Girl at the Rock Shows

Every once in a while, I like to take the plunge into an act that is all the buzz for kids these days. Although I typically go into these shows with a harsh sense of judgment, ready to bash anything new and that I deem as having no real heart or quality to it, I was pretty optimistic when I walked into First Avenue on Thursday night. Maybe I was trying to give the headliner the benefit of the doubt, or maybe it’s because I was super excited to see the opening act for the first time in literal years. Whatever it was, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I strolled into a completely sold-out First Avenue for Thursday night’s show.

The last time I saw Florida-based Gouge Away was all the way back in 2019 when they were on tour with La Dispute and Slow Mass. I’ve always been floored by the amount of emotion and angst that this group can put into their live performances, and was beyond delighted to see that, even though it’s been a year, it hasn’t changed. From soft and tender-leaning tracks that left my heart swooning to super intense and almost chaotic numbers that left sweat dripping down my back in a non-literal way (okay, that’s a hard one to explain but, if you’ve seen Gouge Away or heard them, I think you’ll understand), Gouge away had me absolutely frozen in time and place throughout their set. It’s not that I wasn’t comfortable moving; I was. Their sound is so raw and vulnerable at times that it makes you feel like you have known them and everyone else in the room for years in this super strange but beautiful way. It was more than I feared that my moving would mean I would miss a small movement or a small note that would change everything about everything. That sounds dramatic, I know, but Gouge Away is one of those bands that instantly commands not just your ears and your eyes to attention, but also your heart.

Gouge Away was absolutely on point on Thursday night. It was quite obvious that the sold-out audience at First Avenue was there to see the headliner and not many had done research into the magic that is Gouge Away, but that didn’t stop these rockers from giving it their all. Even if you were at this show with a slight distaste for something a bit heavier and more intense, Gouge Away was going to sell you on their unique brand of angst, and you were going to eat up every second of it. I loved this because Gouge Away is a band that has something to say. Although I wouldn’t call them a straight-up political act, there’s just something very activist-feeling about some of their sounds and some of what they have out there. In this climate, that’s what we need, and although Gouge Away isn’t a household name yet, I think they are getting there (and it’s about damn time, as they have been creating this kind of magic since 2012).

Gouge Away’s set was too short for me. I wanted it to last forever, but after a quick shout-out to local group Buio Omega (who you need to be paying attention to), it was time for Gouge Away to leave and make room for the main attraction of the night.

I had no clue who Wednesday was when walking into First Avenue on Thursday night. I knew the name was huge, big enough to sell out First Avenue on a crisp Thursday night, and knew that they had been one of the buzziest bands in the scene last year (I seriously saw their name everywhere and on nearly every end-of-year list), but I never spent any time with their music. I feel like this helped me be a bit optimistic about what was going to happen on Thursday night. Had I known or been told that this was a shoegazy kind of band, I would have instantly formed my own judgments without giving the band the chance. Jumping right now and feeling this band rather than just listening to them changed the game.

Sure, Wednesday is a shoegazy indie-pop kind of band, but they are also noisy with a subtle alt-country swagger and an almost slacker rock kind of energy. I knew right off the bat that vocalist Karly Hartzman was going to be a force of nature, and I was right. Although the music and overall vibe of the room would shift from something infectiously fun to something a bit more serious and tender in the blink of an eye, Karly’s fire and passion are something that never changed. I was instantly enamored by her power and her vocal talent, as well as her overall aura. You know, when you see someone much cooler than you walk by and you wish you could be them, but you know that it’s not the kind of style you can fake or buy, it’s just the person that is the style– that’s Karly Hartzman. She felt too cool for me. Too cool for my old-ass ears to be listening to her raw and vulnerable yet powerful words, but, at the same time, she felt friendly and like I had known her all of my life. That’s the magic of Wednesday.

There were moments when everything happening around me felt super intense. Moments when the vocals turned into almost cathartic feeling screams that matched the chugging guitars and slamming drums. All of that was met with a slightly rowdy crowd, creating a very punk rock kind of atmosphere. Then there would be moments when the lap steel would take over, and a southern brand of calm and chill would wash over the audience, leaving me swaying to the beat where I stood. There were moments where the lyrics cut a bit too deep and a bit too close to home, and others where a certain guitar lick would make my heart skip a beat. I felt like I was living a million lives as I stood there to take in Wednesday in all of their glory because that’s exactly what was happening. Wednesday isn’t just a moment in time or a snapshot you can save. Wednesday is a lifetime, and I know that sounds so dramatic, but I was truly and honestly blown away by what I got from this group on Thursday night.

Sometimes I like to check in with the kids. See what they’re listening to and see what makes them get excited enough to spend a night out at a show. Most of the time, I’m disappointed, but not on Thursday night. If acts like Wednesday are getting attention like what I saw on Thursday night, I think it’s safe to say that the kids are gonna be alright.

Line Up:

Gouge Away

Wednesday

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 34

Crowd Surfers- None Spotted but it was absolutely packed

Stage Divers- 0

Dance-ability- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Celebrity Sightings – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Gouge Away – 2

Wednesday – 0

Show on Deck — Supportive Parents / Secret Lakes / Feegee / Circle Circle

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