When 19-year-old guitarist and singer Margot MacDonald takes the stage at Strathmore, she will be playing a very special instrument.
If you go
Tribute to the British Invasion
Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday
Info: $19 to $22; 301-581-5100; strathmore.org
“I borrowed a guitar from a friend with a vast collection, but she doesn’t actually play them,” she said. “[This] guitar once belonged to George Harrison and I thought it would be appropriate.” Nothing could be more apt for the local singer as she takes part in Strathmore’s presentation, “Tribute to the British Invasion.” MacDonald, along with 65 D.C.-area musicians, will perform the music of 1964 to 1966 that took America by storm from the shores of England to the farms in Idaho.
The tribute is produced by Bandhouse Gigs, a not-for-profit volunteer organization that gathers together the Washington area’s most talented artists to pay tribute to the world’s most iconic musicians and musical moments. Since 2004, Bandhouse Gigs has been performing in Strathmore and the Barns at Wolf Trap in support of ailing D.C. musicians and grassroots charities such as Hungry for Music, which brings art to underprivileged children.
“Our tribute concert will recapture the excitement of the period 1964 to 1966, when British acts dominated the American charts,” said Ronnie Newmyer, a founder of Bandhouse Gigs. “It was this music more than any other that made millions of Americans fall in love with rock ‘n’ roll forever.”
Today, that rock ‘n’ roll is as familiar to baby boomers and beyond as Captain Kangaroo. Songs performed in this tribute were made famous by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Hollies, the Animals and more.
“I will be singing the lead on the Honeycombs’ ‘Have I the Right’ and ‘As Tears Go By,’ with a string quartet behind me,” said MacDonald, who also provides background vocals on several songs.
The budding rock performer, who has appeared at the 9:30 Club and the Kennedy Center, says she is happy for the exposure Bandhouse Gigs gives her in addition to an educational opportunity.
“These concerts are a gathering for local musicians who love music without regard to billing or bucks. It’s all about the love of music,” said Eliot Pfanstiehl, president and CEO of Strathmore.
