On March 26th, Stubb’s was stuffed with fans as Jesse Welles fed a crowd hungry for resistance with a taste for the classics. Last year, he released four new albums and the setlist felt like a buffet.
Jesse Welles painted a portrait of America, emphasizing his love for the people, while highlighting his frustration with the systems designed to divide us. His performance started solo and ended with a full band against a massive American flag.
As he stepped on stage, he was wearing a grin as wide as the world. You could see it in his smile that he was soaking up the moment, unable to contain it, he looked happy as a child. He began singing tunes like Join Ice, Walmart, and United Health to a crowd that matched his enthusiasm and exhaustion. It seemed like he was just as relieved as the audience to feel understood.
Electricity escaped from the wiry strands of his hair. The crowd had a mixed variety of ages, young fans who flocked from social media and older folks with an appreciation for the modern classic. His voice and word smithing must have felt like a step back in time to the days of Woody Gunthrie and Bob Dylan. Jesse Welles criticizes capitalism with equal levels of humor and tact. His writing style forces the listener to keep their ears open as he transforms politics into people; arbitrary into activism.
After his brief solo performance, the rest of his band took space on the stage as they played tracks off his recent albums like Bugs, Domestic Error, and War is a God. They also played a few enthusiastic covers the crowd needed to dance to. Opener S.G. Goodman helped Welles on stage to perform a rendition of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.
Goodman is an americana artist who is quickly rising to fame alongside Welles. She performed with a deep southern hospitality and helped the crowd feel right at home. Her set included songs from her 2025 album “Planting By The Signs” like Satellite and I Can See The Devil. She ended her set with Space and Time and the entire venue was united like waves swaying side to side. Her voice is so comforting and authentically southern. She and Jesse Welles have lyrics that voice concern for the people of this nation; how to handle the hurt.
Earlier this year Jesse Welles was nominated for four Grammy awards and although he did not receive any formal recognition from the organization, his fans have shown up for him in ways that matter more. His shows sell out as quickly as they are released. His grainy voice makes the difficult issues go down smooth; like you’re learning the news from a friend rather than being preached at.
Part of the young singer-songwriter’s urgency to produce came from his father being hospitalized in 2024 after a major heart attack. The star gained popularity after posting videos online that championed a calculated nonchalance; perfectly framed, yet candid and empathetic. He’s got something to say and he isn’t afraid to be heard, even if it comes with criticism. It’s no wonder he keeps drawing in such huge crowds, he has mastered the art of storytelling and we’re all trying to sit by the fireside.
I am a student at Texas State studying Digital Media and Psychology. I am always carrying my camera with me, it feels like my true voice. Some of my favorite artists are Courtney Barnett, Tainy, Frank Ocean, Art Lown, Fleshwater, Turnover, SZA and Wynton Kelly. Central Texas always has talented people passing through and I try to catch as many shows I can. I really love fashion, part of the fun of going to a concert is seeing what the artists wear on stage and everyone's outfits in the crowd. I tend to use musical elements in my fashion photography, the two are so intertwined to me. I also love to read and run, but not always at the same time.
