The Courtneys @ Great Scott

The Courtneys
featuring Weakened Friends and Versing

October 16th, 2017 @ Great Scott

By: Becca Pariente

After a week of nonstop stress, I didn’t need a day off to calm down. All I needed was a visit to Great Scott for a show that provided all the comforts of home short of a warm cooked meal.

Weekend Friends started with a comfortably upbeat tone; consisting of passionate vocals and a generally bold sound. The indie noise band was both refreshing and familiar, a great pick me up for the rest of the night.

Versing reminded me of the great bands of my high school hometown. With harsh electric riffs and an incredibly full sound, Versing’s set was raw but well-polished with infectious rhythms that you can sink into. Songs like “The Draw” stood out because of the swooping melody that i couldn’t keep still to.

Never has a band’s presence on stage put me more at ease than the Courtneys did. The Vancouver trio’s calm and collected personalities translate easily into their music: a combination of relaxed punk and modern girl band pop. The best thing about them is that there’s no gimmick or brand they’re trying to impress their audience with, just their honest selves. They mostly played songs from their new album, The Courtneys II, which is filled with fuzzy guitar riffs and endearingly tenacious lyrics. “Minnesota” was a particular favorite, with its electrifying riffs that continued to pick up steam as the heart-aching song goes on. Their songs all have this lovely moment where their guitarist eggs on the melody to a sweepingly rise. It’s a warm sound that really distinguishes their new music. “Tour”, “Lost Boys” and a song from their debut album “Insufficient Funds” were songs like this that kept the audience riding a steady wave all night. The Courtneys only paused their set a few times to effortlessly converse with the audience about Korean spas, Acadia, and to ask if anyone had a place for them to sleep that night (I’m almost completely sure they were not joking), so the hour was filled to the brim with their charming hometown sound.