The Courtneys

Thanks to a Discorder cover, BeatRoute preview, and other positive coverage, this performance by the Courtneys was one of the most hyped of this year's Music Waste, almost bringing the Astoria to capacity at 1AM. This show doubled as the release party for the Vancouver indie pop trio's self-titled debut album and as the birthday party for drummer/lead singer Jen Twynn Payne, who was hazed by bassist Sydney Koke for not wearing her tiara. With the crowd mostly standing still, their set was slow going at first, up until their breezy "90210" mantra. After this track, festival organizer Dustin John Bromley brought the band a celebratory round of shots. Although all but bleach-blonde guitarist Courtney Loove turned them down, with Koke excusing herself as a teetotaler, this seemed to push up the energy a notch. Though Payne's vocals meandered off throughout their set, she locked into a determined groove with Loove and Koke on "Manion," and it mattered less and less as time wore on. The energy boiled over after Payne dedicated "Delivery Boy" to Hockey Dad Records boss Ryan Dyck, who launched himself into the unsuspecting crowd midway through the track. Unfortunately, the then-stagnant crowd couldn't support him and a dozen people ended up getting flattened, but when they got back up, they started shoving each other from one side of the room to the other. The moshing continued for the rest of their set, a testament to the notion that it just takes one person with the right attitude to make a party happen. Ready or not, world… the Courtneys are coming.