The article MJ Lenderman performs 90 minutes of heartbreak and rock at Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Music Hall: A Review appeared first on Consequence.
MJ Lenderman’s first of three shows at Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Music Hall felt low-key. The venue can hold about 650 people, and on Friday night it felt like all 650, and frankly a few more, were in attendance to witness the singer, songwriter, and guitarist at his peak. Ta.
As Lenderman reminds us, the last time he and his band The Wind played in New York was at the intimate Market Hotel, which seats about 400 people. Following these three shows at Music Hall in Williamsburg, their next appearance in New York will be as part of their newly announced Spring 2025 tour. Another three shows, this time at Brooklyn Steel, at twice the music hall’s capacity. 1,800. Essentially, the demand for Renderman continues to grow, and last night’s packed show was a testament to that enthusiasm.
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Like the hordes of new fans jumping on the next show (get your tickets here), I was a little late to jump on the MJ Lenderman bandwagon. Boat Songs earned a spot on our list of best albums of the year, but I’m impressed by his understated brilliance and yin-yang connection with Lenderman’s other band, The Cosined Wednesday. I kept hearing rumors. 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 stunning 2024 album Manning Fireworks, Lenderman has tweaked his sound, adding even more complexity to his mid-tempo country jams. Last year’s live album ‘And the Wind’ (Live and Loose!) briefly recreated Lenderman’s DIY-driven back catalog in widescreen, but this new tour is ‘live and loose!’ The focus is more on creating an atmosphere of warmth and introspection than anything else. .
Sure, Lenderman’s more lively numbers like “On My Needs” and “The Hangover Game” were always greeted with cheers and dances, but ultimately the most exciting , a song about heartbreak that greatly overshadowed Manning Hanabi. Persuasive.
Perhaps the more contemplative atmosphere was helped by the audience, which was packed like sardines but watched very attentively. It seemed as if everyone maintained the same level of concentration the entire time. As I moved around the venue, I never once saw people yelling during a performance. MJ Lenderman Fall must have been in full swing, because I saw very few Halloween costumes scattered around the crowd. Instead, flannels, sweaters, and tote bags were chosen as the uniform. All recycled corduroy and earthy tones, no slick leather or brat-coded indie look.
I had gone to see a show earlier that week that was aimed at an audience about 10 years younger than Lenderman, and when the artist appeared, everyone in the room had their phones out and was recording. Ta. Meanwhile, Renderman’s shows found noticeably fewer people filming videos. Perhaps it will be a different story next year when Lenderman returns to Brooklyn Steel and the crowd doubles, but beyond the great music, last night there was still a crowd trying to maintain the old-fashioned style of “going to the event.” You paid for the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Lenderman’s demeanor during the performance was tenacious and stoic. As evidenced by his live albums, he doesn’t say much during shows, instead seeming laser-focused on musicality and maintaining a mood. Ahead of his new song “Pianos,” which appears on his hurricane relief compilation Cardinals at the Window, he’s harkening back to his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, by selling special merchandise with all proceeds from the tour. I took advantage of the opportunity to mention this. Go to Hurricane Helen disaster relief. The track itself was one of the most moving numbers of the night. “I’ve been walking down that street where pianos are falling on me,” he sings, a two-chord groove coming to life.
Similarly, the other heartbreak songs were nothing short of sublime. The evocative Manning Fireworks songs “You Don’t Know the Shape I’m In” and “Rip Torn” are even more vivid and moving than on record, showing Lenderman and his band’s decisive determination. When I did, it was a fascinating but necessary lull. We played the entire 10 minutes of “Bark at the Moon.”
But the most remarkable portrait of heartbreak came with his rendition of “No Mercy.” Although the song is more than five years old, the pain it depicts felt fresh to Lenderman. As I rattled off a list of things I would do “alone” from now on, like sleeping, combing my hair, and taking my medication, the terrifying reality of cold, hopeless isolation became more apparent with each statement. When he concluded by vowing “no mercy, no pity,” it felt really raw.
I was expecting a more rockin’ show, but was pleasantly surprised to be slapped on the butt by Lenderman’s saddest, most broken portrait. I don’t think it’s just me. Looking around the packed crowd, I saw almost solemn-looking men standing shoulder to shoulder, intently appreciating Lenderman’s impressionistic story. It was a great reminder of Renderman’s multifaceted appeal. He’s not just a brilliant guitarist, lyrical genius, and arranger, he’s all three at the same time.
Editor’s note: MJ Lenderman’s North American tour continues through October. He will return stateside for more shows in early 2025. Get your tickets to see MJ Lenderman here.
Setlist:
manning fireworks
watch
you bought yourself a boat
TLC cage match
joker lips
piano
she leaves you
No mercy
catholic priest
lip tone
on my needs
howl at the moon
you don’t know what i look like
hangover game
rudolph
SUV
inappropriate
Knockin’
encore
Same taste as price
The Werewolf of London (Warren Zevon cover)
MJ Lenderman performs 90 minutes of heartbreak and rock at Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Music Hall: Review
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