The Asheville, North Carolina group Wednesday recently brought their truly unique sound to Baltimore. Taking the stage at a very fitting venue, Nevermore Hall, formerly Rams Head Live! The venue’s more moody refashioning lends an aesthetic backdrop for the band. Led by frontperson Karly Hartzman, the group showcased their impressive talent in bridging the gap between more folk/rural sounding melodies and a much more grunge/emo inspired sound.
On June 16, the crowd at Nevermore Hall showcased the band’s wide appeal to a large and diverse audience. It was a blend of a huge span of ages, from young Gen Zers to millennials, all the way to Gen X. The younger crowd was eager to get into the heavier music, opening up a mosh pit and providing the life of the show. Some of the older fans were less inclined to join the mosh but still clearly showed their appreciation for the music. Whether they were there for the heavier 90s sound or the lighter, more recent releases of Wednesday, the crowd roared when the band took the stage. Made up of Hartzman (Vocals), Xandy Chelmis (Petal Steel), Jake Pugh (Guitar), Ethan Baechtold (Bass), and Alan Miller (Drums).
Witnessing a band live is a world of difference from hearing the studio tracks. In this case, it just made each of the tracks hit even harder. The distorted chords combined with Chelmis’s lap steel created a beautiful sound that is seldom heard. It’s always a treat to hear an instrument not all that common in today’s most popular hits. Similarly, it’s always a treat when you can tell a band is having fun on stage, and that’s exactly how Wednesday performed. After the opening stretch of songs featuring “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)” and the more explosive “Hot Rotten Grass Smell,” the band took to some of their older tracks. On most of these tracks, like “How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do,” Hartzman’s vocal delivery featured a slightly southern twang and pulled the crowd in with the warm sound.
Watch Wednesday perform “How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do” live for Audiotree on YouTube:
Wednesday was briefly joined on stage by the lead vocalist of Tombstone Poetry, their opener, for a rendition of “Phish Pepsi.” Shortly after, they delivered a gorgeous cover of Gary Stewarts “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Doubles).” It was a nice nod to the genuine country influences with a newer, heavier grit added into the mix. But the true emotional point came during “The Burned Down Dairy Queen,” with the band inviting their touring merch manager up to sing her favorite song. Ash, along with Hartzman, sang beautifully and fostered an incredibly charming atmosphere that made the 1500-capacity venue feel incredibly intimate.
What separates Wednesday from the other 90s revivalists is Hartzman’s self-aware stage banter, most of which I’ll leave as a surprise for those who check the band out live. She paused between the more emotional songs like “The Way Love Goes” and “Elderberry Wine” and engaged with the audience. Banter ensued on the topic of where her audience was from, thanking the fans for the relentless energy.
The final portion of the night was closed with the crescendo of “Bull Believer.” Watching Hartzman repeat the screams of “Finish Him!” over a torrential downpour of cymbals and a wall of guitar chords was genuinely a jaw-dropping moment. Wednesday skipped a quiet comedown and went into the track “Wasp,” next, a rapid-fire shredding explosion on the stage. Exhausted but visibly incredibly proud, the band took their final bows.
Setlist:
Reality TV Argument Bleeds
Got Shocked
Fate Is…
Wound Up Here (By Holdin On)
Hot Rotten Grass Smell
How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do
Phish Pepsi– (With Tombstone Poetry)
She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Doubles)
Quarry
Pick Up That Knife
Twin Plagues
The Burned Down Dairy Queen– (With Ash)
The Way Love Goes
Elderberry Wine
Bitter Everyday
Townies
Bull Believer
Wasp
Here are some photos of Wednesday performing live at Nevermore Hall on June 16, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Caden Forrester.
