Last Friday, Sept. 22, alternative rock band Wednesday took the stage for ViCE’s annual Welcome Back Concert. The night before the autumnal equinox, the rock group followed opener Devon Thompson on the Frances Daly Fergusson Quadrangle adjacent to the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film. Prior to the show, ViCE had scattered posters far and wide and drawn mural-sized chalk art in front of the Gordon Commons steps to get Vassar students excited.
Originally hailing from North Carolina, Wednesday came together during their time at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Lead singer Karly Hartzman had not devoted significant time to playing an instrument until her junior year of college. She wove in and out of various musical projects and eventually began performing with current band members Jake Lenderman, Xandy Chelmis, Ethan Baechtold and Alan Miller. The Line of Best Fit, an independent online music magazine, summed up the power of the lead singer: “The songs of Karly Hartzman are rooted in the pathos of small town southern USA.”
Hartzman and her fellow band members began by playing various garage-rock shows, slowly dipping their toes into the Asheville music scene. The band not only made connections with fellow local groups through this practice but also began to find their sound. Hartzman’s gritty, authoritative vocals pair nicely with the group’s somewhat unorthodox shoegaze-country instrumentation. The band—with their mellow appearance—may seem like unlikely country enthusiasts, but their North Carolina roots make them experts at blending twangy guitar with laid-back vocals.
As the band made their way through their setlist, mosh pits came and went. Students perched on each other’s shoulders. The stage, set up near the left side of Vogelstein, offered a more intimate and close-knit atmosphere than previous ViCE concerts, which have taken place on Noyes Circle and Main Drive. Songs like “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles),” a cover of a song by late country artist Gary Stewart, took the crowd by storm.
Charlie Brodkin ’26 enjoyed both sets. “I liked both the opener [Devon Thompson] and Wednesday!” It was not his first time hearing the name of the band, either. “I work at a cafe in Philadelphia, and a customer recommended I listen to them.”
Although some students, like Brodkin, were acquainted with Wednesday’s music prior to the show, other students, such as Gavin Akoto ’25, went into the concert with no previous knowledge of the band’s music. “I was pleasantly surprised because I thought the band was going to be mellow, but their music was a lot more upbeat than I anticipated. I liked Wednesday because their songs were distinctive, and they played off of the crowd’s energy very well,” mused Akoto.
Hartzman conversed with the crowd throughout the evening, encouraging students to pursue music and taking song requests from the audience. One shout from the audience prompted Wednesday to play their song “November,” off of their 2020 album, “I was Trying to Describe You to Someone,” despite the fact that this particular tune was not on their original setlist. ViCE co-president Dora Levite ’24 was impressed with the band’s receptiveness to the crowd’s energy, gushing, “My favorite moment from the show was seeing how much the band loved the crowd. They were so amazing and happy to be there, and the crowd brought such awesome energy.” By interacting with the crowd throughout the night, the band established a much-welcomed warmth and intimacy.
The performance’s success followed a nearly rain-checked, although in the end wonderful, Spring Concert the year prior. With a cancellation from JPEGMAFIA and rainy weather, the Spring Concert was one for the books. No rain, however, appeared on Friday as the night came to a close. The show went off without a hitch, with gleeful students trailing back to their respective dorms and apartments at the end of the night.