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Review and setlist: Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman perfectly complement one another at the Wang Theatre
The acoustic, co-headlining set brought two of indie rock's biggest stars together in Boston.
Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman at the Wang Theatre, Boston, April 22, 2026.
During the encore of their set Wednesday night in Boston, Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman and opener Brennan Wedl launched into a rendition of Kathleen Edwards’s “Six O’Clock News.” As Katie Crutchfield, who records as Waxahatchee, sang “I’m gonna have your baby this coming June,” the packed Wang Theatre crowd erupted in mid-song applause. Crutchfield, who is pregnant, couldn’t suppress a small giggle before continuing.
That small moment, which fused a knowing silliness with openhearted earnestness, was emblematic of Crutchfield and Lenderman’s stellar co-headlining acoustic set. The two indie rock stars appeared comfortable and confident as they traded songs back and forth amid stage decorations that evoked a living room, or perhaps a particularly cozy thrift store.
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It’s no secret that Crutchfield and Lenderman are, sonically, a match made in heaven. But seeing them share a stage and a setlist highlighted the unique, and complementary, aspects of their songwriting.
In her vibrant and subtly fierce writing, Crutchfield is unafraid of direct confrontation both with others and with her own shortcomings. Lenderman often plumbs emotional depths through stories of imagined sad sacks, jerks, and the hilariously bizarre places they inhabit. The intricacies and idiosyncrasies of each style were made more apparent by witnessing them play off one another. Even Crutchfield and Lenderman’s drinks of choice on stage had an amusing yin-and-yang quality: she sipped hot tea, he drank a Miller Lite.
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Their setlist itself was full of well-known hits, deeper cuts, new tracks, and crowd-pleasing covers.
Crutchfield’s “Chapel of Pines,” originally recorded for another project in 2012, was an early standout as her repeated cries of “will you go?” further enthralled an already rapt crowd. Soon after, Crutchfield gave fans a stunning rendition of “Doom,” from another side project she recently formed with her twin sister.
Lenderman then previewed a few new, unreleased songs. “Fishing” was melancholic and plaintive, before “Brawson’s” brought in stories about love, “gas station drugs,” and someone’s pants falling down around their ankles.
A few songs later, Lenderman introduced something “special” and “regional”: a cover of Scud Mountain Boys’ “Lift Me Up.” The track, from the Northampton band’s 1996 album “Massachusetts,” was a perfect match for Lenderman’s style.
Crutchfield’s “Much Ado About Nothing” elicited one of the biggest crowd responses of the night, with some audience members jumping to their feet upon its conclusion.
When recording her magnificent 2024 album “Tigers Blood,” Crutchfield reportedly invited Lenderman to contribute on one song, then asked him to help with guitars and backup vocals for the entire album. Their synergy elevates the album, perhaps most effectively on the title track. Performed live, the wistful beauty of that song is just about indescribable.
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After closing their set with hits “Wristwatch” and “Right Back To It,” Crutchfield and Lenderman returned with Wedl for an encore consisting entirely of covers.
“We have a plan,” Crutchfield assured the audience as they tried to shout out suggestions. That plan started with Iris DeMent’s “My Life” before continuing into a version of Lucinda Williams’ “Abandoned” that brought Wedl’s twangy voice to the forefront. “Six O’Clock News” ended the set on a high note, bringing the audience roaring back to its feet.
Setlist for Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman at the Wang Theatre on April 22, 2026:
- Manning Fireworks
- Evil Spawn
- Joker Lips
- Chapel of Pines (Great Thunder cover)
- Rip Torn
- Doom (Snocaps cover)
- Fishing (unreleased MJ Lenderman song)
- Brawson’s (unreleased MJ Lenderman song)
- Lilacs
- TLC Cage Match
- Burns Out at Midnight
- Lift Me Up (Scud Mountain Boys cover)
- The Wolves
- You Don’t Know the Shape I’m In
- Crowbar
- Bark at the Moon
- Much Ado About Nothing
- Love Streams (unreleased MJ Lenderman song)
- Wrecking Ball (Gillian Welch cover)
- Catholic Priest
- Tigers Blood
- Wristwatch
- Right Back To It
Encore:
- My Life (Iris DeMent cover)
- Abandoned (Lucinda Williams cover)
- All the Right Reasons (The Jayhawks cover)
- Six O’Clock News (Kathleen Edwards cover)
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