This was published 10 months ago
Courtney Barnett returns to her ‘forever hometown’ as part of Sydney Festival 2024
By Helen Pitt
Although California-based indie rock legend Courtney Barnett’s middle name is Melba, after the opera singer Dame Nellie, she’s Sydney-born, and ahead of her first Sydney Festival appearance this weekend, considers it her “forever home.”
The 36-year-old singer-songwriter plays Saturday night at City Recital Hall, a headline act on the third weekend of the festival where temperatures and humidity are expected to soar.
Indie rock singer Courtney Barnett, performs as part of Sydney Festival on January 20.Credit: Emily Day
The singer, known for her deadpan style and witty, rambling lyrics, now lives in Joshua Tree in San Bernardino County, California, but was born and lived her early years on our northern beaches.
At 16, she moved with her family to Tasmania, which claimed her as its own after the release of her 2012 debut EP I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris. In 2022, she was a support act for the Rolling Stones at their Hyde Park, London concert.
“I grew up around Church Point and Mona Vale. Delivering the newspaper was my first job, I think I was in grade 6. I would get up super-early and walk along listening to my Discman. A dream job really,” the six-time ARIA winner said.
“I love Sydney. My forever hometown,” said the performer, who describes herself as an “anti-influencer” and a recluse, who is the subject of a documentary by Danny Cohen, Anonymous Club.
“I’m so excited to play at my first Sydney Festival. It’s an honour to be invited, I’ve always admired the line-ups,” she said.
“I’m bringing a slightly different show than what I usually do. In celebration of my latest album, End Of The Day, the first half of the show will be instrumental pieces from the record with [the drummer from Warpaint] Stella Mozgawa on synthesiser. The second half of the show will be just me, singing a selection of old and new songs.
After Sydney, Barnett heads to Melbourne’s Recital Centre on February 2 as part of a national tour to promote her new album.
Among the acts finishing up this weekend is the family-friendly White Gold, an opportunity to savour Cambodia’s circus heritage, and its staple food – rice – at the Seymour Centre’s York Theatre.
White Gold - The Cambodian Circus at the Seymore Centre until Sunday January 21.Credit: Rhett Wyman
In the Khmer language, “nourishment” cannot be expressed without the word “rice”. From Phare, Cambodia’s “circus with a purpose” founded by refugees, comes the story of a youngster banished from his village into a world where rice means hard labour. Shows finish on Sunday.
As well as the action onstage, there will be Asian street food for sale outside at the Seymour Centre.
On Sunday, singer Deborah Conway will perform at the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s The Neilson Room, while her daughter, jazz singer Alma Zygier will perform her cabaret Premarital Sextet at Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 1 Theatre on Saturday night.
Melbourne singer and songwriter Deborah Conway.Credit: Wayne Taylor
If you are looking for a free event, head to Parramatta Park, to see the Sydney Symphony Under the Stars’ Pictures in the Sky, featuring the Sydney Symphony Orchestra accompanied by sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar.
The half-sister of performer Norah Jones and daughter of the late Ravi Shankar, who introduced Indian classical music to western rock, has nine Grammy nominations under her belt.
The 42-year-old has performed sold-out Sydney Festival shows at both the Opera House and Brett Whiteley Studio, where she saw for the first time a sketch Whiteley did after seeing her father in concert in 1966, the same year he met George Harrison while the Beatles’ guitarist was on a spiritual quest to India.
Anoushka Shankar, who played last weekend at the Brett Whiteley Studio will feature this Saturday at Parramatta’s free Symphony Under the Stars concert.Credit: Sydney Festival
Also free and family-friendly this weekend, is the House of Fast Fashun at Tumbalong Park, where participants are invited to bring old clothes to refashion with the help of seamstresses with nimble thimbles and sewing machines. Runway shows with creations crafted from old textile discards will take place on the hour.
The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from books editor Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday.