The Cross-Generational Allure of MJ Lenderman
Since the release of his fifth solo album, Manning Fireworks, in September 2024, the North Carolina-born musician has been going from strength to strength, most recently culminating in a successful run of UK shows in some of the biggest venues he's played to date. We were able to catch his sold out show at the O2 Ritz Manchester where the 26-year-old helmed his four piece backing band, known as The Wind, through a 20-song set peppered with grungey guitar solos and very little talk.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY by Evie Friar
Despite only being in his mid-twenties, MJ Lenderman, also known as Jake Lenderman, has been on a steady rise since the release of his first self-titled album in 2019. The Asheville native has been relatively unstoppable since, releasing a series of singles, studio albums and a live album, as well as joining the alt-country, shoegaze band Wednesday (formed by ex-partner Karly Hartzman) as their non-touring guitarist. From the outside, Lenderman appears to be the kind of musician who believed there was no other option for him but music. Having played guitar since he was seven years old, he seems to have found a comfortable home behind the microphone, with no real sense of ego limiting which projects he chooses to be a part of. His latest effort – his fifth studio album, Manning Fireworks – was released last September and received rave reviews and critical acclaim for its wit, sincerity and its ability to paint a picture of modern American life through the eyes of a twenty-something who grew up in a small Southern city.
In fact, it was only last November that Lenderman and his backing band, known as 'The Wind', first played in Manchester at the much smaller venue, The Pink Room at YES. This time around, his audience has jumped from 250 people to an impressive 1,500, with each and every ticket sold out. Lenderman and his band marked the occasion with a 20-song setlist which included each of the nine songs featured on Manning Fireworks. Ever the spontaneous performer, Lenderman famously changes his setlist each night and has claimed to prefer to feed off the energy in the room, giving his band signals to let them know which song to prepare for next. Even with this off-the-cuff style to their programme, the band was tight, rehearsed, and relishing in each moment with no hesitation or slip ups to be seen. Likewise, the atmosphere in the room was a welcomed sense of warmth and composure. The audience was transfixed on the singer, absorbing his drawly tones and hanging on every word of his wry lyrics. They moved through the setlist at an unhurried pace, seamlessly weaving in a cover or two, including Lenderman's best know cover of This Is Lorelei's 'Dancing in the Club', as well as his own take on Sparklehorse's 'Maria's Little Elbows'. My own personal highlight fell toward the tail end of the list; 'You Don't Know the Shape I'm In', a mid-tempo reflection on a break-up that seemed to resonate with every person in the room.
As a photographer at the show, it really allowed me to take in the demographic of the crowd. What I previously thought would be a young, slacker-type, music-loving audience, ending up representing a wide range of ages. Similarly, Lenderman's music has often been cited as referencing an array of other musicians, which, I believe, changes depending on your own frame of reference. Older fans compare his style to Warren Zevon and Neil Young, relishing in his fuzzy guitar solos and mature observations of the world. Those who grew up in the 90s find his music reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr and Pavement – his recently released music video for 'Wristwatch' drew comparisons to Dinosaur Jr's 'Feel the Pain' video from 1994. While his younger fans are likely to have a preference for these bands also, many of his fans clued up on current music also listen to artists such as Waxahatchee and This Is Lorelei, both of whom Lenderman has collaborated with within the past year. It is due to this mix of influences that enables his music to occupy a unique space in modern indie rock. It's a space that holds a country twang close to its heart but more in a referential, self-aware sort of way that's only detectable in the tracks if examined under a microscope. It's a Southern charm that is so ingrained in his identity that its thread will always run throughout the music he makes.
It's also perhaps this Southern charm that gave the evening an overarching feeling of warmth and understated hospitality. It was the kind of gig that you arrive at, take a deep breath and soak it all in. Nothing is asked of you but to be there. Lenderman is a humble and unassuming frontman, with the rest of his band fulfilling their duties in a quietly agreeable fashion, whilst also stepping up to the plate for the more energy-infused numbers. They rounded out the evening with the song 'Knockin'', a crescendo-reaching single that references not Dylan, but golfer John Daly's cover of the original, a fitting summation of the characters that are interwoven throughout the rest of the Lenderman's discography. Ironic figures filled with both sadness and unfounded confidence, battling break ups, divorce and their own inner demons. It's Lenderman's storytelling and dry humour that gives him the mileage to be around for a very long time.
