Live Review: Courtney Barnett at Tramshed, Cardiff 29/06/22

Here at NNWNF, we're always looking to give a platform to new writers to express themselves and share their musical passions. Today we welcome new writer Chloe Benfield, who has been to see one of Austrailia's finest imports Courtney Barnett - a few days after her triumphant headline set at Glastonbury's Park Stage - at Cardiff's Tramshed.

I first had the pleasure of enjoying Courtney Barnett live back in 2018, at Cardiff Uni's Great Hall. A dinky little dive inside the Student's Union, it was rather conveniently across the road from my old flat; not only did I make lifelong friends in the smoking area, but truly cemented my love for the queer Austrailian rockstar.

Cut to 2022 and she's on tour to support her new album Things Take Time, Take Time - which I've been listening to on repeat since it's release. Softer and more thoughtful than her previous offering Tell Me How You Really Feel - which boasted back-to-back angry feminist anthems - it's clearly recognisable as a post-lockdown piece, evidencing a maturation for Barnett over the last couple of years and a more contemplative than confrontational sound. 

Cardiff's Tramshed is a cracking venue for the likes of CB; it's on the small side, so you have to rub shoulders, sardine-like, with your fellow revellers, but that also means no matter where you're standing you've always got a decent view. The stage boasted a large backdrop of paint splotches in varying shades of blue, a nod to the new album's cover, which was instantly recognisable.

       📷 Mia Mala McDonald

My friends and I - yes, the ones from the first show - had been for dinner and had missed the support, but the crowd sounded appreciative of their efforts as we entered the venue. After hanging out in the drizzly smoking area and playing 'Spot the Lesbian', we secured a pint and made for the balcony for a birds-eye view.

Courtney swaggered on stage sweeping her trademark bangs out of her eyes dead on 9:10pm to whoops, cheers and thunderous applause. She and her equally cool band slammed straight into set opener 'Rae Street', one of my favourite singles from the new album, immediately followed by the saccharine 'Sunfair Sundown'. Stopping to say hi and compliment our singing afterwards, she doesn’t really chat much between songs, bar introducing and thanking the band, preferring to get on with the music. Her brief interactions with an absolutely adoring crowd, though, proved she could have sold out a venue double the size with ease.

We got a delightful pick n mix of all three of Barnett’s albums over the duration of the evening; crowd pleasers like 'Elevator Operator' and 'Avant Gardener' got everybody jumping around wildly, whilst quiet and poignant tracks like 'If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight' and 'Depreston' had Barnett holding her mic out and listening so she could appreciate the sound of us singing back acapella.

One thing you can really appreciate about Courtney as an artist is her witty, intelligent lyrics. 'Lance Jr.' boasts some of my favourites, a sleazy little song about having some alone time whilst listening to the music of someone you fancy…the honesty of  it doesn’t mean I like you man / it just helps me get to sleep / and it’s cheaper than temazepam never fails to make me laugh.

 Likewise, she’s also unafraid to be personal and self-deprecating. 'Pedestrian At Best', one of my all-time-favourites, is a perfect example of this: raw, loud and violent, it’s a treatise on the downsides of new-found fame and fan relationships.

Lyric the rats are back inside my head / what would Freud have said?! articulates more emotion than any straightforward metaphor ever could, whilst the chorus’ brash repetition of: put me on a pedestal and I’ll only disappoint you / tell me I’m exceptional, I promise to exploit you is a brutally honest reflection of celebrity life that not many artists would be brave enough to put across. This track live is an absolute treat to behold: I screamed myself hoarse, yes, but it was deeply cathartic.

We also got a little treat in the form of 'On Script', a track from Lotta Sea Lice, Barnett’s collaboration album with indie chameleon Kurt Vile, who you may know as the former guitarist from The War on Drugs. I wasn’t expecting her to dip into that EP and it was a most pleasant surprise! 

 Clever lyrics aside, the sheer talent emanating from Courtney is perhaps most evidenced by her incredible guitar playing, which she performs with an air of nonchalance. Dancing across the stage with an air of effortless cool, leaning down into the crowd and dropping to her knees, she absolutely knows how to put on a show. 

Seconds after they had exited the state, shouts of “encore!” were pinballing around the room, and two minutes later we were enjoying our last hurrah. The choices of 'Oh The Night' and 'Before You Gotta Go' served as a perfect dessert for what had been a truly lovely evening, pleasant atmosphere and excellent buzz throughout. The crowd swayed together as one and sang along with as much enthusiasm as they had all evening. Unsated, we demanded a third encore as Courtney and co left the stage for the final time. 

Though paying £30 for a t-shirt never gets any less painful, Barnett proved to me once again that even though she might be awake, alone, homely and a Scorpio, she is by no means pedestrian.

Gig Photos: Chloe Benfield