Review: Courtney Barnett at The Rechabite

Courtney Barnett at The Rechabite
Saturday, February 10, 2024

For many, Courtney Barnett’s End of the Day live was the first look at Perth Festival’s 2024 contemporary music program. And what a unique and festival-worthy first it was.

While we’re still not back to epic outdoor venues such as the Lighthouse and Festival Gardens that made pre-COVID music programs such a Perth Fest highlight, the air con was cranking inside, and The Rechabite turned on the charm with bar staff walking through the main hall selling drinks to punters to save them queueing at the bar. Very European.

It's a small gripe and nothing against excellent local act Erasers that my Perth Fest started in exactly the same way last year.

But if the kick-off was awfully similar to last year’s Kae Tempest headline, where Erasers also supported, and the sense of déjà vu unfortunate given the number of deserving up-and-coming local acts that don’t get a look in at the Festival these days, their atmospheric dream pop was a perfect build to the main event.

Ambient sounds of wavy synths and chiming guitars made way for some swelling crescendos, but for the most part, Erasers’ charm is in their repetitive indietronica drone, and nowhere was this better than on the aptly titled Constant Connection.

Unlike her rocking prior visits, this first appearance post-COVID saw Courtney Barnett sans band. Performing alongside Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa for a first set of atmospheric instrumentals proved her most esoteric move to date, while the crowd’s genuine appreciation turned into adoring adulation for a set of solo singalong numbers to follow.

End of the Day, the soundtrack to Barnett biopic Anonymous Club, isn’t her most compelling album. But live, it’s something altogether different.

With Mozgawa starring on analogue synths and PA to create everything from moody textures to deep distorted sounds that made the floor tremble, Barnett’s guitar work provided the colour.

Backed by vision from Anonymous Club, which set the tone, Barnett experimented with violin bows on her guitar, a la Sigur Ros, tapping the strings with a stick, and the deep, full, distorted hum of an EBow.

Aided by loop pedals allowing her to solo over the top, at its best, the set verged on climatic post-rock, creating an impressive wall of sound for a two-piece.

Those expecting her to come back with a band were surprised—10 minutes after the first set finished, Barnett returned solo with her left-handed electric to perform 10 songs in a campfire singalong style.

Kicking off with Rae Street and City Looks Pretty, it wasn’t long before the crowd got involved, and the atmosphere in the room lifted noticeably with her classic Avant Gardener. Barnett encouraged the crowd’s involvement: “The high notes especially… it’s very helpful!” she joked bashfully.

Depreston and Sunday Roast also found the crowd in good voice, while the little-known Kim Deal solo single Beautiful Moon was as beautiful as the packaging suggests.

Closing with a couple of tunes from her 2021 COVID-influenced record Things Take Time, Take Time, Saturday felt like a glimpse into Barnett’s future. A future where she’s not resting on her laurels or relying on the hits (there was certainly no Pedestrian at Best to be heard).

Sure, it made us long for those big rocking moments that are still some of her best, but this was a unique night portraying the much-loved Australian songwriter in a very different guise. A perfect festival offering, it suggested that what comes next could be anything at all.

HARVEY RAE

Photos by Sophie Minissale