Wednesday Continue Their Rock and Roll Ascendance, Welcome Drive-by Truckers’ Patterson Hood at Portland, OR’s Revolution Hall (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

By Neil Ferguson

Hot off their much-buzzed-about appearances at Coachella, North Carolina rock outfit Wednesday descended on Portland, Oregon, for two sold-out nights at Revolution Hall on April 21st and 22nd. The band is no stranger to this city, having wowed Pickathon Music Festival in 2023 and subsequent shows that have only fueled their fire. By the time they hit the stage for the second of those two shows on April 22nd – on a Wednesday, funny enough – the audience was stoked enough that lead singer Karly Hartzman had to comment that they were more lit than the night before. Clearly, this was a room of serious fans decked out in a hunting convention’s worth of camo, and the band showed their appreciation with a rousing performance that showcased the power and versatility they have harnessed as they have grown in popularity.

From the first screams of “Reality TV,” it was clear that Wednesday only continues to polish their sound, and this is definitely not a bad thing. Gone are the days of being a scrappy upstart band from the backwoods of North Carolina, as the band has tightened up and locked in their showmanship even after losing guitarist MJ Lenderman to his own mega-successful solo career. Hartzman appeared simultaneously confident and completely comfortable as she led the band through songs like feedback-soaked slacker rocker “Got Shocked” that segued into a version of the melodic and grungy “Fate Is…” with vocals that brimmed with cathartic anguish, and the druggy sway of “Wound Up Here (By Holdin On).”

If there was a single impressive thread to the performance, it was the band’s ability to contrast quieter material with its signature abrasive Southern rock, which has helped redefine its identity. They did this on the older tune “Cody’s Only” that blended twangy alt-country with fiery rock intensity, and injected even more pedal steel into “How Can You Live If You Can’t Love How Can You If You Do” that was tender and beautiful. They welcomed Christina Michelle from opener Gouge Away to harmonize on the playful lyricism of “Phish Pepsi” that started in honky tonk mode and rollicked along with a tightness that showcased their musical chops. Other standout moments came from the bouncing grit “Quarry” and deadpan, twang-soaked thrash of “Pick Up That Knife.” For the older fans in the room, the highlight of the night may have come when Hartzman spoke of the influence of the Drive-by Truckers before inviting frontman, Portland resident, and Wednesday superfan Patterson Hood to the stage to join the band for a fun cover of Big Star’s “September Gurls.”

Following an especially strong performance of “Elderberry Wine” that had the whole audience singing along, Hartzman announced that they had exactly four songs left, with the reason being that these final four would pretty much knock out her voice for the night. She wasn’t kidding as the band launched into “Bitter Everyday” and the crowd reciprocated by moshing. In between “Townies” and the dark and biting tune “Bull Believer,” Hartzman voiced her anger at the state of the world before unleashing some of her fiercest vocals of the night. The band ratcheted things up even more for their final tune, “Wasp,” a ferocious swarm of punk and hardcore that ended the performance on a high note.