One of music’s greatest faculties is that it can connect people without exposing them to the obstructions of verbal communication. Courtney Barnett’s songwriting has had no trouble communicating with listeners all over the world. But for Melburnian’s, it’s especially resonant. Tonight was the first of three sold-out shows at the Forum. This was the last of the three to go on sale, which meant the attendees were a decidedly mixed bunch – everyone from youngsters who’d never been to a local rock gig before, to older, greying folks whose interest in contemporary music was reignited by Barnett’s unique songwriting. The rest of the room was populated by the likes of local music personalities, smitten young couples and folks keen for a big night on the piss.
A good percentage of these people arrived in time for Teeth & Tongue’s support set. Looking right at home on the big stage, the local five-piece (themselves a motley bunch) evoked acts as varied as The Pretenders, Future Islands, Chairlift and Cate Le Bon. Leader Jess Cornelius is a positively engaging frontwoman, and even the set’s meaner, break-up numbers didn’t disturb the unified spirit that permeated the Forum.
As You Am I’s Wally Raffles blared from the PA, Barnett walked on-stage and jumped into a solo version of Canned Tomatoes (Whole). Three quarters of the way through the song, bassist Bones Sloane and drummer Dave Mudie joined to help turn it into a triumphant noisy mess. Even though second guitarist Dan Luscombe recently exited the band, the CB3 immediately sounded more powerful than before.
Throughout the night, Barnett’s fairly sheepish banter was counterbalanced by Sloane’s coarse, upbeat humour. Whenever they launched into a song, however, the three-piece demonstrated equal, unswerving commitment. The setlist featured the majority of tracks from Barnett’s debut LP Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit, plenty of which were designed for live performance. The Lemonheads-meets-Custard number Dead Fox and the catchy to a fault Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party punched especially hard, while the more dynamic album highlights Small Poppies and Kim’s Caravan conveyed an even greater sense of ironic fury.
The crowd was by no means in a frenzy, but rather than a lack of enthusiasm, this was explained by Barnett’s incredibly engaging lyrics. A spot-on sound mix proved that familiarity hasn’t reduced the charms and amusements of her personable wordplay. Nowhere was this more evident than in the show’s penultimate number, Avant Gardner. The 2013 single is the one that launched Barnett onto the global stage. Despite the fact most fans would’ve spun it several hundred times by now, it maintained all of its originally captivating whimsy. At this point, there was no need to say so, but we all felt it; moments like this are why we live in Melbourne.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
Photo by Ian Laidlaw
Loved: The Finks.
Hated: To think anyone paid $9 for a Heineken.
Drank: $8 Coopers.
