Let me set the record straight—I am a REAL Faye Webster fan. I’m proud to report that on my 2021 Spotify Wrapped, I was in the top 0.5% of her listeners. That being said, I jumped on buying tickets to see her perform at The Novo without a second thought. When I got out of the car and saw the line of people completely wrapped around LA Live, I knew this would be a night to remember.
I knew the show was going to be great when I noticed how receptive the crowd already was to Maye, the opening act. It was hard not to cheer alongside everyone else when both the audience and the artist are so excited. Between the calming energy of songs like “Kaleidoscope” and her super cool jacket, Maye did an incredible job of setting the tone for an incredible evening.
By the time Faye Webster finally hit the stage, it’s safe to say the energy was high. Being in the balcony at The Novo makes you feel especially connected to the rest of the crowd. As the lights beamed down on her and the lush instrumentation gave way to Faye’s recent single “But Not Kiss,” I looked to my right in awe. I could clearly see countless other enraptured faces across the balcony, which made the night feel even more special. I felt surrounded by other people who loved the music just as much as I did.
Faye made her way through many of my favorite tracks from her 2021 alternative album I Know I’m Funny haha. With each new song came a new lighting concept that transported me to another world. I was mesmerized from the rich pink glow of “A Dream With a Baseball Player” to the deep blue hues of my favorite song, “Kind Of.” It was fascinating to see the soundtrack of my daily morning routine come to life on stage.
A large part of Faye Webster’s appeal is how grounded she seems despite her otherworldly talent. At one point, someone threw a beanie onstage resembling one of the minions from Despicable Me. Without hesitation, Faye exclaimed “This is so cute!” and put the beanie on. Towards the end of the show, she does a full-length cover of a song from Pokémon. Despite transitioning through most of the songs in relative silence, her personality was still able to shine through and make the crowd totally fall in love.
The set was relatively short—only around an hour—which made every single second of the concert feel more valuable. It helps that just being in the room made me feel like the coolest person ever. While the audience was near silent for most of the show, there was a palpable energy in the air that had everyone on the edge of their seats.
As the night came to an unofficial close with the gritter, rock-infused song “Cheers,” I never wanted the night to end. Faye Webster’s music has the singular ability to make me feel as though everything else in the world fades away. Her melancholic lyrics and lush instrumentations are one of a kind, and I’m thrilled to confirm she sounds just as good live as in the recordings.
Faye ended the night for real with her most popular hit, “Kingston.” While I may have rolled my eyes at all the people who only know the song from TikTok, I have to admit it was cathartic to scream “he said baby, that’s what he called me!” with the rest of the audience, bathed in the red glow of the lights. I left the theater wishing I could hit rewind and start the whole concert over again.
I’m thrilled to report that almost three years of constant listening was more than worth the wait. There’s something truly special about an artist that can make a room of over 1,000 people feel like an intimate get-together with your closest friends. I can already say that the post-concert depression is hitting me hard, and I’m counting down the days until Faye comes back to LA.