As the U.S. leg of Faye Webster’s tour comes to an end, it is safe to say her shows are definitely worth attending. Of course, ignoring the fact that younger fans talked loudly during the opening set and vision was, at times, overwhelmed by a sea of phones, Webster did not disappoint and sang her heart out.
The opener for the night was Venezuelan-born indie singer, Maye, who was accompanied by a guitarist. After the first song, it was announced that some songs would be performed in Spanish. She then did a laid-back cover of “La Canción” by Bad Bunny and J. Balvin. The energy was up as fellow concertgoers sang along and bopped their heads. After a few songs, she was bittersweet as she told the crowd “This is my first time in Austin, but my last show with Faye.” We then indulged in some unreleased songs along with her latest single, “Kaleidoscope,” and said our goodbyes.
After waiting what felt like a small eternity, we were met with a light show and a loud booming entrance to the single “But Not Kiss.” The crowd shrieked and phones shot up to capture Webster in all her glory. The song ended, and Faye sheepishly introduced her brother Jack as he helped set up equipment for the following song. Suddenly, a projector flashed “JACK” over and over as the crowd yelled out his name in unison. The crowd knew practically every word to one of Webster’s bigger hits, “Jonny,” so much so that Webster stopped singing completely and pointed the mic towards the crowd for a few lines of the song. With a smile on her face, she played the keys and transitioned to “Jonny (Reprise).” Cheers and excited cries erupted among the crowd while some shed tears.
A cover of a Pokémon song was played afterward, and we were surprised with a new unreleased song that had everyone singing “Thinking About You” on the way out. Every song felt more beautiful than the last, especially since “In a Good Way” was performed with a live violinist. Naturally, someone fainted nearing the end of this song, but after Webster stopped the set and made sure the crowd was okay, she closed out the song and led into “Cheers.” For the encore, we were greeted by Webster and one member of her band. “This is a dumb song,” and they sang a completely autotuned song. The rest of the band made their way back to the stage and were introduced by Webster. We yelled for Jack again and got to enjoy “Kingston” as a closer.
Faye Webster’s rise in popularity is a marvel in its own right, but this performance was truly enchanting. For those partial to alternative country music, getting tickets to upcoming tours is a must for a night to remember.
