023. She is also classically trained in Kuchipudi dance by guru Nilimma Devi, and her extensive performing experience informs her visual art practice.

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