Courtney Barnett In Brooklyn: Review, Photos & Videos

Words & Images by: Bryan Lasky

Courtney Barnett :: 05.19.18
Music Hall Of Williamsburg :: Brookyln, NY

On Saturday night, Courtney Barnett celebrated the release of her first album in three years with a concert at Music Hall Of Williamsburg. The sold-out crowd hung on her every word from the moment the lights went down to her last wave goodbye at the end of a 19-song performance.

After a short beautiful opening set from Palehound, who played one new song from an album coming soon, Courtney and her band consisting of bassist Bones Sloane, drummer Dave Mudie and multi-instrumentalist Katie Harkin took to the stage. Barnett and the band then proceeded to play the just-released LP Tell Me How You Really Feel from front to back to start the show.

She didn’t speak much throughout the evening but clearly showed a deep love for the new material as there was a constant smile on her face as they went through the album. The ebb and flow of the record worked in the live setting, and it felt like a regular setlist, which is a compliment to how good of a songwriter Courtney is. “Hopefulessness,” the opening track, built and built until the crowd couldn’t handle it anymore and went absolutely nuts, carrying over into the subsequent rocker “City Looks Pretty.” The first breather of the night was the start of “Need A Little Time,” but it only lasted until the song’s heavy ending that once again sent the crowd into hysterics.

“Nameless, Faceless” is already a clear fan-favorite as many were jumping and singing back loudly along with the chorus that was paired with heavy guitar feedback from Courtney. Barnett’s gift for writing mini-stories in her songs is always mindblowing, and her delivery of them is so nonchalant. Sometimes when seeing an album front to back it can feel like a chore, but Tell Me How You Really Feel felt natural in the live setting.

After fishing the new album, Barnett delighted the audience by stating a few more songs were still on the way. A few turned into six including the well-received “Avant Gardener” and “Elevator Operator.” There were no songs played from her 2017 collaborative record with Kurt Vile, Lotta Sea Lice, and I wouldn’t expect to hear any either, as she has plenty of her own material to play.

The set ended with a wild “History Eraser,” after which Brooklyn gave her the rousing ovation that she and the band truly deserved. The end of a three-song encore seemed like a tongue-in-cheek nod to the evening, as Barnett charmingly chose to close her album release celebration show with “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party.”

Photos

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”769″ gal_title=”20180518 Barnett Lasky”]

Videos (Captured by Robert Johnson)

[City Looks Pretty]

[Help Your Self]

[Avant Gardener]

[Elevator Operator]

[Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party]