Genre-bending outfit Courting recently landed in Birmingham in support of their third album Lust For Life. Just as the anticipation in the air had reached its peak the melodic violin of ‘Rollback Intro’  began playing out of the speakers indicating the show was about to begin and the band were warmly welcomed onto stage. The first single of the new album ‘Pause at You’ kicked off the show. This funky track had the crowd moving immediately and set the tone for the high energy that was to follow. It was then back to the band’s debut album Guitar Music with fan favourite ‘Tennis’, the heavier nature of this track meant it was great live. It took the crowd a few songs to match the energy levels of the band but once they did the vibe of the show improved massively. 

A highlight for me was jumping around to one of my personal favourite tunes ‘Jumper’, the euphoric indie-pop sound just demands movement from the listener. This is a running theme through the scouse quartet’s music in general and is what endears me to their art so much, it’s impossible to fight the urge to move along with it. ‘Namcy’ is a gem from the new album and it was great to hear this in the live format. The band then revisited their sophomore album New Last Name for the first time in the show with the catchy indie track ‘Emily G’ which is another of my personal favourites, the catchy hooks and riffs in this track make this one so memorable and it really shone in the live sphere. 

‘We Look Good Together (Big Words)’  is the band’s grooviest track, which is saying something, but the experimental auto-tune on the song allowed for a unique listening experience. The energy of the show reached its crescendo when the band played two of their earliest tracks ‘Football’ and ‘Popshop!’ Both are relatively short but had the biggest impact on the crowd with bodies flying across the floor in jubilation. After this high the show began to wind down with the complex title track ‘Lust For Life’ which is almost like two songs wrapped into one due to the dramatic shift in tone half way through the song. The first half is more downbeat but slowly builds and once it reaches its peak the vibe totally shifts back to a familiar groove enthused tune. This complex composition emphasises the bands ability to curate engaging music that entertains. 

A few more tracks followed before they closed the show with the high octane track ‘Loaded’ giving the crowd one last chance to show their appreciation and feel the group’s music. The band then left the stage to a raucous reception with the audience definitely hungry for more. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and was in awe at the band’s ability to translate their music to the live setting whilst maintaining high energy and connection throughout. Courting are one of the most interesting bands in the indie space, constantly creating eclectic tracks that are backed up by seamless live performances that in my opinion make them one of the most underrated bands around. Definitely catch them if you can, you won’t be disappointed.

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