Kicking things off were the openers Truman Sinclair, a country / emo group (a unique combo) topped with hats and hoodies. Truman Sinclair is the name of the lead singer and the band, with Americana influences and vocals like Bright Eyes frontman Connor Oberst. They were great hype men for the headline act and seemed very honored to be there. They sound like Southern kids (despite wearing beanies in May), but originally come from Chicago, with a gentle indie tones combined with a harp rack and bluesy-folk guitars.
Courtney Barnett came on stage bang-on 9pm and was a bit more shy than expected. She addressed the crowd a few times, exclaiming “[she’s feeling] fucking great” and introducing her bassist Bones Sloane and drummer Stella Mozgawa. But other than saying “hi” and “thank you,” she seemed more keen to let her guitar do the talking. She wanted her crowd to hear as many songs as possible and the setlist (below) included 21 songs that spanned the last 15 years of her dolewave hits.
And to be honest, it was pretty fucking great. There’s no one like Courtney out there, in my opinion, writing anecdotal lyrics like those in “Avant Gardener.” I love that despite many English-speaking performers adjusting their vocals to be neutral, we can fully distinguish the Australian accent in her music. Her multi-faceted songwriting switches from *Liz Phair*-esque “Wonder” and “Nobody Cares if You Don’t Go To The Party” to angry grunge, *Nirvana*-invoking bangers “Stay in Your Lane,” “I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch.”
The sight on stage is a lo-fi, stripped down, three-piece punk minimalism experience. The punchy baselines and Barnett’s lead guitar shreds sharply and rhythmically. But when Barnett plays Creature of Habit it’s a softer album, (although you wouldn’t guess by the album’s theme / cover adorned with a praying mantis, known to be the violent sexual cannibals of the insect world). Barnett is a female Lou Reed, conversing about her worldview in her lyrics, and ballads like “Wonder,” “Mostly Patient,” “Mantis,” and “Another Beautiful Day” are introspective stoner-rock.
The live mix of Creatures of Habit (2026) and Sometimes I Sit and Think (2015) and Tell Me How Your Really Feel (2018) exhibits Barnett’s kaleidoscopic range that, as I looked around the venue, spoke to concert-goers aged 18-60. That’s tough to do in today’s streaming world where we have no shortage of content and “internet sensations.” It gives me hope that we still treasure music’s ability to uncover the rawness within ourselves and the relatedness in each other.
SETLIST for Dallas:
1. Stay In Your Lane
2. City Looks Pretty
3. Avant Gardener
4. Small Poppies
5. Mantis
6. Site Unseen
7. Same
8. I’m Not Your Mother, I’m Not Your Bitch
9. Turning Green
10. Anonymous Club
11. Depreston
12. Great Advice
13. Elevator Operator
14. Sugar Plum
15. Wonder
16. Before You Gotta Go
17. Write a List of Things to Look Forward To
18. One Thing at a Time
ENCORE
1. Mostly Patient
(Courtney solo)
2. Pedestrian at Best
3. Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party
