Live music review: Wednesday told all of their best stories at Mohawk Monday

For Asheville’s Wednesday, every song is an ever-unfolding origami tell-all. Whether it be the varying influences ranging from shoegaze to folk to country or the vivid words from singer/songwriter Karly Hartzman, Wednesday is a band with a lot to say with each album release. For Wednesday’s Monday night gig at Austin’s beloved Mohawk, the group turned the Red River District venue into their storytelling sanctuary.

With their 2023 tour commemorating their fourth studio effort, Rat Saw God, Wednesday is no stranger to the stage.  To sum up Rat Saw God, the record is noisy, personal, and hits close to home in more ways than one. Wednesday writes songs for the outcasts, and every word is one of sheer honesty with a touch of longing and discovery.

To open the night, Wednesday enlisted the help of the Los Angeles band Cryogeyser. Singer/guitarist Shawn Marom, bassist Hunter Martinez, and drummer McCoy Kirgo delivered a tight set that built up anticipation with their brand of fuzzy folk anthems, only stopping in the middle of the performance to thank Wednesday for taking them out on tour. The band also stopped to criticize Texas’ lack of legal weed. Fair point guys. Marom’s brand of folk, fuzz rock was a moving presentation, matching the sincerity the headliners brought to the table. The opening set had audience members singing along, setting the stage for Wednesday’s enthusiastically received performance.

The venue appeared to fill up fast before Wednesday got on stage, proving that it doesn’t matter what night of the week it is in Austin, music always wins. The North Carolina natives wasted little time. “Hot Rotten Grass Smell” burst out of the gate in explosive rock-and-gaze fashion. The guitarist’s pedal board was locked and loaded with every distorted, reverb-drenched bell and whistle that appears on their ever-growing body of work.

The set also featured stellar steel guitar work from Xandy Chelmis. Hartzman recognized the wonderful addition to the band’s live sound, introducing Chelmis before launching into a steel guitar-heavy diddy. After ripping through newer cuts like “Formula One” and “Chosen to Deserve,” the band also noted the big crowd. “This is the biggest headlining crowd we’ve ever had,” guitarist Jake Lenderman remarked. For this being Wednesday’s third visit, it sounds like they’re going to make Austin a regular stop, and we are beyond stoked about that. 

The band continued their set with “Bath County,” a song that demonstrates the wise and vulnerable tellings from Hartzman. Whether the frontwoman talks about youthful mischief or rocking until the sun comes up, Hartzman doesn’t hold back. Bringing up old memories of sneaking into pools and being around friends that can’t seem ever to hold their liquor feel familiar and warming. Still, Hartzman’s lyrical direction when discussing these matters feels full of epiphanies that lead one to self-discovery. Wednesday doesn’t lament one’s mistakes. They learn and live to tell about it. We could all use lessons like that. 

When Hartzman and company reached the last leg of their set, they invited Shawn Marom from Cryogeyser up for a tune. The vocal performance from the duo of Marom and Hartzman was when the two acts’ friendship became apparent, as the pair danced and smiled profusely throughout the song. Hartzman also spoke about her love of Cryogeyser’s music, telling the crowd that she and her bandmates were singing along from the audience during the Los Angeles act’s opening set with the rest of them. If you’re one to participate in Bandcamp Friday or Bandcamp surfing in general, grab some music from Cryogeyser, you won’t regret it.

When Wednesday reached the end of their set, “Bull Believer” sent the night off in a chaotic whirlwind of distortion and shouted vocals. Hartzman and Lenderman ran their pedals through the paces, as a mosh pit broke out while the set reached its cathartic end. The crowd cheered for an encore that didn’t come, but it’s a good sign that everyone in the audience was left wanting more from what was already a soaring set from the North Carolina band. If Wednesday’s prolific music output is any indication, they are as talented as they are fearless and won’t be slowing down for anything.

Listen to Wednesday at Bandcamp and pick up something good today. The company waives fees to artists on the first Friday (today) of each month as they’ve done since the worldwide pandemic stopped touring temporarily.

All photos and video by Case Cockrell

Please follow and like us: