Feature: A Voice as Big as the Desert Sky
Dylan Gossett at Revel ABQ
Words & Photos by Zuzu Khalil
There are artists who play shows, and then there are artists who create moments—intimate, collective, and quietly unforgettable. On a still Monday night in Albuquerque, Texas singer-songwriter Dylan Gossett proved he’s the latter.
Touring behind the wave of success stirred up by his viral breakout “Coal” and his introspective No Better Time EP, Gossett brought his Back 40 Tour to the Revel Entertainment Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 28. The venue—one of the city's rising gems for live music—offered a setting that matched Gossett’s aesthetic: rugged yet warm, unpretentious yet entirely ready for a night of musical magic.
From the first plaintive notes of his opener “Lone Ole Cowboy,” Gossett’s performance unfolded like a handwritten letter. His voice—gravel-edged, soulful, and steeped in sincerity—cut through the ambient buzz of the venue, commanding attention not with bravado, but with depth.
What followed was a tightly curated set that traced a musical journey through dusty highways, lost love, and the quiet triumph of staying true to oneself. Tracks like “Flip a Coin” and “Bitter Winds” showcased his gift for melody and momentum, while quieter numbers like “Finally Stop Dreaming” offered a window into his inner world—vulnerable, clear-eyed, and refreshingly free of irony.
Perhaps the most arresting moment came mid-set, when Gossett performed a solo rendition of “Coal,” the song that catapulted him from promising songwriter to streaming phenomenon. The room stilled. No chatter, no clinking glasses—just the sound of one man and his guitar, carving emotional honesty into the space between notes.
Gossett is not a showman in the traditional sense. There are no elaborate visual effects or choreographed moments. Instead, his stage presence is rooted in authenticity. Between songs, he offered wry observations on tour life, altitude headaches, and New Mexican sunsets. His charm lies in his unfiltered storytelling—onstage and off.
Revel ABQ, with its state-of-the-art sound and intimate sightlines, proved to be more than just a backdrop. The crowd—diverse in age, visibly invested—responded to Gossett not with the detached reverence sometimes reserved for “rising stars,” but with warmth, laughter, and full-throated singalongs. It felt less like a concert and more like a gathering of old friends.
Closing with the anthemic “To Be Free,” Gossett left the stage not with a bang, but with a kind of reverent silence—followed by a surge of applause that echoed long after the final chord.
Dylan Gossett’s Albuquerque performance was a quiet revelation—a night that reminded us that in an industry often driven by flash, there’s still room for substance. If his music is any indication, Gossett isn’t just passing through. He’s here to stay.
Stay tuned into Dylan Gossett’s journey by following him on Instagram, X, and TikTok, and listening to his music on Spotify, Apple Music, & YouTube.
