Faye Webster closes Rolling Stone's Future of Music Showcase with Late-Night Pedal-Steel Bliss

Rolling Stone's Future of Music showcase brought an array of genres to the Moody Theater in Austin for four nights, from hip-hop to música mexicana, urbano to Afrobeats and beyond. The final night was all about the guitars, bringing together music from indie rock, country and more who love the instrument. And for Faye Webster, that instrument is especially the pedal guitar.

Night Four headlines Rolling rock The digital cover story explored her sound—a unique blend of indie rock, R&B slow burners, and crazy folk—and Webster and her bandmates delivered it to listeners on a bed of serene pedal steel, played by her longtime guitarist Matt “Pistol” Stoessel. Webster's music is so distinctive that even Wilco's Jeff Tweedy had trouble pinning it down. “Does he come to country music from a weird angle, or does he come to soul music from a weird angle?” asked. “It uses instruments and elements that are not traditionally related to each other, [but] everything suits her. He doesn't seem to understand that there are sections he is crossing. There's no trick to where she gets her influences from – it's literally what she likes.”

Before going on tour with Slash, Austin native Jackie Venson kicked off the set with some bluesy psychedelic rock to set the mood. She dropped her guitar on tracks like “All the Crazy Things,” “'Rollin' On,” “Don't Lie to Me,” “Keep On” and more. The highlight was the mesmerizing “Back to Earth”, recently performed at a Commercial for Cadillac. He hilariously acknowledged this fact while turning “I'm actually from Austin” into a bit. “Well, I'll hang out with my mom at the merch table,” she said. “I told you I'm from here, man. My mom is literally here. And he has an assistant trader, this is a man named Bob. He betrayed me. Like, 34 years ago, he was saying, “Hey, come out.” So like literally, I'm from here. Like, I mean it.”

Then another Austinite took the stage. Dylan Gossett hasn't even been releasing music for a year (he first released a Lumineers cover on TikTok in April 2023) but he already has a huge following, having recently signed with Universal Music Publishing Nashville. The crowd at Moody wore bright cowboy hats and shot videos, singing along to Gossett's unique blend of Texas and Americana. Highlights included his wedding song 'Beneath Oak Trees', 'Bitter Winds' and his breakthrough hit 'Coal'. Gossett also played his recent single “Somewhere Between,” from his new EP Songs in the gravelwhich is coming next week.

If they didn't announce it on stage, you'd have no idea that Madrid duo Hinds were about to perform their 12th of 15 shows at SXSW. They bring the energy of a thousand rock bands, captivating the crowd with their scorching indie riffs, constant interweaving of guitars and smiles, and deeply charming jokes. Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote rocked their recent single 'Coffee' and some new material, as well as catalog hits like 'New For You', 'The Club' and 'Riding Solo'.

They dedicated their punk rock hit 'Just Like Kids (Miau)' to all the young women in the crowd while discussing their own therapy in the music industry. “We wrote it after a lot of experience in this music world and a lot of journalists asking us, 'How do you tour when you're a woman?' Do you really write the songs?''' Cosials said. “Yes we do!” They closed with a raucous cover of the Clash classic 'Spanish Bombs'.

The Red Clay Strays are at a brief, extremely specific moment in their career, when their unexpected success is better known than their own band name. “Wondering Why” was released in 2022 but went viral on TikTok last winter, giving the band their first Advertising sign Hot 100 hits. It currently has over 75 million streams on Spotify and was featured at Moody where a sea of ​​phones lit up to capture this sweet red dirty love song. “And I don't know what happened/But it sure ain't on paper,” sang Brandon Coleman, wearing a black suit and pompadour as hundreds of fans chanted along. “But when I close my eyes late at night/You can bet I thank my maker.”

The Mobile, Alabama band hit the stage for Norman Greenbaum's boogie-rock anthem “Spirit in the Sky,” letting everyone know they have a friend in Jesus. The song choice is fitting, considering the band has spoken recently Rolling rock for their faith. “God has come through in a lot of different ways,” Coleman said, while Zac Rissell added: “We all feel extremely led. That's what we're here to do – there's no purpose more important in our lives than to make this band the biggest and best thing it can be.”

Like the Red Clay Strays, Faye Webster has also seen her songs rise in popularity on TikTok long after their release. This includes 2019's “Kingston,” from the now-classic Atlanta Millionaires Cluband “In a Good Way,” from 2021 I know I'm funny Haha. Webster played both in her set, while sprinkling tracks from her brand new record, Overdressed in Concord. Webster and her bandmates blazed through the set, stretching “Jonny” into “Jonny (Reprise)” and playing a so-cool “Thinking About You” that it drenched the weed in the air.

Webster doesn't usually talk much during her concerts, but she took the time to say a few meaningful words before starting, standing in front of a giant bust of herself. While addressing her hometown of Atlanta and the Stop Cop City movement, the majority of her statement focused on SXSW's controversial relationship with the US Military and its support for the Palestinian people, joining a chorus of discussion and criticism at SXSW 2024.

As usual, Webster said it best: “I just wanted to say before the show starts — we're very happy to be here and to be able to play music for you who are performing for us. But I also feel uncomfortable and conflicted about being here. There are many artists I admire and respect who have dropped their official South By showcases, and I wanted to say that we do not support the war profiteers… Cop City will never be built and Palestine will be freed. Thanks.”

(Full disclosure: In 2021, Rolling rockIts parent company, P-MRC, acquired a 50% stake in the SXSW festival.)