Courtney Marie Andrews @Troubadour 12/14/2022

Courtney Marie Andrews @ Troubador 12/14/2022
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Courtney Marie Andrews brought her velvety, story telling vocals to the historic Troubadour in West Hollywood on December 14th. She'd been on the road since November 2nd in support of her new album Loose Future, of which the tailend found her at one of my favorite venues in San Francisco, The Independent the night before she played in LA and would bring her to the Casbah the follwoing night. 

It was a chilly Wednesdsay night in LA  but it was nice and cozy in the qaint music venue that boasts of a 500 capacity which is hard to believe once inside. It's small stage, wood paneled walls and dive bar lighting reminded me of that favorite San Francisco venue of mine only smaller, much smaller. 

There was a meager crowd for the opener Johnny Fritz who served a comic relief before the headliner, mixing folky guitar playing with humorous lyrics. The place filled in a little bit more but was by no means full by the time Courtney Marie Andrews and her band took the stage right before 9:00. She was dressed in all white with slithering snakes down each white long sleeve which could have, and were, easily mistaken for tattoos. Her and her four accompanying bandmates comfortably fit on the stage under swirls of purple, blue and crimson lighting. 

Courtney Marie Andrews @ Troubador 12/14/2022
photo by Nikki DeMartini

With her smooth, calming voice a nostalgic feel wrapped around the room as soon as she started singing. First up, "Burlap String" off of her 2020 realease Old Flowers. The 33 year old from Arizona has been busy. She's released seven albums since her 2008 debut, Urban Myths, making this year's Loose Future this country desert song bird's ninth album. 

Her soothing sound strikes as country but without the twang: a slow drawl with a gentle delivery, painstakingly painting a new picture with each song.
An Americana woman of our time, Andrews serendipitously manuvers through the murky waters of emotions navigated by steadfast singing and humble accoustic guitar playing. She's a young woman with an old soul, that of which is heard through her music. 

Sharing excitement for her first headling show at the Troubadour, Courtney Marie Andrews showed fans in LA her lighter side quite a bit with bountiful banter between songs. She prefaced a new song by saying it should be enjoyed with a paloma in hand before telling us that that was what all of them were drinking that night. Then, the light percussion, easy strumming o f guitar strings and whimsical singing of "These are the Good Old Days" swept us away to an island somewhere with the likes of Jimmy Buffet. 

 

Courtney Marie Andrews @ Troubador 12/14/2022
photo by Nikki DeMartini

There wasn't too much action on stage but there didn't have to be with Miss Andrews steering the ship. The small crowd needed nothing more than to be spellbound by her singing stories carried by the Troubadour's spot on accoustics that night. 

Courtney Marie Andrews @ Troubador 12/14/2022
photo by Nikki DeMartini

It was a solid show.
There's no denying that she can sing when you listen to her music but seeing her live, hearing her sing live,  is something else.  She's set to hop the pond for a UK tour next year but will the new year bring her back to some stages in the US? A Courtney tour might be fun: Courtney Marie Andrews opening for Courtney Barnett.  We'll have to wait and see what the new year brings!