The Beths
12th September 2018
Neck Of The Woods, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review & Photography by Sarah Kidd.
Throw a stone in any direction in Auckland and you are more than likely to hit a talented local musician, the New Zealand music scene stronger than ever across a broad range of genres. Already selling out their Auckland Thursday night show indie rockers The Beths kindly decided to throw an additional Wednesday night one that proved to be just as popular.
Often support bands can be playing to less than ideal crowd sizes, but that was never going to be an issue for Miss June. Why? Because those that have any sensibilities do not miss the opportunity to see a band such as Miss June live. Ever.
Led by Annabel Liddell who one punter quite aptly described as a grittier version of Deborah Harry, Miss June are an explosion of angsty punk infused noise with a nod to the influence of the earliest of grunge gods (we’re talking pre-Nirvana here). Taking no prisoners Miss June soon had the crowd bouncing, guitarist Jun Park devouring their feedback and using it to fuel his physicality that consumed his side of the stage in a whirlwind of hair, riffs and a dazzling smile.
Fans of another outstanding Auckland band by the name of Wax Chattels would have quickly recognised Tom Leggett behind the drum kit, his inimitable style always a thrill to watch. The four piece led the audience through a fast-paced set that included outstanding new single ‘Twitch’ (check out the official video for that one here) and tracks such as ‘Clyde’ from their 2015 EP Matriarchy as well as some blistering new material. Unadulterated brilliance, Liddell is the glue that binds the group together, both her physical and vocal performance raw and candid in its delivery as she stood atop the bass drum before precariously balancing herself on the edge of the barrier, leaning out over the fans.
Surrounded by large transparent plastic spheres that were illuminated by curved led tubes and a few strategically placed pineapples, The Beths took the stage to hundreds of fans that had nothing but adoration in the eyes.
Having recently released their debut album Future Me Hates Me, The Beths have continued to gather loyal followers, the more discerning in the scene of course singing The Beths praises since their Warm Blood EP dropped back in 2016. Part pop, part indie, a splash of punk with lime to taste, The Beths have created a collection of songs with tantalizing hooks and introspective lyrics that are delivered by the wonderfully listenable Elizabeth Stokes. Stokes originally formed the band with fellow guitarist Jonathon Pearce, however it is clearly evident that this band are now very much one sentient being, each member adding to the backing vocals, enriching the tracks with attractive verbal harmonies.
After warming the crowd up with the title track of their album along with ‘Uptown Girl’ and ‘You Wouldn’t Like Me’, Stokes soon declares herself Prime Minister over the current surroundings, telling all that “Dancing is good, bouncing is good but shoving is not” her message of checking on fellow punters who may not be having a good time alluding to just the kind of person she is on and off the stage. Besides the occasional thank you, The Beths kept the chit-chat to the bare minimum, instead choosing to let the music do the confident sweet talking into the eager ears of their fans.
While on the surface the tracks appear to be wrapped in a ribbon of simplicity, look a little closer and you will find detailed texture to each melodious creation. Much of this could be credited to the fact that the majority of the band members all studied jazz, a complex art form in itself. Splicing in some songs from their aforementioned EP The Beths continued to deliver a set that comprised of material from their debut album, their fans enthusiastically chanting along to many of the catchy choruses.
Understandably an encore was called for following their set closer of ‘Less Than Thou’ Stokes joking that they had indeed prepared for this event, the quartet serenading the crowd one last time with ‘Whatever’.
There’s no question about it, the future of New Zealand music is indeed looking excitingly bright.
Were you there at Neck Of The Woods for this magnificent indie gig? Or have you seen The Beths perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Future Me Hates Me
- Uptown Girl
- You Wouldn’t Like Me
- Great No One
- Warm Blood
- Lying In The Sun
- River Run: Lvl 1
- Happy Unhappy
- Little Death
- Not Running
- Less Than Thou
- Whatever
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