Barking at a Full Moon with MJ Lenderman

^{Article by Ciara Rose Belfiore}

Underneath a full moon in Chicago, a crowd gathered Wednesday night for the first of MJ Lenderman’s two nights at Thalia Hall. In September, Lenderman released his fourth solo album, Manning Fireworks on Anti-records. On which, Lenderman continues to perfect his craft, teeming with wry lyrics and twangy guitar. Lenderman is a frequent collaborator of Waxahatchee and a member of the alt-country band Wednesday. 

Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band is the solo project of Kentucky-based musician Ryan Davis, who formerly fronted the alt-rock band, State Champion. They kicked off the night with songs from their 2023 album Dancing on the Edge. On songs like “Junk Drawer Heart” Davis’ slacker rock shines. Much like Lenderman, Davis is a master of imagery, using broken jukeboxes and junk drawers to describe the confusion of love. Davis and Lenderman’s music compliments each other well, each with their own take on southern influenced rock. Davis and the Roadhouse Band brought their set to a close joined by several guests, including Xandy Davis who plays lap steel for Lenderman and is also a member of Wednesday. 

Prior to Lenderman’s entrance, a single stick of incense is lit in a can of beer, a fitting image to accompany the stories told in his songs. Opening with his album’s namesake, “Manning Fireworks”, Lenderman and his band make already great songs soar. The set was a hodgepodge of new and old, with tracks from Manning Fireworks as well as his earlier albums, Boat Songs and Ghost of Your Guitar Solo. MJ Lenderman and his band are from Asheville, North Carolina which was recently devastated by Hurricane Helene. In addition to donating a portion of merch sales towards hurricane relief, Lenderman also performed his song “Pianos", which was released as a part of a compilation EP titled Cardinals at the Window. The profits of which also go towards community organizations in North Carolina. 

With a mix of love songs, heartbreak, and Ozzy Osborne homages it’s clear to see why the crowd was so enraptured by his music. They danced, sang, and in the case of his song “Bark at the Moon”, howled till he brought his set to a close with “Knockin’”, a not-quite cover of Knockin on Heaven’s Door. After chants and calls for an encore, Lenderman and his band returned for two more songs, “TV Dinners” and “Taste Just Like It Costs”, with fiddle, lap steel, and guitar coming together to provide a satisfying end to the night. Lenderman has fully come into his own, delivering a performance that’s equally as tongue and cheek as it is sincere.