WORDS AND IMAGES TOMAS ADAM
The Arts Club in Liverpool played host to an unforgettable evening with Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. The critically acclaimed artist treated a packed audience to an intimate and captivating performance.
Courtney Barnett is currently supporting Foo Fighters on their UK tour so Liverpool’s audience was very lucky for an artist to pick our city for an intimate gig like that.
It’s been 10 years since her first, pack out gig in Zanzibar Liverpool as a part of the Sound City Festival. To see artist of that calibre in a relative small venue won’t happen any time soon.
First, in this packed club appeared Asha Jeffreis, she is a rising star in the Australian music scene. The artis presented melancholic folk/ pop songs from her debut album ‘Ego Ride’. Asha’s songs were exploring themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Definitely one to watch.
At exactly 8:45pm Courtney Barnett and her band started their performance.
From the opening chords of ‘Rae Street’, it was clear that Barnett is in good form. Then the band played ‘Avant Gardener’, one of crowds favourite and ‘Need a Little Time’. ‘Small Poppies’ was the next song, its driving rhythms and catchy chorus setting the tone for the night ahead.
From there, Barnett and her band launched into a blistering run of tracks, including the fan-favourite ‘History Eraser’ and the haunting ‘Nameless Faceless’. The latter, in particular, showcased Barnett’s remarkable vocal range and emotional depth, as she poured her heart and soul into every word. The Arts Club’s intimate setting proved the perfect backdrop for Barnett’s introspective and often humorous storytelling. Standout tracks like ‘Pedestrian at Best’ and ‘Depreston’ showcased Barnett’s ability to craft infectious hooks and memorable melodies.
Personally, my favourite song on the night ‘Turning Green’ with infectious bass, mighty drumming and perfectly imperfect Nirvana like guitar solos proved that rock trio of amazing musicians, full of energy combined with powerful lyrics don’t need fancy guitar solos to produce great music show. One of the highlights of the evening came when Barnett and her band launched into a cover of Chastity Belt’s ‘Different Now’, a slow-burning indie-rock anthem. The Liverpool sold-out crowd was treated to a masterclass in songcraft.
Finally, ‘Before You Gotta Go’ and ‘Write a List of Things to Look Forward To’ ended the main set. Barnett and her band left the stage to a rapturous applause, but the crowd was not ready to let the night come to an end. Barnett returned to the stage for a solo encore, delivering a haunting rendition of ‘Oh the Night’.
This amazing gig was finished by the full band with ‘Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party’.
What a wonderful night, clearly Barnett has cemented her status as one of the most compelling and innovative artists of her generation.
SET LIST
1/ Rae Street
2/ Avant Gardener
3/ Need a Little Time
4/ Small Poppies
5/ History Eraser
6/ Nameless, Faceless
7/ Pedestrian at Best
8/ Turning Green
9/ I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch
10/ Depreston
11/ On Script
(Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile song)
12/ Different Now
(Chastity Belt cover)
13/ Lance Jr
14/ Walkin’ on Eggshells
15/ Before You Gotta Go
16/ Write a List of Things to Look Forward To
Encore:
17/ Oh the Night
(Courtney solo)
18/ Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party
FOLLOW COURTNEY BARNETT
FOLLOW ASHA JEFFREIS
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
