It may not rank up there with Bob Dylan going electric at the Newport Jazz Festival, but watching Lanky grab hold of a Telecaster with the backing of a full band does make a live set different from his solo shows.
Lanky is a singer-songwriter from New Jersey that has been criss-crossing most of the country during the past few years. He has released two records - the first being a full-length called Inner Onwriter, and his most recent being Last Chance To Make A First Impression, which came out a few months ago. The two records show just how different Lanky's music sounds with and without a band.
Inner Onwriter was recorded in the studio with full instrumentation on every track. Last Chance To Make A First Impression was a live recording of how most of the country was used to seeing Lanky - live on stage with an acoustic guitar. As an artist trying to define himself, it probably didn't help.
"I put out the first record and it's like a full production," said Lanky. "And then I go and tour with just a guitar. So everyone sees me with just a guitar. Then I put out this EP that's stripped down... it's kind of back and forth. I guess sooner or later I've got to present it one way."
The way he's currently presenting it is with the introduction of a band behind him. The first full Lanky with band show took place at the Dewey Beach Festival in October. Right now it's a straight four piece, traditional rock and roll setup with two guitars, bass and drums. In the future, Lanky says he would like to experiment by adding a keyboard or cello to the mix.
"I want to keep it interesting and fun," he said. "I don't want to be just another rock band or a rock band with me up front playing acoustic guitar."
If you've seen Lanky play before, hearing him with a band makes for a much stronger, rock sound. At times, it becomes easier to get a sense of his alternative music influences with the band sound.
"It's a lot more rock," he says. "I mean, I like to rock. I've kind of felt like I've been a wolf in sheep's clothing playing these acoustic gigs because I'm kind of a rocker."
This is the first time he has played in a band in quite a while and things like soundchecks and coordinating schedules take much more time now.
"It's just a big shock considering I used to just throw the guitar in and go," explained Lanky. "I think it's good that I was able to do that for a while because I think I would have shot myself if we had to take four guys around the country."
Sadly, Lanky is one of many New Jersey artists that have a larger fanbase outside of their home state. Maybe going electric will be the answer to building his fanbase. After all, it worked out rather well for Bob Dylan.
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
