Faye Webster Brings Cozy Indie-Country to ACL

Imagine you’re on a long, slow walk. Maybe you’re a little sad, but mostly you’re hopeful. There's an impression around you similar to that of the calm after a storm, and there’s a sense of clarity in your mind. Everything is going to be okay, and even if it’s not, you know you’ll be okay. The feelings just described are everything you can expect to get from a Faye Webster song.

On Sunday afternoon I was lucky enough to watch Faye Webster perform at ACL, and I can’t say enough good things about her performance. Her performance took placeon the Barton Springs stage, which is placed off to the side of the main lawn where the other stages are housed, giving her concert a very cozy vibe. I, along with about 30 other fans, got to the stage over an hour before Webster’s show and eagerly waited.

As the 3:00 start time approached, the lawn around the stage began to fill and as the crowd grew larger, so did the excitement. Webster and her four-member band took the stage and began their show as the audience listened with attentive ears to hear

her gentle voice. She began the show with “Better Distractions,” a track from her newest album I Know I’m Funny,

The setlist was beautifully paced, and each song blended seamlessly with the one preceding it. Webster’s passion was audible in both her lyrics and voice as she sang her breakup tune, “Jonny.” Her ability to harness her feelings of hurt and spin them into songs with a reflective outlook is a trademark talent that her audience certainly appreciated. The crowd sang along with Webster for the whole show as they swayed along to her soft voice and strong lyrics.

Each song started with the dreamy sound of the steel-string guitar and the soft beat of the drums followed by Webster’s lulling voice. The instrumentals throughout the show were absolutely beautiful, whether it was the swell of the steel string or the occasional feature of the violin. Webster and her band have a very unique indie-rock meets country sound and her fans, myself included, could not get enough of it at the show. Webster played her hour-long set and left the crowd wanting more. Before closing her show with her most popular song, “Kingston,” she took the time to introduce her band and express her gratitude towards them.

Webster’s show is one that I won’t forget, if anything It made me want to see her perform again. Webster is doing something truly unique with her lyrics and sound. The idea of mixing southern sounds with sad-girl indie doesn’t seem like a cohesive blend, but it works so well for her. She also takes such sad stories and tells them with a retrospective, accepting voice that gives her lyrics a sense of maturity and inspiration. I believe Webster is at the start of a very successful career, and the next time she graces ACL she’ll be needing a bigger stage.