Wednesday’s Hometown Show in Asheville, North Carolina

Words & Photos by Kayla Guilliams | View full show gallery here

Wednesday rounded out their headlining U.S tour with a packed hometown show at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC on Saturday. It was my first time seeing the band, but it was clear that I saw them at their very best - at home, celebrating the tail end of a successful tour, surrounded by fans who revere their stories about living, loving, and learning in small-town America. 

The band opened the night "Chosen to Deserve", a standout hit from their latest release, "Rat Saw God" - the album that made them the indie rock band to watch for so many. The voice of lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Karly Hartzman was understated yet powerful, and soared as the hometown heroes played through hits from their latest release, as well as standouts from their 2021 album "Twin Plagues" and a cover of Gary Stewart's "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinking Doubles)" that had the crowd bouncing, singing, and grinning from ear to ear. 

The band's sound is an alchemy of indie rock, country, and shoegaze, driven with help by the talents of guitarist MJ Lenderman and pedal steel player Xandy Chelmis who shine just as much live as they do on record. The sound they build, paired with Hartzman's knack for storytelling, makes the quintet a true gem of the South, a band anyone who grew up in rural America should be paying attention to. 

Adorned in a shirt that read "I'm not a tourist, I live here...", Hartzman spent time in between songs to remark about how much the band loved Asheville, and how good it was to be home after their headlining tour with support from Chicago's Tenci. As fans sang and danced all night, it was clear that the love Wednesday had for Asheville was matched by the love Asheville had for Wednesday. 

The band closed the night with powerful fan favorites "Fate is..." and "Bull Believer", and the audience held on up until the very last note. For the fans and band alike, it was a Wednesday show to remember. 

Check out Wednesday on Bandcamp here