Barns Courtney Puts on a Banger of a Rock Show at L.A.’s Fonda Theatre

Sandra Miska

Just three weeks after the release of his sophomore album, “404,” British singer-songwriter Barns Courtney performed a high-energy show at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA. Handsome and charismatic, one might expect the 28-year-old rocker’s fans to be predominantly young girls, however rock lovers of all ages packed the Fonda Thursday night no doubt taken by Courtney’s energetic music stylings reminiscent of the likes of Kings of Leon, Cage the Elephant, and the Black Keys.

Courtney opened the show with “Fun Never Ends,” an exhilarating number off “404” that got the already excited crowd extra pumped. “London Girls” followed, another one off Courtney’s latest album, a tribute to the scrappy and spirited ladies of the British indie music scene. Next up came “Hands,” a favorite from his debut album, “The Attractions of Youth,” about searching for a woman who wrote her number on the back of his hand.

Courtney kept his witty banter with the audience to a minimum, engaging with fans more so through his music and movements. But he did make a point to say that the Fonda was the biggest venue he has played in Los Angeles to date. He donned black trousers and a red leather jacket, without a shirt — of course. During his numbers he strutted Jagger-style to the delight of the crowd. All that moving around under bright stage lights resulted in some serious sweating, and Barns joked with a pair of young women who had the brilliant idea to wear Sea World ponchos to the show. “Are you insinuating that my gigs have a splash zone?” He asked with a smile.

The songs weren’t all head bangers, as Courtney showed his vulnerability during the performance of “Little Boy,” a song that he told the crowd was written during a period in which he was on welfare and feeling sorry for himself. Later, he poured his heart into “99,” a wistful number about enjoying life as a kid, playing video games and watching TV without having to worry about adult responsibilities.

Highlights of the show also included Courtney’s biggest hit to date, “Glitter & Gold,” a tune about determination and perseverance, with lyrics like, “I got fire in my soul / Rise up, ting ting, like glitter and gold.” “Golden Dandelions,” a song with a euphoric feel about a new love, was also a crowd favorite. For his penultimate number, “Kicks,” the singer leaped off the stage to take in some crowd surfing, putting trust in his fans. Courtney, who does not perform encores, ended the show with “Fire,” a rousing hit that has been used in recent Cadillac commercials. For this number, he had the crowd get low and touch the floor as he sang, “Lord gimme that fire / Burn, burn, burn.”

Barns Courtney performed Sept. 26 at Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, CA.