Live Review: Villagers, Courtney Barnett

Humbly, Courtney Barnett dealt the Factory Theatre a few ditties, and with her sharp, dry turn of phrase and a guitar in hand, this little lady from Melbourne held the slow growing room at bated breath. Peaking with release Lance Jr, which encouraged audible gasps at the word “masturbate”, and the bloody hilarious Avant Gardener, Barnett's straightforward songwriting and self-effacing stage presence proved to be a refreshing change to the Aussie music scene.

From Melbourne to Dublin, Conor O'Brien's brainchild Villagers delivered a tightly packaged bundle of  self-proclaimed “depressive folk rock”, the five-hand coming almost straight off the Splendour In The Grass weekend to play their first ever Sydney performance. Anything but weary, the Irishmen kept punters completely enthralled with their beautiful mix of indie and raw emotion – Passing A Message, in particular, divulged O'Brien's secret weapon early on – a delicate flip to crystal clear falsetto and the room was his.

A perfect mix of their two records showcased why Villagers picked up a Mercury Prize nomination in 2010, and their poignant lyricism told such detailed narratives but also left a touch of mystery. Tunes like Set The Tigers Free or the politically-charged Judgement Call had O'Brien both playing his guitar and acting out the lyrics he sang, creating a fascinating collaboration of vocal and physical storytelling. The very, very big little man had incredible energy, allowing the music to completely take over his body as he jumped, hopped and paced around the stage. Dropping his left hand from the guitar's neck during the climactic Nothing Arrived, he outstretched his arm with an unclenched fist as if to offer some of his energy to the fans below. Similarly, Daniel Snow writhed like a snake with the beat of his bass guitar and the whole band completely gave in to the power of The Waves.

Vocally, Villagers were spot on. Three-part harmonies and the frontman's signature war cries at a distance from the microphone filled the room to its corners. A real shame to play to only a modest Sydney crowd; their performance deserved so much more.