Faye Webster
713 Music Hall
February 21, 2025
Faye Webster released her first album when she was 16.
To make matters worse (for those, like me, whose natural tendency is toward a lack of productivity), she’s released four more since (along with two EPs). In that time, Webster’s organically developed quite the following, as evidenced by a sold-out show at 713 Music Hall last night.
Normally, we’d be celebrating a packed venue for a critically acclaimed (a 7.5 from Pitchfork for her latest, Underdressed at the Symphony!) artist would be cause for celebration.
Backed by her longtime band members — Nick Rosen (keyboards), Matt “Pistol” Stoessel (pedal steel), Noor Khan (bass), and Charles Garner (drums) — Webster performed a shimmering indie/alt-country set that *felt* loose but was actually tight, if that makes any sense.
The stage, before Webster came out, was bathed in comforting blue light that nicely illuminated the clouds of vape smoke. The decoration clearly favored the laundry theme of Webster’s latest album. A giant T-shirt that would also serve as a video screen hung over stage, framed by racks of shirts atop a bank of “washing machines” that also provided visual effects throughout.
In case you were worried about her GenZ cred, the brief pre-concert entertainment consisted of Minions. Minions!
Webster and company opened the show with “But Not Kiss” from Underdressed, a tune with a wicked piano hook, and any doubts I had about volume dissipated like so much vape smoke.
Jangly yet plaintive, Webster is a stealth Americana agent. Stoessel is a legit pedal steel player, as shown by “Right Side of My Neck” (from Atlanta Millionaires Club), and Webster is as comfortable in that world she is that of “indie pop,” itself a deliberately ambiguous genre.
To add another wrinkle (heh, laundry pun, Webster is also a formidable guitarist. The intro into “Thinking About You” was practically Pat Metheny-esque, which just adds another ingredient to the mix. From legit rockers (“Lego Ring”) to decidedly not (“Johnny”), Webster’s really hard to pin down.
And why would we want to? When artists can build massive fanbases via TikTok or collaborations, they’re not required to be siloed in one or two adjacent genres. I say this as someone for whom this kind of soft indie by way of Lil Yachty doesn’t always click.
Case in point: “Lifetime?” Sleepy time. “Johnny” (and it’s goofy reprise)?” Not sure what’s going on. Regardless, her sound resonates with her fans, as evidenced by how many phones went up in record mode for those particular songs, and by the throaty enthusiasm in general.
This was only enhanced by Webster’s few callouts during the show. We got a “What’s up, Houston?” four songs in, but that was probably obligatory given Webster’s devotion to Houston’s one-time rivals, the Atlanta Braves.
And for the Oldsters, think of the pervasive laundry theme as a throwback to Rush’s “Time Machine” tour, with its washing devices and whatnot.
My elderly status aside, Faye Webster impresses on the basis of her unpredictability and refusal to stay in any particular musical lane. Here’s looking forward to many years of confounding expectations.
Personal Bias: I reviewed this as a favor to one of my daughters, and I don’t regret it lik I thought I would.
The Crowd: The Tragically (Un)hip
Overhead In The Crowd: “Everything sucks.”
Random Notebook Dump: “Do they load up the clothes racks on the trucks as is or do they have to take the shirts off individually?”
