Tag: courtney barnett

Stroking to LCD: This Ain’t No Picnic

Rob Shepyer September 7, 2022

Goldenvoice has been on a roll, especially with their Rose Bowl based festivals, hosting special gatherings on sacred grounds. These two to three day festivals they’ve been churning out have all featured incredible lineups and have allowed audiences to see numerous artists that could each play at the Greek, Shrine or Bowl all on one giant, dusty field inside a literal melting pot. From Pasadena Daydream with the Cure to Arroyo Seco with Neil Young, Goldenvoice is building up a powerful Pasadena legacy. This Ain’t No Picnic hosted artists that represented our modern rock and roll heroes like Sparks, Le Tigre, The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem, but also the cream of next crop of legends like Turnstile, Caroline Polachek, Yves Tumor, Magdalena Bay, Ethel Cain, King Woman, and Idles. Mark my words, these artists will be massive headliners in the decades to come and on that day, we’ll look back to lineups like This Ain’t No Picnic’s and be in awe of how so many huge artists were assembled on the same bill. related content: Arroyo Seco: The Nostalgic, The Timeless, and the Real Day 1 Getting to drive on the greens of a golf course to find my parking

Courtney Barnett at The Roxy: How to Make a Rockstar

Danny Baraz June 1, 2015

By Danny Baraz Walking from Doheny on Sunset on my way to The Roxy, it felt like Beverly Hills had finally swallowed West Hollywood whole. The once filthy and foul smelling Sunset Strip now sparkles like a well placed rescue dog. Once the epicenter of club rock in Los Angeles, only the Roxy and The Rainbow remain relevant to Rock and Roll on the Strip. Most independent artists are playing their shows East of La Brea Blvd these days. Thanks to Goldenvoice, The Roxy just nearly escaped the pay to play fate shared by The Whiskey and The Viper Room and on this night, it was hosting the first of two nights with the rocket ship named Courtney Barnett. The first time I heard Courtney Barnett’s music was covering her gig at El Rey in November as part of Red Bull’s, 30 Days in L.A. At another Goldenvoice venue, organized by a corporate lifestyle brand, it was the first of two times I’ve seen Barnett playing to a 21+ audience. Courtney Barnett’s music seems better suited to play venues in the eastern part of Los Angeles to all ages crowds but I have yet to see her in that setting.

New Album Review: Courtney Barnett- “Sometimes I Sit and Think…”

Danny Baraz March 20, 2015

For all intents and purposes, “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit” is Courtney Barnett’s first full-length release. 2013’s “A Sea of Split Peas” combined two previously released EP’s into one epic debut that garnered international praise and attention but it was a musical relay race that connected two short stories into a novel. Let’s face it though; You only have one chance to catch the audiences attention as an “unknown” and after “Split Peas”, Courtney Barnett is a known and beloved musical commodity. Sophomore releases are so important. The pressure is so high to prove to the audience and most of all, yourself, that you weren’t just a fluke and Courtney Barnett is most definitely, NOT a fluke. “Sometimes I sit and think…” builds on the achievements of the first two EP’s impressively. Barnett’s spoken word lyricism is once again on full display but there is just enough more melody so as not to be repetitive or mired down in the apathetic melancholy that is prevalent in her vocal tone and lyrical content. There is also more dynamism from track to track. The song, “Small Poppies” is full of down tempo blues guitar mastery and shows

Courtney Barnett and San Fermin Find Magic and Common Ground at the El Rey

Danny Baraz November 6, 2014

Last night at the El Rey might’ve been the best night of Red Bull Sound Select’s, 30 days in LA, so far. Even though the lineup was a bit mismatched, Courtney Barnett, San Fermin and Phox all brought something beautiful and completely different to the table. Phox, from Baraboo, Wisconsin not only brought all the small town charm and quick wit that lead singer Monica Martin could muster but they also brought some complex arrangements and made them seamless. There is a great chemistry in this 6 piece band that undoubtedly comes from their long time connection to each other. They attended the same high school and now all live together in the same house in Madison, Wisconsin. Fresh off a performance on the Conan O’Brien show and a trip to Disneyland, they were the first band to take the stage on Tuesday night and showed us all why comparisons of the band range from Feist to Fever Ray. Any band on this bill could’ve easily headlined the night, including Phox. Next up was San Fermin. Just wow. San Fermin is the brainchild of composer and keyboardist Ellis Ludwig-Leone; A true prodigy. I didn’t know much about this band