Concert Review + Photos: The Courtneys @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall
Nearly four years after the release of their self-titled, debut album, The Courtneys are back with their sophomore album The Courtneys II. Four years is quite a long break between albums, but that doesn’t seem to phase the Vancouver-based band. According to drummer and lead vocalist Jen Twynn Payne in an interview with Nylon Magazine, the trio was picky in the song selections and they weren’t jamming very often, which made recording an album a slow process.
Although the new album took awhile, the crowd at the Brick & Mortar Music Hall on Friday night (4/14) was excited to watch as Cute Courtney (Jen Twynn Payne), Classic Courtney (Courtney Loove), and Crazy Courtney (Sydney Koke) performed.
Before The Courtneys took the stage, the night began with opening acts Snakehole and Mane. Snakehole is an enthusiastic, Miami-based punk metal band whose animated guitar solos and villainous laughs during songs were attention-grabbing. Mane is a post-punk band based in San Francisco whose strong lyrics and razor-sharp stage presence made it difficult to take your eyes off the trio. Together, the two bands put on exciting performances, getting everyone hyped up and ready to dance for The Courtneys.
Throughout the night they were constantly displaying their quirky sense of humor, which radiates when you start to dive into the lyrics. From Vampire Teenage Boyfriends in “Lost Boys,” to political nightmares in “Mars Attacks,” to a coming of age in “25,”the band keeps you begging for more witty verses that you can sing in your head all day.
During their short set, The Courtneys played a few songs from their first record, but mostly played through the songs on the new album. “Minnesota”, “Silver Velvet” and “Country Song” were definitely crowd favorites. However, “Tour” was my favorite song of the night, mostly because it turns having a small, existential crisis sound positive and exciting.
“What you are and what you want to be, takes a long, long, long, long time.. It’s time for us to let go. Slack off and hit the open road. Driving down the Western Sea, the sun it gets higher, higher.”
It was entertaining to watch as a group of friends at the front of the stage were dancing like it was no one’s business. Throughout the night, the group would form circles around each other, creating mini mosh pits, jumping around with their hands in the air and bumping into each other. The band absolutely loved watching them, letting them know how happy it makes them feel to see everyone having so much fun.
Overall, the performance put on by The Courtneys was cheerful and refreshing. The trio is obviously having fun on stage, smiling at each other and cracking jokes from time to time, making their performance incredibly delightful. The Courtneys only have a few more shows in the US, then they are heading off to Europe to finish off the tour. So, definitely check them out when you get the opportunity.
