COURTING // OSLO, LONDON
COURTING LIVE AT LONDON’S OSLO
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Now in the cycle of their third album, Liverpool’s Courting light up East London’s Oslo with a frenetic and charismatic performance that showcases their quirky blend of post-punk, experimental electronics and pop sensibility combined with their tongue-in-cheek lyricism.
Opening with the ‘Pause at You’ from the their critically acclaimed (and verbosely titled) new album ‘How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story’ before bringing out the punchy ‘Tennis’ from the band’s debut album ‘Guitar Music; the band immediately established a confident energy that never let up. Their setlist was a well-balanced showcase of old favourites and newer material, drawing from their three full length albums and including newer cuts which push further into more experimental and synth-laced territory.
Highlights included a riotous rendition of ‘Popshop!’ — its glitchy, hyperpop undercurrents translating surprisingly well live — and the biting, witty ‘Crass’. ‘Famous,’ another standout track, offered a more melodic moment, but with just as much swagger.
Frontman Sean Murphy-O’Neill’s stage presence was magnetic throughout the night — both performative and disarmingly casual — switching between irony-laced banter and sharp, tight vocals. The band’s chemistry was on full display, from the sharp timing of drummer Sean Thomas to the playful basslines that drove songs like ‘Slow Burner’ forward.
The intimacy of Oslo, with its low stage and tightly packed floor, only added to the communal feel of the gig. It’s a venue that suits Courting well — small enough to feel personal, loud enough to let the band’s bold sonic experiments resonate. The mosh pit during the finale, “Grand National,” was a sweaty, euphoric mess — a fitting end to a night that felt more like a party than a standard gig.
Courting’s performance wasn’t just about precision or polish — it was about personality, ideas, and energy. They’re not afraid to be weird, or loud, or poppy, often all at once, and that’s exactly what makes them so thrilling live. If this show is anything to go by, 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for them.