Faye Webster + Mei Ehara in Montreal
Photographed by Sarah Evangelista / Written by Lucas Rotondo
March 1, 2025
Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
Being a laundry themed tour, it was those lucky enough to attend who were washed away by the ethereal indie-jazz sounds and bedroom pop tunes of the talented Faye Webster.
In celebration of her 5th studio album Underdressed at the Symphony , Webster returned to Montreal for the third time after a two year wait. Setting the theme for the evening, MTELUS stage was adorned with washing machines, laundry racks and the biggest white T-shirt I've ever seen, serving as backdrop and and video screen towards the latter end of the set.
Opening Saturday night's early show was Japanese artist Mei Ehara who has worked with Faye in the past, featuring on the likes of Webster’s ‘“Overslept” as well as having toured with her in the past. Mei, singing entirely in her native tongue performed a multitude of songs from her albums “Ampersands” and “Sway” which lulled the venue with funky guitar licks and delicate vocals in preparation for the main act.
Joining Webster on stage were her longtime bandmates – Charles Lamount (Drums), Matt Stoesells (pedal steel), Noor Khan (bass) and Annie Leeth (saxophone, keys and strings). The main act opened with “But Not Kiss”, a personal favourite of mine from the new album. Although a minions cover (Yes, the yellow guys) was not expected but welcomed nonetheless as the band quickly took over. Webster's delicate and vulnerable vocals are complemented by her bandmates' intense instrumentals; you can't help but shiver as they dance back and forth with one another, their musical chemistry is undeniable.
Finding a balance between confidence and reservation, Webster manages to come off as both assertive and shy as she shows off her twangy guitar prowess with an extended rendition of “Underdressed at the Symphony’s” opening track “Thinking About You”. As the band Performed a slower rendition of “Right Side Of My Neck” the stage flooded with orange fluorescent lights and bubbles rained down on both the stage and the crowd as the room harmonized the opening lines of the song.
Undeniably, the emotional climax of the evening and my personal highlight was “Jonny”. Reminiscent of spoken word poetry I hung onto every word, organ flourishes and saxophone licks complimented every word simultaneously lifting a weight off my shoulders and sinking me into my seat. Each word spoken with refrain adding more intimacy than the studio recording ever could.
The show ended just over the 70 minute mark, although a relatively reserved performance, every word and lack thereof was intentional, the slowing down of songs and additional musical solos really tied the performances together. Faye Webster’s lament and melancholic songwriting are the key to her underplayed confidence and comfort on stage. I ended the evening with a newfound appreciation for her as a performance artist and as an instrumentalist, eagerly waiting for her next project.
