{"id":14,"date":"2015-03-11T11:18:37","date_gmt":"2015-03-11T00:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/greatgigs.com.au\/?p=14"},"modified":"2019-05-09T19:57:40","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T09:57:40","slug":"courtney-barnett-secret-gig-1000-pound-bend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greatgigs.com.au\/index.php\/2015\/03\/11\/courtney-barnett-secret-gig-1000-pound-bend\/","title":{"rendered":"Courtney Barnett ~ Secret Gig @ \u00a31000 Bend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sometimes opportunities just fall in your lap and you realise it\u2019s simply lifes way of giving you a hint that you should really be doing THAT tonight. So it was, when I received a last minute invitation to attend tonight\u2019s hot ticket\u2026 the hush-hush secret world premiere showcase of Courtney Barnett\u2019s<\/strong> hotly anticipated debut Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit<\/em>.
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Perhaps a \u2018little\u2019 overeager to arrive on time…at 6.45pm, I find myself well and truly \u2018the first team to arrive\u2019. The walls of 1000 Pound Bend are lined with a series of limited edition lithographs of chair illustrations \u2013 all themed Courtney Barnett creations \u2013 also a series of photographs \u2013 taken during the making of the album \u2013 gorgeously understated glimpses into the creative process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These works will accompany the band as they gig to Sydney and then across America and beyond. A nice touch.
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Barnett\u2019s fellow stablemate on Milk Records, Fraser A Gorman<\/strong> and his band warm up tonight\u2019s stage. Looking every bit like a young electric Bob Dylan, Fraser belts out a short but entertaining set, previewing tracks from his as yet unreleased debut album \u2018Slow Gun\u2019<\/em> (out in June on Milk Records.)
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Fraser’s setlist consisted of: Book Of Love \/ My Old Man\/ What I\u2019m Feeling\/ Shiny Gun\/Never Gonna Hold You Like I Do\/ Thunder On The Mountain (Bob Dylan cover)\/ Broken Hand<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He remarks how much he\u2019s looking forward to sharing some serious miles in the car with Barnett over the coming weeks on this mini showcase tour.
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The main event, however, is of course Courtney Barnett. Tonight she and band are a threesome, with Drones\u2019 guitarist Dan Luscombe (who guested on the album sessions) in the audience but notably absent on stage. No worries here though, Barnett does an admirable job of exerting her presence on her two left-handed guitars: a lovely white Jaguar and a trusty black Telecaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From the outset, Courtney\u2019s charm is obvious. For my money, the potent combination of her stage persona and delivery puts her somewhere between a self-assured young Chrissie Hynde and the witty lyricism of Elvis Costello. Every track is generously peppered with little everyday observations \u2013 every detail is deftly distilled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Witness the first track of the evening \u2018Elevator Operator\u2019.
\u201cOliver Paul, twenty years old, thick head of hair worries he\u2019s going bald. Wakes up at a quarter past nine, fair evades his way down the 96 tram line.\u201d<\/em>
The music is hooky and immediately hummable and with a double helping of astute storytelling, these songs will intrigue and entertain well beyond the use-by date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She rattles through the album in track order, stopping only briefly to remark, \u2018this is fun …but it\u2019s weird\u2026I\u2019m not gonna lie\u2026I\u2019m nervous and excited at the same time\u2026\u201d and then later, \u201cDad says he likes \u2018Pedestrian at Best\u2019 but reckons it\u2019s a bit too \u2018yelly\u2019… so umm…sorry Dad\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She then breaks into what is to be my favourite song of the evening, \u201cDead Fox\u201d featuring a brilliant lyric inspired by the visibility signs on Lindsay Fox trucks, with the catchy chorus \u201cIf you can\u2019t see me, I can\u2019t see you\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s witty lyrics went something like this:
“Big business over-taking, without indicating, he passes on the right, been driving through the night to bring us the best price. If you can\u2019t see me I can\u2019t see you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Another memorable track of the evening is \u201cDepreston\u201d, a song already released and currently trending on social media. It\u2019s essentially the story of Courtney house-hunting and seeing some potential in a deceased estate. The catchy hook: \u201cIf you\u2019ve got a spare half a million, you could knock it down and start re-building\u201d<\/em> still had us singing it on the way back to the station to catch the last train home.
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Courtney Barnett’s hotly anticipated new album, Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit<\/em>. It is due to drop worldwide on the 23rd of March 2015 and it is currently available for pre-order via iTunes and also on the Milk Records website in Australia and overseas on the Mom + Pop record label.
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