Barns Courtney and The Hunna
O2 Brixton Academy // London, England // 7 April 2019
Photos and review by Rachael Dowd
Barns Courtney
With a captivating stage presence that cannot be ignored and a soulful voice perfect for rock n roll, Barns Courtney is one of the most exciting artists on the tour circuit right now. The moment he and his band hit the stage, the screams from the crowd made it clear that many fans in the audience had also turned up to see Barns Courtney himself in action and boy, he did not disappoint. No matter where or to whom he may be playing in front of, Barns Courtney puts on a performance worthy of a headlining artist, interacting and performing to the crowd as if the whole night is a show all his own.
Performing a mix of songs that showed off his versatility, Barns Courtney treated the London audience to a brand new unreleased song called “London Girls”, a guitar-heavy tune with a catchy chorus you can’t help but dance to. With “ohhhhs” echoed throughout the whole song, the entire performance showcased Barns Courtney’s abilities as a singer, guitarist and performer as he seemingly lost himself in the music, thrashing around the stage with his guitar in hand.
He also performed “99”, his latest single to be released, an infectious tune that merges together elements of pop and rock n roll, making for a song that easily gets stuck in your head. With a soulful guitar weaved throughout alongside staccato percussion, this song got fans in the crowd moving, clapping their hands along to the beat and singing the chorus back to the band on stage.
Closing out his set with “Fire”, one of his most popular songs to date, Barns Courtney went out in typical rockstar fashion with a legendary crowd surf that caused the energy in the room to skyrocket. Being carried through the crowd before ending up back over the barricade and on stage to wave one last goodbye, you never quite know what is going to happen during a Barns Courtney set, adding elements of excitement and anticipation whenever he takes the stage. Between his talented band that brought each of his songs to life to his magnetic energy you can’t help but be drawn to, Barns Courtney is one of the most interesting artists right now and is definitely one worth seeing next time he is in your city.
The Hunna
Headlining the historic O2 Brixton Academy in London, The Hunna put on a legendary headlining performance fans will remember for a very long time. Walking onto the stage casually without an intro, The Hunna opened up their set with a small speech from vocalist Ryan Potter who shared that after a few difficult months of changing around their team, they were so happy to finally be back in London playing in front of thousands of their adoring fans.
Kicking everything off with “We Could Be”, a song Ryan noted seemed fitting for the situation the band had just been through, the crowd exploded the moment the first note rang through the speaker, their voices easily overpowering Potter’s as the first chorus kicked in.
Fans were in for a treat that night, The Hunna’s 17-song setlist featuring music from all of their releases including two brand new unreleased songs called “I Get High to Forget” and “What You Waiting For”, both of which were received warmly from the crowd with their high pitched screams and cheers as each song came to an end.
Their acoustic performance of “Brother”, off of 2016’s 100, was a particularly powerful moment of the night. As one of the more emotional songs The Hunna has put out over the years, the acoustic performance showed another side to the band, one that was vulnerable and completely stripped down. Overall, the performance was as much the fans’ as it was the band’s, their voices echoing through the historic venue from beginning to end, showing the powerful connection fans have with the music The Hunna puts out.
“Bonfire” was perhaps the most explosive moment, fans exerting every last bit of energy they had left as soon as the song kicked in. With some fans on each other’s shoulders while others threw their pints up in the air, it was clear that many in the audience that night had been waiting to hear that song live for a long time.
Closing out the entire night with “Never Enough”, a performance that greatly showcased the vocal abilities of Potter, as well as the sheer musicianship each member of the band possesses, fans continued to sing the chorus, “I keep falling in love / I keep falling in love / I keep falling in love / It’s never enough / It’s never enough / It’s never enough” as the band slowly exited the stage, sending the whole night off on a high.
The Hunna’s performance that evening was a group effort, the fans being as involved in each moment as the band. So although fans may have to wait a bit longer to hear new music from them, it is inevitably clear that no matter where they are or what they do next, The Hunna’s passionate and dedicated fans will be there to greet them next time they are in town.
