Courtney Barnett is currently undergoing a three night stand at New York’s Bowery Ballroom with Chastity Belt and Darren Hanlon. During the second night of her concert stand, Barnett did a smashing cover of The Breeders’ “Cannonball.”
The crowd at the Bowery Ballroom has often been said to be one of the best live crowds to play to, which should come as no surprise to any New Yorker. The Ballroom’s rather tight, intimate interior offers a better opportunity for fans to get up close and personal to some of their favorite artist. For the last two nights, fans have been treated to a spectacular run of shows done by Courtney Barnett in support of her new album. On the first night, Barnett performed a mix of her older hits as well as a few tracks off of the new album, and last night’s show saw her do a run of successful covers of a variety of songs. Chief among these songs was her rendition of The Breeders’ “Cannonball,” a track off of The Breeders’ 1993 album, Last Splash. Barnett and her band played particularly effectively on this song, with Barnett’s signature finger-strumming style providing the foundation for the song’s mid-paced beat, and her vocal performance in particular is a standout from the video.
“Cannonball” is not the first cover she’s done recently. She also did a rendition of John Cale’s “Close Watch,” which was the B-side of the single she released in celebration of Record Store Day. She has also released a couple of videos for “Dead Fox” and “Kim’s Caravan,” both of which can be found on her upcoming debut album.