Concert Review: Barns Courtney Leaves His Heart At American Beauty NYC

As I Iooked around American Beauty NYC to see leathers, furs, and velvets drape over the crowd’s fashion, I fully expected Jim Morrison to resurrect and do a show, and, in a way, he did through Barns Courtney. His swag resonated with Morrison and Mick Jagger in oozing sensuality and love-torn sentiments. Courtney presented himself as a young guy with a rocker, raucous sensibility but a bleeding heart, which are often intertwined.Barns Courtney – Glitter & Gold

Usually, the more open you are, the more wild you can be. Entering Barns Courtney’s concert, I felt like I was in “the scene”; filled with twenty-something exchanging secrets and shimmery re-tellings of their day. The aura felt distinct to his act, which was endearing. It is always a good sign of future prosperity when you not only attract a crowd, but a specific audience that carries their own culture and style. Long hair, open shirts, and crystal necklace dominated “the scene” and Barns’ look as he jolted and jerked through the stage like his own melodies were electrocuting him. He was clearly enamored with the audience, and their love for him, of which one fan, Erika, got the chance to dance with him for “Hellfire”. She was giddy to be near his presence as if she were right next to a god, and Barns certainly did a few “Jesus On The Cross” poses when absorbing the audience’s cheers. He could not stop himself from coming to the stage’s edge, and bashing thought guitar melodies as if he was a hard-rocker more than a folk one.
Barns Courtney – Golden Dandelions

In recording, Barns’ debut , The Attractions of Youth, carries a folksy fluidity that felt tossed in performance. At his concert, his tracks were jagged, audacious, and felt combustible with how he fierily sang them. Barns’ voice grates and grits through lyrics like rocks in a tornado; his notes circled and crashed to deliver the confusion and mischief that plagues through his relationships as in songs, “Golden Dandelions”, and “Little Boy”. There is no coyness to Barns Courtney as seen when one bold woman yelled “Wanna F**k?”, of which Barns laughed and said he was busy with his tour, but was open to threesomes. That kind of “I dare you” mentality coursed through the audience in the dimly, candled room. NYC was his first stop headlining for his debut, and the room was packed. Yet, it was well-deserved. Barns Courtney left his blood, sweat, and literal heart on that stage. Watching him live, is like watching a supernova, and amps up that, on recording, he may be like Bob Dylan, but, in a live show, he is a one-man Led Zeppelin. For More Information Barns Courtney Click Here.
Barns Courtney – Kicks