Nov 4

Nov 4 Review: Wednesday + Mannequin Pussy at Hellbender

Have you ever found yourself suddenly listening to a song on a loop? It’s not necessarily new, but something clicks into place in your deranged mind, and it’s the only thing you want to hear for days or weeks.

By the time my obsession with Mannequin Pussy’s “Nothing Like” hit, the album had already been a personal favorite for nearly two years. In an era of endless new music, even a few months can make a song feel ancient. Yet earlier this year, the I Got Heaven cut latched on and wouldn’t let go. The obsession came and went several times in 2026.

At Hellbender on Oct. 30, when Mannequin Pussy started up the jangly guitars and rolling drumbeat that introduce the song, I felt an instant rush of euphoria. It was just the second song of the set, and I was still in the photo pit, camera in hand, attempting to document the magic. On the other side of the barrier, young fans passionately sang every word of the crunchy dream-punk anthem. When Maxine Steen’s Weezer-esque guitar solo cut through the speakers, giving way to the epic bridge (“Oh, what’s wrong with dreaming of burning this all down? If it’s what you want, I would give my life”), it was like being struck by lightning.

It’s for moments like those that I’m drawn out to concert venues night after night, like a junkie looking for their next fix.

There was never a question Night One of the Bitch Cabal tour would be enthralling. Since the final Hellbender show of 2026 was announced, pairing Mannequin Pussy and Wednesday, it had been one of the year’s most anticipated local events. Both bands have ascended during the 2020s, building devoted fanbases and likely inspiring a wave of new artists. There’s something special about catching an act at its peak, when everything aligns artistically and the creative fire of youth still burns.

With the power of a million Pixy Stix, Nashville egg punk quartet Snõõper provided a shot of adrenaline to kick things off. Listening to them is like downing three-too-many espressos and bouncing off the walls: equally thrilling and exhausting, and an excellent way to get a crowd moving.

As co-headliners, the two bands didn’t learn their order until about a day before. Mannequin Pussy may be the bigger name, but it made sense to let the hometown favorites close things out.

From the moment Marisa Dabice, Kaleen Reading, Colins “Bear” Regisford, Maxine Steen, and Carolyn Haynes took the stage, Mannequin Pussy was in full control of the thousands-deep crowd. The band tends to front-load its sets with melodic material and, five songs in, it had already played “Sometimes,” “Nothing Like,” “Softly,” “Drunk II,” and “Control.” Things only got better when Asheville-based composer Shaan Ramaprasad joined onstage on violin for “Split Me Open” and “I Don’t Know You,” followed by arguably the band’s biggest song, “I Got Heaven.” Then came an onstage marriage proposal, and that was just the midpoint. As usual, the band shifted to its rowdier hardcore punk material, building toward the finale of “Loud Bark.”

Wednesday had an unenviable act to follow, but the band proved up to the task. The local favorites had no marriage proposal to pump up the crowd, but an introduction from future mayor Kim Roney drew promising cheers from the young fans. Roney shared that she worked with frontwoman Karly Hartzman (and pedal steel player Xandy Chelmis) at The Mothlight and got to witness the band’s earliest days. After urging everyone to vote, she gave way to a noisy rendition of “Reality TV Argument Bleeds.” Early in the set, Hartzman & Co. leaned into the group’s distortion-heavy rockers, including a ripping “Fate Is…,” the only selection from 2020’s I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone.

About a third in, the group shifted gears with the countrified “Phish Pepsi,” then a twangier batch of tunes that climaxed with a cover of Gary Stewart’s “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Doubles).” It’s now a fixture in the quintet’s sets, and hearing the guitars explode into the shout-a-long chorus is always a highlight. It’s a perfect example of a band elevating a good song into something more monumental.

Shortly after, fans got surefire crowd-pleasers “Elderberry Wine” and “Townies” before the night closed with the one-two sonic assault of “Bull Believer” and “Wasp.”

Both sets showcased each group’s command of dynamics. Hartzman and Dabice are at the forefront of a new wave of female songwriters, tapping deep into the emotional well for sincerely vulnerable lyrics while also unleashing fiery rage. They’re going to inspire a lot of young girls to pick up guitars and write songs, which means there’s hope for the next generation.