This was a night of many conflicting emotions as Dublin welcomed back a favourite daughter to the city. Courtney Marie Andrews has been coming to play in Ireland for quite some time now and her vulnerability has never appeared more apparent before. She takes to the stage in a beautiful summer dress, a new hairstyle and a look of determination to get right into the heart of matters. Without her band dynamic, this is a rare opportunity to see Courtney Marie in all her quiet resonance and her open sensitivity.
This is a rescheduled show which dated back to October 2021 when her European tour supporting the OLD FLOWERS album saw her pulling out of the Dublin date at very short notice. There was plenty of negative feedback at the time, especially as Courtney Marie had played Belfast the previous night and rumours of Covid were not seen as being genuine, amid rumours of poor ticket sales and other matters.
Well, she started the night by saying that ‘I finally made it.’ She also references the missed date later in the show and praises the audience for their quiet attention in listening to her songs. Reference is also made to her joy at being back in the ‘land of storytellers,’ where every taxi driver she meets either has a tale to tell or a song to sing. If this seems a little staged, then it certainly did not come across that way and Courtney Marie spoke both honestly and without affectation.
One thing that has never been in doubt is the incredible talent that she possesses. Both as a songwriter and a musician, her light shines brightly and in this intimate setting, her beautiful songs carry a haunting quality. She has led a nomadic existence since her teenage years and the ending of a decade long relationship, back in 2019, was the back-drop to the cathartic nature of that OLD FLOWERS album. The old ghosts of the past still linger of course, for all of us, and without the full band sound, Courtney Marie is seen at the centre of her power tonight. A number of the songs are changed for solo guitar performance and the poignancy of the lyrics really hit home as a result. Another great benefit of this honest and bare performance, is the absolute pleasure of witnessing her prowess on the guitar. She is such a lyrical player, with a seemingly effortless fluidity across the strings. Her timing and dynamic is also so well honed now, that we are aware of being in the presence of an artist at the very top of her craft. It’s the little embellishments in the playing that set the hairs on the neck tingling and of course, having one of the most powerful and pure vocal tones on the circuit is no hindrance either. Courtney Marie soars and swoops around the song structures and colours everything in a sweet sense of perceptive insight and rueful yearning.
Across a set list that includes seventeen songs, we are treated to many old favourites and a few new songs from her upcoming album, LOOSE FUTURE (due October next). Her most recent album, is given pride of place with wonderful versions of Break the Spell, It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault, If I Told and Burlap String. A change of instrument, mid-set, sees Courtney Marie move to electric piano for superb renditions of Ships In the Night, and the title song, Old Flowers.
HONEST LIFE (2017) is represented with Rookie Dreaming, How Quickly Your Heart Mends, Table For One and a really interesting new arrangement of the ever-popular favourite, Irene. A highlight is the intensity and nuance of Near You, a real tour de force. The new album title track, Loose Future is played and another (Me and Jerry?); both sounding like worthy additions to her increasing body of work.
Courtney Marie speaks of her upbringing in Arizona, her Grandpa and his liking for a drink or two, and her time spent in Portugal where she felt unknown and free. I get the sense that she sees herself at something of a crossroads right now. Perhaps the self reflection of Covid lockdown, coupled with the restless urge to keep finding new outlets for her self-expression and her creative muse. She finished the show with the wonderful May Your Kindness Remain, a message that there is more that binds us together than keeps us separate.
The opening act was Lola Kirke, promoting her latest album, LADY FOR SALE. She is both an actress and a songwriter, now living in Nashville and originally born in London, before moving to New York. Her easy presence and pleasant songs were enjoyable and well-received by the attentive audience while the anticipation grew for the lady of the moment. It is always a pleasure to see Courtney Marie Andrews in a live setting and if some of the crowd found her set a little short on dynamics and variation, then the solo nature of the performance gave good reason to take that view. However, I found the performance engaging, gentle, honest and understated. Welcome back anytime!!
Review and image by Paul McGee