Indie rock rising sensation MJ Lenderman hits Chicago for two nights of music

Indie rock rising sensation MJ Lenderman hit Thalia Hall for two shows this week, showing off new tunes from his September release titled Manning Fireworks as well as stellar songwriting across the board.

Since the pandemic, the Wednesday guitarist has really come into his own as a solo artist, and the two sold out shows certainly displayed an already devout fanbase.

Opening with the title track from his new album, Lenderman evoked ‘90s vibes as a frontman, calling to mind such quietly enigmatic presences as Steven Malkmus and Lou Barlow during fuzzy thrashers like “SUV,” while at the same time, his particular style of country-tinged indie felt right at home next bands like Wilco and Ryan Adams on tunes like “Wristwatch,” the swaggering “Bark at the Moon,” and “Joker Lips.”