MJ Lenderman Lights Up Hopscotch: Plays Full New Album ‘Manning Fireworks’ At Home State Fest

A day after showing up early to join Waxahatchee at this year’s Hopscotch Music Festival in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman celebrated on the day of the release of his new album Manning Fireworks by performing it in its entirety during his Hopscotch set last Friday evening. Lenderman’s Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman, who contributed to Manning Fireworks, augmented his backing band The Wind during the release-day set.

The nine-song album arrived on Friday and was Lenderman’s first full-length for ANTI- Records. The Asheville, North Carolina native released a live album, And the Wind (Live and Loose!), in 2023 and a studio album, Boat Songs, in 2022. Lenderman played nearly every instrument on Manning Fireworks and co-produced the album with frequent collaborator Alex Farrar.

Lenderman began his home-state Hopscotch set with the Manning Fireworks title track and then proceeded to play its other eight songs, matching the record’s sequence. Singles “Joker Lips,” “Wristwatch” and “She’s Leaving You” were performed alongside fellow album tracks “Rudolph,” “Rip Torn,” “You Don’t Know The Shape I’m In,” “On My Knees” and the sprawling album closer “Bark at the Moon.”

Filling out the set was a mix of pre-Manning Fireworks originals, “Catholic Priest,” “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat,” “Knockin’” and “Tastes Just Like It Costs.”

MJ Lenderman’s extensive tour in support of the new album carries into April 2025. See the band performing live at Hopscotch via the videos below: