November 7, 2020

Concert Review: The Beths, Auckland Town Hall, 6 November 2020

I remember watching the waves roll in, numbered in the thousands. The Beths are basking in waves of triumphant spirit as their towering Pop anthem, Jump Rope Gazers, is radiating through the packed Auckland Town Hall. With an extra boost of inspirational energy, as is their whole show tonight.

Sometime last year they were touring Europe and UK, supporting Death Cab for Cutie. A young man next to me tells me about watching them in London. The show packed with Kiwis. Everyone has to mention the elephant in the room whenever they perform to grateful humans in the same space. As if this is under attack and look at Mother Nature on the run in 2020. Elizabeth Stokes, the songwriter and lead singer tells us to celebrate and just maybe, no more Lockdowns for me, no more.

Disciple Pati

Disciple Pati has opened the evenings program, and has on stage a classic Sixties to Seventies Soul Revue line-up. A horn section of trumpet, trombone, tenor and baritone saxophones. Out front, wearing a shrink-wrapped pink plastic outfit and wowing the fast-growing crowd is powerhouse singer Sapati Apa-Fepulea’i. From the heartland of Funk, Soul and Rap that is South Auckland.

Jennifer Lewis I hazard to guess is her own song. All the elements create a deep warm sound for this Seventies Soul Jazz song. The high arch ceiling. Wooden floor vibrating and the backdrop of the massive Town Hall (trans-gender) organ. Pati has a big voice to capitalize on this and whips up the emotions with an empowering vocal performance. I don’t want nobody fucking with me. A Chic-style hard Disco bass throb.

A version of Beyonce’s Fearless has been a highlight of theirs in previous shows and tonight they work it to great effect. The band get to stretch out and show their musical chops. Horns sounding like the Skatalites. Pati really laying into this from Soul to sassy R’n’B to melodic Rap. Turn off the lights, Baby.

Mermaidens

Mermaidens are Wellington trio Gussie Larkin vocal and guitar, Lily West electric bass and vocal, Abe Hollingsworth drums. Three albums to their credit including an internationally acclaimed sophomore one, Perfect Body. Melodic Indie-Pop to darker elements of Grunge, Goth and dreamscapes. This is the first time I have seen them live and in the cavernous sound shell tonight they whip up the energy buried in their Trance Dance drone riffs.

Under the Mountain has a chiming descending guitar riff pattern in front of a slow and heavy bottom. Measured, incantatory vocals. The music swirls around in a Goth vortex until you hear some Tubular Bells guitar ringing.

She’s Running has Gussie start singing from high in the ceiling and floating down. Surf guitar echoes. The ringing bells drones of the early Byrds and subsequent Psychedelia.

The following song whips up this twanging Duane Eddy, Los Straitjacket post Surf guitar sparkle to a highlight closing their set.

Both of these acts are biting hard on the heels of the headliners tonight and I look forward to seeking them out again in the near future.

The Beths

The Beths are on to a rousing full-house cheer from a predominantly young audience. I’m Not Getting Excited is their Buzzcocks-styled anthemic Power Pop opening song from the recent album. And the battle is engaged as the drums attack and the guitars send out pressure waves of meshed sound.

The reinforcement of the rhythm and lead guitar style of the Beatles and the British Invasion Pop as opposed to the Power Trio of Cream. The songs are kept economical and fast and melody is out front behind the attack.

Future Me Hates Future You is what the Clash sounded like at their early inciendiary peak. A melodic White Riot. Simply hot as Liz sings. The team is Jonathan Pearce guitar, Benjamin Sinclair bass and Tristan Deck drums.

Happy Unhappy was voted Rolling Stone magazine’s Song of the Summer. Tonight, they invest this with some Two-Tone Ska and whip it into a fast dance raver like the fondly remembered Beat.

It’s not all frantic. Just Shy of Sure. The guitars ring and chime. A slow build to a rousing Sixties Summer of Pop sound.

There are many ravers off their recent album and all get a super-charged treatment tonight. Dying to Believe, Acrid, Mars the God of War. Drums like automatic assault weapons, Ramones style tightly wound bass.

Whatever hones Sixties Power Pop into a belter with the audience joining in.

You Wouldn’t Like Me takes us back to deeper roots from a band who have a thorough grounding in Pop through the ages. Some Doo Wop in the melodic singing as it echoes through Brill Building and the Girl Group sound to Bubblegum. Jumping and singing at the front of the house.

There is no getting away that these are turbulent times and we are in the midst of the explosion. But as in the past if you look at your history, it is a time for Art and Artists to take the reins and flourish.