Maya Hawke
Maya was a fantastic opener, and her rabid fans were screaming and screeching their approval constantly. Luckily for me, they quieted mostly during the delicate songs. The crowd was mostly young girls, and honestly, it was small-scale Beatlemania. Someone screeched, ‘UR so pretty!’ Someone else asked for Maya to sign her arm so she could get it tattooed. I’m here for the music, but some are here for the music and need more, and I think that’s ultimately good. They are appreciating the music in a different way than this old chunk of coal.
‘Backup plan‘ as opener is great; pockets of the crowd simply can’t control themselves. Interested to find out who her sidemen are. They are multitalented and flash solos and multitask with ease and pleasure. Benjamin Lazar Davis on guitar/keyboard plays some of my favourite melodies of the evening, like the gorgeous piano of standout new track ‘Sweet Tooth.’
‘Bloomed into blue‘ allows for some neat poetry and a surprising buzzsaw guitar solo. It manages to add something gruff and arresting into an otherwise dreamy track. The three-piece on stage makes a big layered sound.
Maya announces she’s nervous, and the crowd howls their support so intensely, and I have to wonder if it could have helped.
Mostly songs from her upcoming record are featured. The lyrics “Oh my god I gotta slow down” repeat, and Therese is bolstered by another incredible solo. The big new single is well received and she still seems overwhelmed.
The band coo “Cool in the shade of your shadow tonight” to each other in beautiful harmony “you’ve been breaking your back bending down for me” she kneels to sing and then momentarily reclines. It’s quite intimate.
“I don’t need anyone to hurt me I can do that myself” such great lyrics in these songs.
‘Mermaid bar‘ is another sparkling new track. Very literary, very wordy, very vocabulary forward (notice how i said the same thing in 3 different ways?). “Scales… gills… seashells… bubbles” turned into a beautiful meditation on trying to wish yourself into a mer-person. I honestly never thought it would be that interesting a topic.
And a left turn for the closer ‘Dirt‘ by Florida Georgia Line. It’s quite nice that they recontextualize the bro-country classic. A genuinely loving and respectful version.
Endearing, genuine connection from an actor who’s not acting about the person they are as a musician. A bright candy coating to thought-provoking lyrical introversion.
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And now on to Faye
Faye Webster
During setup, I just keep wondering… what is under those blankets?!? It looks like a blow-up couch deflated and covered in bedsheets, and someone threw some led pot lights on it… what is it for?!? I’m here for the music, but I like a good mystery story too.
The deflated couch bedsheets gave way to a giant inflated bust and the dreamy, jazzy chords of ‘better distractions.’ Contrary to the title- we are pretty occupied; there’s nothing that’s going to pull our gaze from Faye.
I enjoyed watching some of my fellow audience visibly shaking off some of the covid-induced inhibitions. The Faye crowd average age boosted about five years from Maya’s, and there were some new faces starting to relax during ‘kind of‘.
‘Right side of my neck‘ started a singalong. And no wonder, it’s a great chant. An unmined topic for a longing breakup song, it’s at once funny, smart and completely relatable. It’s a perfect chorus; honestly, it’s the rare line that bears more repeating than it gets.
A fan has named their cat after Faye and then presents her with a gift. For a moment, I’m terrified it will be another Alice Cooper chicken to the crowd situation. But thankful it’s Faye Webster Christmas in August. Fans give her gift after gift. And she gives back!
During ‘I Know I’m Funny haha‘, the pedal steel guitar is clearly the romantic lead in this movie. Faye swings and lilts across the stage while her band calmly owns their instruments in one place perpetually. This doubles up during the absolutely life-giving ‘Johnny’. Johnny better be good to Faye or he’ll have a lot of people to answer to. The glorious interplay between the pedal steel and the sparkly keys is glorious and frantic. And over too soon. I’m so mad at Johnny and I don’t really even know what he did! Yeah, that’s right Johnny! Goodbye!
Left turn time again. Faye is playful and we’re here for it. This next song only plays when you go to the lake in a Pokemon game I have never played. You can go and stay there and the song will play all day apparently… Faye says she likes it… I like it too, wow. ‘Lake Verity (Pokémon Diamond &Pearl)‘ really translates well to natural instruments. I especially like that this feels rare. How many artists
It was during ‘In a Good Way‘ that I looked around and noticed something. You know you can check someone out on YouTube ‘tiny desk’ and whatever, but when they are live right in front of you, they sound even better! The Corona theatre is an incredible room; I highly recommend it, but also just the people with you in a physical space. It makes us wanna cry… in a good way (I’ll see myself out).
There’s quite a bit of ironic winking baby voice here tonight. And it’s so good; it’s like butterscotch candy and sardonic, bitter black coffee melting together in the mouth of your brain. It’s like reading a newspaper and cracking the paper of a turned page with all the possibilities of what you can learn from it. Or not, it’s your choice. I have my feelings; you have yours.
Elsewhere in the set; We didn’t know we needed a rocker in our row! ‘Cheers‘ is a song I was less familiar with, but it’s a great look. It’s got a bunch of us in the visible area with some stank face and head bobbing happening. Then during ‘Half of me’, the hum of all the instruments left on stage sans musicians only reinforced the feeling that Faye is complete in herself. Even in a solo acoustic moment. Glorious.
Encore encore encore of course! She can’t leave without playing ‘Kingston,’ can she?
And for the first time tonight, I regretted leaving my earplugs at home. Friends, the place got loud. She introduced her band and I missed all but Jack, her brother on bass. I’ve heard Kingston so many times I think it’s in my veins and yet still it makes me feel new things.
I can’t wait to see Faye Webster again, she’s a delight and you get the feeling she’s only going to get more delightful.
Review – Mike Rogers
Photos – Steve Gerrard
