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Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman are riding a wave of critical acclaim that shows no signs of cresting, and Buffalo gets to reap the benefits when the pair arrive at the UB Center for the Arts on April 23, 2026. With Brennan Wedl opening the evening, this is a stacked bill featuring some of the sharpest songwriting talent in modern rock and Americana. For anyone who cares about where guitar-driven music is heading, this is essential listening in a live setting.
About Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman
Katie Crutchfield’s Waxahatchee project has been on a remarkable trajectory, evolving from scrappy indie beginnings into something far more expansive and emotionally resonant. Her songwriting cuts deep, drawing from country, folk, and rock traditions with an authenticity that cannot be faked and a vulnerability that disarms even the most guarded listener. Her voice carries a plainspoken power that makes every lyric land with weight. MJ Lenderman has quickly become one of the most talked-about guitar players and songwriters in indie rock, a musician whose laconic delivery belies the emotional precision of his lyrics and the inventiveness of his guitar work. Catching both acts on the same bill is a genuine event for anyone who cares about the future of American music.
The Venue
The UB Center for the Arts seats roughly 1,700 in Buffalo and has established itself as a go-to destination for touring indie and rock acts in Western New York. The sound is clean and well-balanced, the sightlines are strong from every section of the house, and the room rewards artists who bring genuine dynamic range to their live performance. For a show built on songwriting and musicianship rather than spectacle, this is the ideal fit — big enough to feel like an event, small enough to feel personal.
Tickets & Details
Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman with Brennan Wedl perform at the UB Center for the Arts on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Doors are at 7:30 PM. Check the link for current pricing and availability.
I have been covering live music long enough to know when a bill has that certain something — that combination of artists, timing, and venue that turns a concert into a memory you keep coming back to. This one has it in abundance. If indie rock and alt-country are your territory, you already know you need to be here. If they are not, this might be the show that converts you. Either way, Buffalo wins.