He hasn’t been on the scene for long, but Barns Courtney knows how to perform. The up-and-coming rockstar had Tempe in a frenzy on Tuesday night, despite the warm temps and packed-in crowd. He brought the glitter (read: beads of sweat that glimmered under the stage lights) and the gold—a setlist full of favorites.
Local bands El West and New Chums had their own fanbases there and attracted passersby to come join the fun. Both groups put their own twist on alt-rock, El West with curated instrumentals and New Chums with pop influences, and really stepped up their game. There was infectious energy in the air inspiring each act to bounce off each other and just enjoy playing to such an engaged crowd.
The star of the show, Barns Courtney upped the ante with his signature swagger, edgy sexy voice, and even a little strip tease removing his red leather jacket before launching himself into the equally sweaty pit. He was in awe of the large screen broadcasting his performance and broke into a wide smile watching himself as if making funny faces in the mirror, and he was just as excited to announce his “very single” bandmates. These little moments were a departure from his publicized persona, but they showed his charisma and charm.
From “London Girls” off the new 404 to breakout track “Fire” and the essential “Glitter & Gold,” there wasn’t a bad choice or a single distraction.
Atlas caught the action—and Barns Courtney himself, when he jumped. Check out the photos from the show!
Story and photos by Taylor Gilliam
