Barnett: "I want to make my shows similar" to Bridgers' outdoor gigs

Music journalists Mikey Cahill and Sosefina Fuamoli talk to Courtney Barnett about the possibility for more open-arena concerts in a COVID-safe future.

Courtney Barnett has flagged her intentions to make her upcoming American tour as COVID-friendly as possible, including requiring attendees to present proof of vaccination to enter.

The Australian singer told the Hit Different podcast that she wants to make her shows similar to the style of Phoebe Bridgers. Bridgers recently switched her concerts from indoor venues to outdoor spaces like amphitheatres to provide more COVID-safe events.

“I think it’s great – I’m going to the States later this year and I want to make my shows similar,” Barnett said.

“I’ll be basically trying to make them as safe as possible for everybody attending and everybody working.”

This may include forcing concert goers to present proof of vaccination in order to enter the venue, as it prevents performers from having tours derailed easily by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’ve spoken to lots of people and friends in America who are back on the road already, and they all have little COVID touring bubbles and can’t mingle with each other,” Barnett explained.

“It’s a bit of a strange situation, but if one person in the crew gets sick, then the show might not even happen, so I think the biggest thing is for everybody to remember that the vaccinations and stuff keep everybody else safe.”

This could also be extended to future hometown gigs for Barnett, as the Australian performer would be inclined to perform in outdoor venues like Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Sydney’s The Domain.

This story continues below.

We covered it on Hit Different, a weekly podcast that puts music culture in context.

“I don’t even know yet, but they’re definitely options,” Barnett said.

“The thing is then we become restrained by weather, but that’s life, that’s being safe.”

Host Mikey Cahill was quick to discuss the potential issues that may arise from switching upcoming concerts to outdoor venues with COVID-safe protocols, as pushback and implications for smaller artists create fresh challenges.

“It leaves a gap for smaller bands who do a smaller venue and who don’t have the production of an equal-sized outdoor venue, then obviously that’s not as easy and it kind of gets a bit harder,” Cahill said.

“I’m super curious as to whether there’s going to be push back, whether it’s via genre and by fan base with a certain person like Ziggy Alberts and what’s he put out around anti-masks and to an extent the 5G and anti-xav sort of statements from about 401 days ago.”

Barnett’s US tour kicks off on November 29 when she plays Las Vegas’ Brooklyn Bowl.

Hear the full story on Hit Different, a free weekly podcast that puts music culture in context.