Friday nights are made for live music, and on October 9, 2026, The Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina, delivered the kind of concert experience that reminds you why certain venues feel like home. As one of my favorite places to shoot, The Orange Peel never disappoints. From its beautiful lighting and spacious photo pit to its welcoming atmosphere, it is a venue that continues to make every show feel special. Getting the opportunity to photograph one of my favorite bands, Free Throw, made the night even more exciting. With support from Flycatcher, Carly Cosgrove, and Microwave, the lineup promised an evening of energetic performances, emotional lyrics, and the kind of crowd that knows every word.
Flycatcher
Getting to the venue early is part of my usual routine, and there is something exciting about watching a concert night slowly come to life. For me, opening bands deserve just as much attention as the headliner. Every established band started somewhere, and those early opportunities to perform in front of new audiences can make all the difference.
Flycatcher wasted no time setting the tone for the evening. Their high-energy performance brought a distinct New Jersey punk sound to the stage, immediately giving the crowd a reason to move. The lighting translated beautifully through my camera, and the band’s stage presence made for some exciting moments to capture. Before the night had even reached its second act, the pit was already moving, and the energy in the room was building. There is something special about an opening band that can get a crowd moving before the headliner even arrives. Flycatcher accomplished exactly that, kicking off the evening with the kind of intensity that made it clear this crowd was ready for a long night.
Keep up with Flycatcher: Official Website
Carly Cosgrove
Carly Cosgrove is one of those bands that hits differently live. I had heard good things about their performances, and after seeing them at The Orange Peel, I understood the excitement. They quickly established a connection with the audience, delivering a fast-paced, high-energy set that pulled more people toward the stage as the night continued. As the music picked up, so did the crowd. The pit grew larger, the energy became increasingly chaotic, and the room began to feel like one big collective release. But beyond the movement and intensity, what stood out to me was the emotional connection woven into their music. Their lyrics explore anxiety and deeply personal experiences in a way that makes it easy to find pieces of yourself within their songs.
By the end of their set, Carly Cosgrove had helped push the room’s energy to another level, leaving the crowd more than ready for Microwave.
Keep up with Carly Cosgrove: Official Website
Microwave
When the lights dropped and Microwave took the stage, the atmosphere shifted once again. This was my first time seeing the band live, and they quickly became another unexpected discovery of the evening. Their sound brought something different to the lineup, offering a distinct dynamic that fit naturally alongside the night’s punk and emo influences. Having photographed plenty of shows at The Orange Peel, I have become familiar with the venue’s atmosphere and the way different bands can transform the same room. There was something particularly compelling about Microwave’s stage presence, especially the way the vocalist carried the performance. Their sound had weight and intensity without feeling overwhelming, creating a balance that drew the audience in rather than simply pushing the energy outward.
One of my favorite parts of photographing concerts is watching how people react when a familiar song begins. You can see the recognition on their faces, the excitement building, and the lyrics waiting to come pouring out. Microwave helped keep that momentum alive, setting the stage for the band everyone had been waiting for.
Keep up with Microwave: Official Website
Free Throw
Finally, it was time for Free Throw. Known for songs like “Two Beers In,” the band brought exactly the kind of emo energy that makes a packed Friday-night show unforgettable. By the time Free Throw took the stage, the venue felt full in the best possible way. Beers were raised, voices were ready, and the crowd was prepared to sing every word back to the band. There is something special about watching an audience connect with music on that level. Free Throw’s lyrics carry an emotional honesty that makes them feel personal, even when they are being shouted by an entire room of strangers. Throughout the set, the crowd sang and screamed along in unison, turning the venue into one enormous singalong. When the most emotionally charged lines hit, the audience delivered them with everything they had.
Frontman Cory Castro’s vocals carried that unmistakable blend of vulnerability and intensity that makes Midwest emo so compelling. There is an authenticity to the band’s sound that allows the emotion to remain at the center of the performance, even as the room becomes increasingly chaotic. The lyrics feel lived-in, the melodies invite you to sing along, and the live setting gives everything an even greater sense of urgency. The crowd matched the band’s energy at every turn. Crowd surfers continued to make their way overhead, the pit kept growing, and the room seemed to become more alive with every song. It was the kind of atmosphere that makes you forget about everything outside the venue for a while. Everyone was there for the same reason, and for those few hours, the music brought them together.
Photographing a set like this from the pit is an experience all its own. There is always that moment when you are trying to find the perfect angle while keeping an eye out for the next crowd surfer flying overhead. By the end of Free Throw’s set, I was exhausted, but in the best possible way. My favorite moments as a concert photographer are often the ones when the music, lighting, and crowd energy align so perfectly that you almost forget you are working.
Free Throw delivered that feeling in full. Their performance captured everything I love about emo shows: the unfiltered emotion, the communal screaming of lyrics, the chaos of the pit, and the sense that everyone in the room understands something about one another without ever having to explain it
There is a reason The Orange Peel remains one of my favorite venues to photograph. It knows how to hold a night like this, creating an environment where multiple bands can bring their own energy to the stage and an audience can fully embrace every moment. From Flycatcher’s explosive opening set to Carly Cosgrove’s emotional connection, Microwave’s captivating presence, and Free Throw’s unforgettable singalong, this lineup delivered from beginning to end. Each band contributed something different, and together they created a Friday night that felt like a celebration of everything that makes live music special.
Keep Up With Free Throw: Website
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