“the Poet Laureate of Indie Rock” — Interview Magazine “Manning Fireworks is a masterpiece about quotidian misery that’s as playful and comforting as a best friend.” — Stereogum “[MJ Lenderman’s] poignant songs pulse with humor and rays of light” — The New York Times Earlier this year, North Carolina-based singer, songwriter, and musician MJ Lenderman released one of 2024’s most celebrated records, Manning Fireworks, effectively establishing him as “a bright young star in the indie rock firmament.” (NPR Music) Following his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last month and a fully sold-out fall North American tour, today, the band, in conjunction with Banished Music and Strange News Touring, announces a March / April 2025 New Zealand tour. It’s the first time the full MJ Lenderman & The Wind experience will be landing here, on the heels of a super-secret-surprise show at Whammy Bar earlier this year, with full-band shows hitting Lyttelton, Wellington, and Auckland. With Manning Fireworks riding high on best-of-the-year lists everywhere, adoration from all corners, and no longer a stranger to the late night talk shows, it seems high time for Asheville’s favourite son to come back down and show us a few of the new tricks he’s learned along the way. consequence.net called MJ Lenderman a “singer, songwriter, and guitarist at the height of his powers” in a recent live review, and with his star rising like it has, fans can expect big, beautiful things from these shows. "Manning Fireworks confirms his status as a premier storyteller of broken hearts and bruised egos." - Paste