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Habit-Forming Wit: Courtney Barnett Up Close
Courtney Barnett came up in Melbourne's indie scene, turning diaristic lines into wry guitar anthems on A Sea of Split Peas and Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.
Melbourne snapshots, razor wit
Her deadpan voice rides fuzzy riffs that swing between shrug and roar, with her long-time drummer and bassist locking the pulse. Recent years saw her pivot toward mood pieces like End of the Day, and winding down Milk! Records, which frames this run as a back-to-songs reset. Expect a set that leans on Avant Gardener, Pedestrian at Best, Depreston, and Write a List of Things to Look Forward To, with a few deep cuts surfacing.Songs you might hear, and who you'll see
The room usually skews mixed ages: zine-makers and guitar nerds up front, couples and curious first-timers midway, older fans near the board nodding to the groove. Lesser-known note: parts of Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit were tracked mostly live in eight quick days, and she still favors that loose feel on stage. Another tidbit: she designed early cover art herself and still fusses over fonts on show backdrops. Please note that any setlist mentions and production details here are informed guesses, not confirmed plans.Zines, Choruses, and Fuzz on Sleeves
The scene feels bookish but loud: canvas totes, well-loved denim, and hand-drawn pins from older runs.
Quiet readers, loud choruses
People swap favorite lyric moments at the merch wall and later shout the pedestal line during Pedestrian at Best like a quick chant. You will hear soft hum-singing on verses of Avant Gardener, then a full-voice lift when the inhaler bit arrives. Vinyl moves fast, and the screen-printed shirts often nod to Milk! Records aesthetics and bold type she likes.Little rituals, big feelings
Conversations skew practical and warm, from pedal talk to which zine table someone is starting back home. The room treats quiet songs like Depreston with care, leaving space for the pauses before snapping back when the fuzz returns.Fuzz First, Words in Focus
Live, Courtney Barnett keeps her vocal dry and close, letting the consonants punch the snare while the guitar fuzz carries the weight.
Words ride the groove
The trio format favors clear shapes: drums mark the turns, bass draws the path, and she fills the corners with jagged bends and open chords. She often starts a song at a lazy jog then snaps it tighter by the last chorus, which makes the punchlines feel earned. A common tweak is pushing Depreston a notch faster on stage, then letting the outro bloom with extra guitar sustain while the rhythm pulls back. On the heavier side, Pedestrian at Best can get a double-time tag, with snare bursts under clipped lines so the sarcasm bites harder.Color without clutter
Tone-wise, expect bright single-coil bite into thick fuzz, with occasional watery chorus to widen the clean parts. Visuals tend to stay simple and warm, trading strobe tricks for color washes that keep eyes on the phrasing.Neighboring Noise, Kindred Hearts
Fans of Phoebe Bridgers will find kinship in the plainspoken writing and quiet-to-loud swings that land like a friend telling you the hard truth.