Written by Grace Doherty, photos by Carter Moore
“Is this gonna be a seated show?” MJ Lenderman says as he crosses the stage to his guitar. He is dressed plainly and without much more than a few words, begins the intro to Rudolph, the third track off his new album Manning Fireworks. Without further ado, the crowd explodes, everyone seeming to know each word Lenderman croons. His music comes off as scrappy guitar rock with his voice acting as a belting whine to accompany his eclectic lyrics.
As a member of Wednesday and a former drummer for Indigo De Souza, Lenderman seems to know his way around rock. The chemistry between his band is undeniable even as they crowd the stage, barely fitting amongst the instruments. Behind me within the crowd, a man behind me simply stated, “He is just such a cool guy”. No sentence encapsulates Lenderman’s aura more. His laid back demeanor and monotone nature combined with his guitar solos ripping through the crowd defined the entirety of the night.
MJ Lenderman and the Wind’s sold-out cross country tour kicked off in Knoxville on Sunday night, the first stop of many on a winding path around small town USA before cutting up and into Europe. With a Manning Fireworks banner behind them, MJ and his band took the Bijou’s stage by storm which comes as a surprise due to Lenderman’s quiet and “off the grid” presence. The rowdiness of his guitar and band combined with the gripping deadpan of his character held the attention of the audience and lit the way for the rest of the show.
The show comes after the unexpected cancellation of the original Atlanta dates. Lenderman, an Asheville native, felt it imperative to delegate his efforts to helping his hometown bounce back, ultimately delaying the tour to begin in Knoxville. Before the show, the buzz within the Bijou was undeniable, a sold out crowd waiting anxiously for the new “golden boy of indie rock”.
Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band set the tone as the opener, a folky-surf rock group out of Louisville. Long and drawn out ballads about the human capacity for longing were accompanied by bongos, setting an electric tone for the rest of the night. Tracks such as “Flashes of Orange” made it clear that Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band are a force to be reckoned with.
Moving through the setlist, Lenderman frequently interacted with the crowd, casually talking and throwing out nods to Knoxville, calling The Pilot Light, “the best venue in the world”. In addition to playing the entirety of Manning Fireworks, belting hits such as “Knockin’” and “Tastes Just Like It Costs” made their debut on the Bijou’s stage. Lenderman’s unconcerned sound was captivating, as watching him play for a full house felt the same as watching him play alone, content in the world that his music creates.
By the end of the night, the magnetic field surrounding Lenderman is obvious. Upon asking for the time, the crowd refuses to tell him, over fears that he’ll end the night. I used to believe that his music was getting an unusually copious amount of attention that I couldn’t justify. There was no question that Lenderman is talented but how much of the buzz around him was warranted? Now, I am unsure if I will ever see a better show at the Bijou. MJ Lenderman and the Wind are a sheer force, cutting clearly into indie rock as we know it.
