Courtney Barnett Throws Down an Enormous Set at Ohana Festival

Courtney Barnett has built one of the most distinct catalogs in modern guitar music, equal parts deadpan observation and genuine emotional weight, and her Ohana Festival set at the Tiki Stage gave fans a full tour through both sides of that sound. As part of her Creature of Habit tour, Barnett delivered a set that moved easily between wiry, talk-sung storytelling and full-throated rock release.

She opened with "Stay In Your Lane," setting an unhurried but confident tone before diving into "Avant Gardener," one of her most beloved early songs and still a clear highlight live, her delivery landing every wry, self-deprecating line with perfect timing. "History Eraser" followed with its tumbling, conversational verses, the kind of song that sounds almost like a diary entry set to a loose, rolling groove, while "Mantis" showed off a heavier, more muscular side of her guitar playing that doesn't always come through as clearly on record.

The back half of the set is where things really caught fire. "Pedestrian at Best" landed with the kind of controlled chaos that's made it a staple of her live shows for years, Barnett's guitar work turning increasingly loose and searching as the song built toward its climax. She closed things out with "Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go to the Party," a title that captures her entire sensibility in one line, equal parts funny and quietly devastating, and the perfect note to end an afternoon set that balanced both of those qualities all the way through.

What makes Barnett such a compelling live act is how effortlessly she blurs the line between comedy and genuine feeling, often within the same verse. There's nothing showy about her stage presence, just a steady, unbothered command of the room that somehow makes every lyric land harder than it has any right to. The Ohana crowd responded in kind, locked in for a set that proved exactly why she's remained one of indie rock's most respected songwriters for over a decade now.

If you've only experienced Courtney Barnett through her records, her live show is the necessary next step, a reminder that these songs were built to be played loud, loose, and a little unpredictable. Catch her on this tour if you get the chance.

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Photos by: Jenna Houchin