May 31

May 31 Joywave at The Grey Eagle

As a photographer, when I hear a band I like is coming to The Grey Eagle, I have mixed emotions. On one hand, I love that there is not a barrier between the fans and the stage so that the crowd can be closer and interact with the band. On the other, it’s typically very difficult to shoot photos, partly due to the lack of a photo pit, but also the low lighting that is offered by the house lights. Despite these mixed feelings, I was overjoyed to hear Joywave was coming back to Asheville for the first time since 2018.

I had recently interviewed Joywave’s guitarist Joey Morinelli as well as Jackson Simmons, lead singer and guitarist of opening act, little image. Both of them were so gracious and open in the interviews that I was excited to see them live and would be happy with whatever photos I got.

When I walked onto The Grey Eagle’s iconic plywood floor, I was struck by the unusual amount of road cases stacked against the wall and the roped off area in front of the sound booth. Was this show going to have additional production? Yes! More lights? You bet! An engaged crowd? Off the charts!

When little image took the stage, they were met with cheers usually reserved for the headliner, and that was the baseline for the rest of the night. The Dallas-based band came out of the gate with energy — but, more notably, incredible sound quality, like it had been mixed in a studio. They’ve recently released three new singles and the crowd sang along while the band put on a masterclass in raw musical entertainment. At one point, drummer Troy Brunner had the front row hold a set of rototoms and a snare drum above their heads while he played on them. Then Jackson put down the guitar and played on the standard drum set for an incredible drum duet.

When the impressive opening act left the stage, they informed us that they would be loading out in the interval and getting on the road due to a long drive. Then the visually exhausted vocalist and bassist lugged all of their gear out to their van while the sweat-drenched drummer greeted fans at the merch table. They knew they had a long night ahead of themselves, but still left it all on the stage. I look forward to seeing them again when they have the luxury of a tour bus and are not carrying their own gear. They deserve it, and you owe it to yourself to catch them next time.

The stage is smaller at The Grey Eagle than most on this Here to Perform tour, and so Joywave did what they call a “punk show” where they eschew their flashy stage show, which typically includes such details as matching outfits and a giant inflatable cat. Their loyal fans didn't seem to mind. They played songs from all of their five studio albums, but naturally focused on 2024’s Permanent Pleasure, turning each song into a singalong as seemingly every member of the audience knew every lyric.

Vocalist Daniel Armbruster was his typical sarcastic self, poking fun at little image for leaving the show early and promising that he was going to stick around until the end of the show. He also spoke with people in the front of the crowd, and when he learned it was someone's birthday, he asked which song they wanted to hear to celebrate. Hearing “Destruction” not once, but twice was the reply — and Joywave obliged, playing arguably their biggest hit twice in a row to close out the night.

When I interviewed Morinelli a week prior to the show, he told me that the premise of this tour was to make it to the smaller cities that they hadn't gotten to visit with the Permanent Pleasure tour, and it seems there are plenty of people who appreciate this decision. It was a memorable night filled with electric performances, on an intimate stage where the artists could truly interact with their adoring fans. This is what allows The Grey Eagle to pull in large acts that have played bigger and more prestigious venues. Don't ever change!

(Photos by Arlo Abrams)