Courtney Barnett with Vagabon

Acclaimed musician tours in support of new album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, due May 18

NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS — Courtney Barnett broke into the music scene with an upper-cut punch — her sardonic lyrics and deadpan delivery propelled her from slinging drinks at a Melbourne bar to become an indie-rock darling and global sensation at just twenty-four years old. She infuses her plainspoken lyrics with a wit and wisdom beyond her years, and matches it in concert with a driving guitar that is sure to bring the audience to its feet when she takes the stage at MASS MoCA on Thursday, July 12, at 8pm. Cameroon-born multi-instrumentalist Vagabon opens the show.

“Courtney Barnett bears an effortless, knockabout wisdom we all want to have.”
— The Guardian

“What sets [Barnett] apart is she’s got a sense of songwriting that hearkens back to the creative burst of the late ’60s. Specifically in California — her melodies and psychedelic harmonies remind me of the work of David Crosby or John Phillips.”
— Brooklyn Vegan

Courtney Barnett cut her teeth in the Melbourne music scene playing guitar in the bands Rapid Transit and Immigrant Union, before making her solo debut in 2012 with the extended play I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris. It was her 2013 The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas that propelled her into the spotlight, garnering critical acclaim and cult success. The EP’s lead single, Avant Gardener, was named Best New Track by Pitchfork, which noted, “Barnett’s music builds on the wordy irreverence of mid-’60s Bob Dylan and a Byrds-ian blend of psychedelia, folk and country.” Her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and I Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, followed two years later in 2015, receiving similarly lauded praise — Rolling Stone called it the year’s “sharpest debut.”

Following her break-out success, Barnett teamed up with War on Drugs’ Kurt Vile for Lotta Sea Lice, a clever and carefree collaborative album that nearly every authoritative music mag gushed over. Tell Me How You Really Feel, her sophomore solo effort to be released in May, was named by both Rolling Stone and Pitchfork as one of the most anticipated albums of 2018. The lead single Nameless, Faceless is a “savagely clever, grunge-pop rallying cry” eviscerating self-important internet trolls (Pitchfork).

Barnett will spend the summer headlining festival after festival — she’s already been building buzz for her first trip to Newport Folk. We’re thrilled to have her in North Adams for a concert with her whole band. This one is planned for MASS MoCA’s concert courtyard stage — tickets are limited and are expected to sell quickly. They go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 23, at 10am. Cameroon-born multi-instrumentalist Vagabon opens the show in a bill that takes our breath away. Join us under the stars for this one, on Thursday, July 12 at 8pm.

Lickety Split, MASS MoCA’s in-house café, serves up fresh salads, homemade soup, and lip-smacking pub fare. The MASS MoCA bar is always well-stocked with local beer from Bright Ideas Brewing and Berkshire Mountain Distillery spirits. Tickets are $27 in advance, $37 day of, and $47 preferred. Tickets are on sale beginning Friday, February 23, at 10am. Spotify buyers can use pre-sale code to purchase tickets now. MASS MoCA members can log into their account to purchase pre-sale tickets now. Tickets for all events are available through the MASS MoCA box office located on Marshall Street in North Adams, open 11am to 5pm every day except Tuesdays. Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling 413.662.2111 x1 during box office hours or purchased online at massmoca.org. All events are held rain or shine.

Images
High-resolution images of MASS MoCA’s summer 2018 events are available through this link: bit.ly/mm2018summer.

About MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA is one of the world’s liveliest (and largest) centers for making, displaying, and enjoying today’s most important art, music, dance, theater, film, and video. MASS MoCA’s 250,000 sq. ft. of gallery space includes partnerships with Laurie Anderson, the Louise Bourgeois Trust, Jenny Holzer, Anselm Kiefer with the Hall Art Foundation, Sol LeWitt, and James Turrell.

Gallery admission is $20 for adults, $18 for veterans and seniors, $12 for students, $8 for children 6 to 16, and free for children 5 and under. Members are admitted free year-round. The Hall Art Foundation’s Anselm Kiefer exhibition is seasonal and will reopen later in May 2018. For additional information: 413.662.2111 x1 or visit massmoca.org.

Hours
MASS MoCA is open from 11am to 5pm, closed Tuesdays through June 22. From June 23 through September 3, MASS MoCA’s galleries are open seven days a week — from 10am to 6pm Sundays through Wednesdays and from 10am to 7pm Thursdays through Saturdays.

Download the Courtney Barnett press release here.