The first of MJ Lenderman's three shows at Williamsburg Music Hall in Brooklyn felt like an understatement. The venue seats about 650 people, and it felt like all 650 people (and, frankly, a handful more) were there on Friday night to witness the singer, songwriter and guitarist at the height of his powers.
As Lenderman reminded us, the last time he and his band, The Wind, played in New York City it was at the intimate Market Hotel, which seats about 400 people. After this trio of shows at Music Hall in Williamsburg, the next time they'll play New York will be as part of their newly announced Spring 2025 tour, this time with another trio of shows at Brooklyn Steel, doubling the capacity. that of the Music Hall in 1800. Essentially, demand for Lenderman continues to grow, and last night's sold-out show was a testament to that fervor.
Get tickets to MJ Lenderman here
As legions of new fans will be jumping to attend the next series of shows (get tickets here), I jumped on the MJ Lenderman bandwagon a little late. boat songs made our list of the best albums of the year, and I kept hearing rumors about its understated brilliance and yin-yang connection to Lenderman's other band, CoSigned Wednesday. But it wasn't until I heard the pair of 2023 singles “Rudolph” and “Knockin'” that I became a true Lenderman believer.
Now, with his impressive 2024 album Handling fireworks, Lenderman has fine-tuned his sound and offered even more complexities to his mid-paced country improvisations. While last year's live album And the wind (alive and loose!) Featuring ephemeral, widescreen performances of Lenderman's back catalogue, this new tour is less concerned with being “live and loose” and more about fostering a vibe of warmth and introspection.
Sure, Lenderman's most vibrant songs like “On My Knees” and “Hangover Game” were always greeted with cheers and dancing, but they were songs about heartbreak, a shadow cast heavily over Manning fireworksthat ended up being the most compelling.
Perhaps the more contemplative atmosphere was helped by the audience, packed with sardines but watching with extreme attention. It seemed as if everyone maintained the same level of concentration at all times; Moving around the venue, I never saw people barking during the performance. MJ Lenderman's fall must have been in full swing, as I saw very few Halloween costumes scattered throughout the crowd. Instead, the chosen uniform was flannels, sweaters and handbags: all second-hand corduroy and earth tones, no fancy leather or Golf club-Codified indie sleaze aspects.
He had been at a show earlier in the week that catered to a demographic about 10 years younger than Lenderman's, and when that artist appeared, everyone in the room had their phones ready to record. On Lenderman's show, on the other hand, I saw a notable lack of people recording videos. Maybe it'll be a different story when Lenderman returns to Brooklyn Steel next year and the audience doubles, but beyond the good music, last night showed that there is an audience that still tries to maintain an old school, “be there for the event.” You paid for the vibe.
Meanwhile, Lenderman's attitude throughout the performance was stubborn and stoic. As demonstrated on his live album, he doesn't say much during the show, instead seeming focused on musicality and maintaining the mood. Preceding “Pianos,” a new song featured on the hurricane relief composition Cardinals in the windowHe took the opportunity to remind us of his origins in Asheville, North Carolina, and noted that he was selling a special merch item on this tour and that all proceeds would go to Hurricane Helene relief. The song itself was one of the most moving numbers of the night: “I've been walking down that street where the pianos used to fall on me,” he sang as a two-chord beat came to life.
Likewise, the other heartbroken songs were nothing short of majestic. The evocator Manning fireworks The cuts “You Don't Know the Shape I'm In” and “Rip Torn” were even more vivid and moving than on the record, and it was a fascinating but necessary pause as Lenderman and his band played the determined 10 minutes. from “Bark at the Moon.”
But the most notable portrait of heartbreak came with his performance of “No Mercy.” The song is now more than five years old, but the pain it represents seemed fresh to Lenderman. As I rattled off a list of all the things I would now do “alone” (sleep, brush my hair, take pills), the daunting reality of cold, desperate isolation grew brighter with each comment. When he concluded by swearing, “I won't show you mercy/I won't show you sympathy,” it felt really raw.
It was a pleasant surprise to expect a rockier show and then get slapped in the butt with Lenderman's saddest, most broken portraits. I'm sure it wasn't just me; As I looked around the packed crowd, I saw a sea of mostly solemn-looking guys standing shoulder to shoulder, listening intently to Lenderman's impressionistic tales. It served as a great reminder of Lenderman's multifaceted appeal. He is not only an excellent guitarist, a lyrical genius or an author of arrangements: he is all three things at once.
Editor's note: MJ Lenderman's North American tour continues through October; returns to the US for more shows in early 2025. Get tickets to see MJ Lenderman here.
Song list:
Manning fireworks
Wristwatch
You bought a boat
TLC cage match
Joker lips
pianos
She is leaving you
mercilessly
Catholic priest
torn
On your knees
Barking at the Moon
You don't know what shape I'm in
hangover game
Rudolph
SUV
Inappropriate
hitting
Bis
It tastes just like it costs
Werewolves of London (cover by Warren Zevon)
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