The Arts

A way to keep up with Seattle theaters, concert halls, galleries, museums and other fine-arts events.

Though at the moment she’s best known for guesting on Macklemore’s “Same Love,” Mary Lambert took a break from appearing with everyone’s favorite white rapper to do a set of her own.

“I’ve always wanted to come to SXSW,” the Cornish College grad told the crowd in Austin’s Brush Square Park. “I ever since I saw the Real World, and they came.” (She’s 23.)

“It’s hot! I hate the heat,” she bantered between songs. “If it were just 10 degrees cooler, then throw a little bit of clouds in there…” (Sounds like she doesn’t mind Seattle weather.) But regardless of the noonday sun—and with the help of some cold beer—a decent crowd hung in to hear Lambert

Backed up by a band consisting of guitar, banjo, violin and drums, Lambert played songs from her debut EP “letters don’t talk,” which was recorded in Sequim. Her voice was at turns expansive and delicate, and she had a fetching stage presence. Most of all, she seemed very happy to be in Austin playing her music.