On Sunday, October 29, I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favorite artists, Faye Webster, live at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Despite arriving later than desired, I had a decent spot (unfortunately in a sea of tall men!) and could enjoy the visuals throughout the show. The opener, Upchuck, had just started their set when I arrived, and truthfully I was a bit taken back. While the music was very good, it was quite an interesting way to start the show – a loud punk band before a mellow indie-country artist.

As Webster began her set shortly after Upchuck wrapped up, it was clear the art behind her, what appeared to be a portrait of her, would come alive throughout the show. During the show, the portrait remained still, but the visuals surrounding it would change to match the vibe of each song – golden sparks for “Jonny,” blue water-like droplets for “In a Good Way,” and even a burning of the portrait during “Cheers” to close off the show.

Along with interesting visuals came pure, raw talent from Faye Webster. I would argue that her live renditions of the songs were seemingly identical to the studio-recorded records. Although Webster has a relatively quiet voice, you could still hear her clearly over the enthusiastic crowd.

While I enjoyed the show, especially as a longtime fan, there was something left to be desired. The setlist was a small twelve songs long, including two unreleased songs and one Pokémon cover, leaving the crowd with less than ten songs they should be familiar with. I’m crossing my fingers this is only the beginning of Webster’s next project, so we can hear more of her live in the future!