As a current sophomore, I never got to see Wednesday play Vassar College Entertainment’s (ViCE) “Welcome Back” concert two years ago. Since then, the band released a new album, “Bleeds,” this past September, and touring member MJ Lenderman has left the band. With that, I would say they have even gained popularity. On Wednesday, Nov. 12, my friends and I took the Metro-North down to Brooklyn Steel to see them play their second night there. We stood like sardines in the packed venue, getting pushed aside by people going to “meet a friend!” in the mosh pit. Many of Wednesday’s shows for their Bleeds Tour are completely sold out, while others have very low ticket availability. After a first listen to the new album, it was immediately clear to me that these tickets would be in high demand.
Wednesday’s 2023 breakout album, “Rat Saw God,” put them on the map as one of the best new indie rock bands on the scene. Receiving an 8.8 rating from Pitchfork, the band blended gothic grunge with country twang in their own unique way. They discuss their youths in the worn-out suburbs of North Carolina with dramatic, dark lyricism. “Bull Believer,” the band’s first single and most streamed song on the album, is a charged rock ballad. Lead singer Karly Hartzman said in an interview with NPR, “[The song is] an offering to myself of a brief moment of release from being tolerant of the cruelty of life: feels like cutting my hair to let go of the history it holds.” She and the band did in fact appear to release this anger during their rendition of “Bull Believer” last Wednesday, as Hartzman screamed at the audience amidst the clashing sounds of the band’s guitars. But “Bleeds” has a new take on the band’s Southern grunge, with more elaborate storytelling and breakup ballads than ever before.
In Fleetwood Mac fashion, Hartzman and lead guitarist Lenderman broke it off in March of 2024. The relationship ending fuelled Hartzman’s lovesick songwriting, despite the album being written even before the breakup. I would argue that this breakup has drawn more attention to the band, causing them to gain popularity. After dating for roughly six years, the two broke up, deciding to keep it a secret from the band for the rest of their tour to prevent any worry that the band might break up as well. They were determined to keep the band alive, and after a few adjustments, such as Lenderman making the decision to stop touring with the band, they have been able to do so. However, the lingering pain of the two outgrowing their relationship lingers evidently in their newest album. Songs like “Elderberry Wine,” “The Way Love Goes” and “Bitter Everyday” make clear references to the relationship and the breakup. In the country swinging hit single “Elderberry Wine,” Hartzman whines, “Say I wanna have your baby ‘cause I freckle and you tan.” In one of the album’s only slow songs, “The Way Love Goes,” the banjo is gently plucked behind Hartzman’s lyrics that moan, “I oversold myself on the night we met.” She reminisces, projecting a disappointment in knowing that he is “much sweeter” than anyone she had ever known and than she could ever handle.
My friends and I arrived just as the opener, Daffo, was finishing her set to a bustling crowd of young people. One of my friends got a Yerba Mate cocktail from the bar, and we headed into the crowd. About two songs into Wednesday’s set, Hartzman bellowed over the microphone, “I thought I was gonna have to get you guys to jump around, but I see you’ve already got a mosh going!” Everyone around me seemed to know each lyric to every track, and every time a new song would come on, the crowd—including my friends and I—roared. People were on the edge of their seats as the band wove in their old songs with new songs in a setlist that kept the crowd going from start to finish. Towards the end of the set, Hartzman also added a bit about the band’s excitement for a new New York with mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Overall, I would say the band successfully portrayed a head-bashing, country grunge sound and energy. Despite the absence of Lenderman, a key player in past Wednesday endeavors, the band put on a thrilling show. Wednesday quenched the audience’s thirst for their refreshing contributions to the indie-rock scene.