George Ward
Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.
Wednesday return to Bristol for an intimate gig, proving themselves as one of the most versatile bands around
Compared to the other venues on the tour, including London’s Roundhouse (3,300 capacity), Bristol’s much smaller Fleece (450 capacity) must have felt like a blast from the past for North Carolina band Wednesday. The band made note of this, saying they wanted to play the Marble Factory, which sadly was forced to close its doors last year, but that they were grateful to play such an intimate space.
Fortunately, cramming ourselves in the venue and avoiding its many pillars was more than worth it, and Wednesday proved yet again why they’re one of the most versatile bands on the scene. Last year’s incredible album ‘Bleeds’ took up much of the setlist, but we were treated to picks from throughout their discography, all the way from debut album ‘I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone’ through to the 2025 release.
A Wednesday gig is a truly unpredictable beast: one minute frontwoman Karly Hartzman will casually describe which level of heat each band member ordered from local Chinese spot Chilli Daddy’s, the next she will be noodling country riffs on ‘Phish Pepsi’ or introducing ‘Townies’ as a “song about a handjob”. Weirdly, this is the second handjob song for me this year, having seen Ezra Furman just weeks before.
Though MJ Lenderman is missed from the live lineup, the band sound as good as they have ever done, confidently led by an unbelievably emotional performance from Karly Hartzman. Hearing Wednesday live is the only way to fully appreciate just how impressive Kartzman’s vocal range is, as comfortable with the soft-spoken ‘Formula One’ as she is with the monstrous screams of closer ‘Wasp’, brutal enough to go head to head with any hardcore band (and probably win).
The show was filled with lovely surprises. On their cover of Gary Stewart’s ‘She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Doubles)’, you can see Hartzman’s joy at the crowd belting the chorus back at her. Later, after a fan loses a full pint to a particularly rowdy mosh pit, she points them out, telling them to go and get another from the bar on her.
The emotional climax of the night came with ‘Bull Believer’. The track, already incredibly emotional, was given even more weight, when Hartzman explained to the crowd that she would be screaming for those wronged in her home country: friends, immigrants, everyone whose life is made hell by an oppressive government.
After a patient build, the track inevitably explodes, with the line “Finish him” hauntingly yelled, filled with ferocity and fuelled by the unfairness of the world. As lyrics collapse into pure yelling, the guitars hit you like a wall, surrounding you in a distorted wave of fury and despair. It’s an incredibly powerful song and one of the best moments I’ve experienced at a gig.
Fans of folk, country, indie rock, punk and everything in between will find something to hold onto at a gig like this. If you get the chance to catch Wednesday in their current form, it is vital that you grab it.
Listen to ‘Bleeds’ here:
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