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Who: MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchee
Where: Wang Theatre
When: April 22, 2026
MJ Lenderman and Katie Crutchfield, also known as Waxahatchee, co-headlined the Wang Theatre, in what, for me, was the best concert that I have ever been to. With Berklee graduate and Nashville singer, Brennan Wedl, the pair held the crowd at a standstill with just their voices and acoustic guitars; a testament to their talent.
Berklee by Way of Nashville
Going into this show, I had no idea who Brennan Wedl was, but by the end of the night, I had several of her songs stuck in my head.
Wedl’s style can be described as not quite country, not quite indie, and at the same time, it is both of those things. Her voice is also one of the standouts of her music. It is buttery smooth and has a hint of Southern accent in it.
Outside of how her music sounds, Wedl held the stage on her own with just an acoustic guitar, reminiscent in my eyes to Tracy Chapman at Wembley in 1988. The slow, methodical playing of her songs had the crowd entranced. One of her more popular songs, “2 Dollar Pistol,” was completely stripped back from how it sounds in the studio recording. Instead of a ripping electric guitar, Wedl slowly fingerpicked her acoustic guitar, as she smoothly sang the words, “you’re a two-dollar pistol.”
Towards the end of her set, Wedl said, “I’ve had so many formative memories in Boston,” alluding to her time at Berklee College. As she wrapped, we got a hint of Waxahatchee live as they performed “Will You Still Want Me When the Crazy Comes Out.” Their harmonies were a tease of the encore later in the night, and as they finished, everyone was fully seated for MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchee.
You Could Hear a Pen Drop
I don’t think I have ever been to a concert where absolutely no one is singing or talking with the performer. Now that I have, I don’t think I can ever go back to a normal concert.
The quiet intimacy that was ingrained into MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchee’s set was subtle yet very loud. The props on stage were reminiscent of a back porch somewhere in the foothills of North Carolina or backwoods of Alabama. Lamps, static filled TVs, and even a toy dog all added to the informal atmosphere of the concert.
As Lenderman prepared to play his first song, “Manning Fireworks,” a sense of completion or fulfillment came over me. This song was the first one that I listened to when I moved back to Boston in August. The rustic sound of his guitar, accompanied by the hushed, smooth sound of Waxahatchee’s voice, set the scene for the night.
Bring the Family
As the two alternated between songs, both new and old, I looked at the man sitting next to me, crying his eyes out, and I noticed that he was much older than the people I would have associated with the sounds of Lenderman and Waxahatchee. Then I looked around and noticed that there was a staggering variety in attendees.
College kids, adults in their 30s and 40s with their little kids, and even a few elderly people as well all sat together. It finally clicked to me what was making this concert so good. Waxahatchee and Lenderman were playing to a community that was for everyone, a show that transcended age. Being able to gather people in that fashion takes special talent, and that’s what these two have.
Originals and Covers
As the show continued, Waxahatchee busted out one of the songs from her group Snocaps that she is in with her sister Allison Crutchfield. This, to me, highlighted another aspect of the show: the stripped-back nature of every song performed.
Because the set was so sparse, every song that was played felt inherently more raw. The actual playing ot the songs reflected this as well. Only four instruments were used for each song. Whether it be a keyboard, pedal guitar, acoustic guitar, or banjo the songs were given a new life.
Some of the covers that they played were “Lift Me Up” by the Scud Mountain Boys, “Wrecking Ball” by Gillian Welch, and a few more. Not only did they play these songs, but they elevated them.
The highlight of this show, as I have mentioned many times, is the harmonization between the almost whiny voice of Lenderman and the floaty angelic voice of Waxahatchee. Each song was met with thunderous applause, tears, and whoops from the crowd.
All Good Things Must Come to an End
As they came to a close, having played some of my personal favorite songs ever, like Lenderman’s “TLC Cage Match,” and Waxahatchee’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” Lenderman and Crutchfield combined for one last song, “Right Back to It.” This song off of Crutchfield’s 2024 album, Tigers Blood, features Lenderman on the guitar and the chorus of the song. To me, it almost felt as if the Wang Theatre was made for them. The acoustics of the venue allowed us to hear the separation of the two voices, and for one last time, just how well they complemented one another.
And, just when we thought they were done, they did an encore of four covers, even bringing Brennan Wedl out with them. My personal favorite of the encore was their Kathleen Edwards cover of “Six O’clock News.” There’s a line in this song that goes, “Peter, sweet baby, there’s something I need to say to you/ Gonna have your baby this coming June,” and it was met again with whoops and applause. Earlier last week, Crutchfield officially announced her pregnancy, and this was another sign of the crowd’s support for her.
As the three finally closed out the night after almost three hours of music, we all took to our feet, holding a standing ovation for them for five minutes before filing out of Wang Theatre and going back to our lives. But for one night, we were all visibly a part of the same community, despite our generational differences.
