Concert Review: Underdressed at the Faye Webster show

Grace Wartman

Music Media 

From Atlanta to Austin, indie artist Faye Webster made her way to Moody Amphitheater this Thursday in support of her most recent album Underdressed at the Symphony. Webster’s fifth studio album offers fresh, intriguing additions to her discography while also sounding like a natural successor to what she has previously created. She reuses musical elements in the new album that listeners have heard before, adhering to her signature sound that has yet to lose its sweetness. The title track features a climactic string section that mirrors the grandiosity of the symphony, heightening the contrast between feeling unprepared for life’s big moments and the value of those experiences. She lyrically meditates on the mundane, like household chores or moments of self-consciousness, and transforms them into deeply personal reflections. The inclusion of string arrangements and collaborations, such as in track “Lego Ring” featuring Lil Yachty, shows a willingness to explore new textures while maintaining her quirky, introspective songwriting. Some tracks, like “But Not Kiss” and “Tttttime,” experiment with pace and layering, giving the album a broader emotional range compared to her previous work.

The show began with a minion cameo which included a Minion with Faye’s trademark shag haircut. This was an excellent attention-grabbing tactic, and I think all concerts should kick off with this from now on. After Faye Minion graced concertgoers with her presence, human Faye and her band entered the stage with “But Not Kiss” – one of her singles from the new album. Webster’s voice was enchanting in live performance; her exactness to the recorded sound was so remarkable that I had to remind myself I was experiencing her in the moment. The amphitheater was the ideal venue for her voice to truly shine. Her set list put her experimentalism and musical savvy on display, touching on a wide range of elements pulled from genres such as alternative, folk, R&B, and jazz. She’s a magician when it comes to composition and lyricism, and this brilliance was especially clear in a live setting. Along with this, her stage presence showcased her ease and confidence in front of the crowd – her love for what she does could not have been more evident.

The crowd was filled with devoted fans, each one knowing Webster’s lyrics by heart with their focus entirely on the stage. They erupted in cheers as she performed hits like “Right Side of My Neck” and “Kingston.” As “Right Side of My Neck” played, the stage came alive with bubbles, and the lighting transformed from the dark blue of the new album cover to a cozy shade of orange. This vibrant shift energized the crowd, perfectly complementing the song’s spirit and getting everyone dancing. Seeing Faye perform gave me a deeper insight into “Underdressed at the Symphony” that I couldn’t fully grasp through listening alone. The hard work and thought put into this album and tour was clear with each detail of the stage design and set list arrangement. It was captivating to witness her infuse the sweetness evident in her discography into her stage presence, and the show gave me a more concise understanding of her as an artist and the message she seeks to convey with her new album.