Mk.gee N.J. concert review: Jersey’s latest breakthrough artist finds glory in simplicity

Mk.gee, New Jersey’s latest indie artist to break through on the national scene, wants to be known for making the best music with as few frills as possible.

From releasing his first EP, “Pronounced McGee,” in 2018, the multi-instrumentalist from Linwood has demonstrated the musical expertise that led him to win the first-ever Somers Point Jazz Society’s jazz scholarship at 14.

His penchant for chasing his impulses has earned the artist born Michael Todd Gordon showcases on “Jimmy Kimmel” and ”Saturday Night Live," and his 2024 debut album, “Two Star & the Dream Police,” was named album of the year by The New York Times.

But at Gordon’s first home-state headlining show, at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park Tuesday night – the first of two back-to-back sold-out gigs – he held those simplistic principles close. At an understated yet methodically intricate show, Gordon played an hour-long set accented by a bright light that burned white and red. Around 850 doting fans packed the historic Jersey Shore venue, spilling out into the outside area, and tried to fit into every nook and cranny like Tetris pieces.

Mk.gee performs at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park Photo Credit: Gabriella HughesGabriella Hughes

“Jersey, is this my town or what?” the 28-year-old singer/songwriter asked the crowd, more than happy to oblige his homecoming. Not bad for someone who grew up over an hour-and-a-half away in Linwood.

In case someone didn’t get a ticket, the volume was loud enough that you could hear The Police-influenced opener, “ROCKMAN” across the street at the boardwalk. In the same Dazed profile, Gordon mentioned that the first CD he owned was by the English rock band Deep Purple, who were once billed “the loudest band ever” by The Guinness Book of World Records. If anything, the volume only served to make Gordon’s DIY brand of lo-fi, indie rock stand out that much more.

The setlist, mostly drawing from Gordon’s 2024 debut showed how a mixture of influences ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Prince, Sly and the Family Stone, among others, can come together in the mind of a talented and curious musician to create something fresh.

“Are You Looking Up,” a sparse, dreamy call to action featuring a recurring figure named Rylee (also front and center in the song, “Rylee & Me”), was raw on stage. Gordon, with just his voice, his guitar, and moody synth notes added by programmer Zack Sekoff, gave the song an added layer of emotional vulnerability.

“Alesis,” a song in which Gordon fiddles with the idea of alienation within himself, catered well to his penchant for improvisation. His solos aren’t of the classic-rock kind, where he’s doing hammer-ons for minutes on end. (I’m sure he could.)

Instead, Gordon elects for a harshness, sometimes bending notes and gaining sounds out of his guitar that you wouldn’t expect. It’s that element of surprise that keeps you on your toes, even if the music feels like wearing a warm jacket.

Mk.gee performs at The Stone Pony at Asbury Park Photo Credit: Gabriella HughesGabriella Hughes

The joy of seeing a MK.gee show live is to witness the full breadth of his inspirations. Before playing “Candy” (which he played twice), there was an intro from Cameo’s 1986 hit of the same name that seemed to flow into his song. “DNM” features 808s and harmonies reminiscent of the early 1990s New Jack Swing style, popularized by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, as well as artists such as Janet Jackson and New Edition.

Gordon joked with the crowd, acknowledging the tour rib where he would play the “DNM” three times on his “Two Star & the Dream Police” tour. The Stone Pony only got the song twice, however. “We’ll play it one more time. I’m not singing it, though.” While the crowd sang the first verse, he didn’t leave them hanging and joined in.

To say that artists like Prince and Phil Collins inspire you comes with a certain amount of expectations - ones that Gordon confidently molds together as a musical sponge.

While stardom may draw him to the bright lights of big stages like the Governors Ball festival in New York this weekend, there’s nothing quite like the humid, sticky stages of home.

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Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com