The Beths – Whammy Bar January 12, 2022
The Beths rock in the new year with an extended engagement at Auckland’s Whammy Bar and The 13th Floor was in attendance!
For many, this will be the first live show of 2022 and what a way to get started. The Beths were originally meant to play these five dates at Whammy back in September, but we all know what happened then.
So here we are, gathered together at the trusty old Whammy Bar ready to rock. The 13th Floor attended the Wednesday night show (#2 of 5) are we were glad we did. Back in September Aussie artist Stella Donnelly was slated to open these shows but with the travel situation being what it is, The Beths have a different Kiwi artist opening each night and tonight it is Lips.
LIPS
We last saw Steph Brown and Co at the Neck Of The Woods back in August. Now, five months later, they sound fresh and energized and they have a new tune to perform.
“Congratulations to you for getting tickets for these sold out shows” says Steph as she and the band launch into Heave Ho from 2021’s I Don’t Know Why I Do Anything.
The 25 minute set was short, sharp and to the point. There were seven songs including a peppy little ditty called Normally that got its live debut.
Musically, the band was tight, Steph’s vocals were expressive and dramatic . Guitarist/keyboard player Maude Morris banged on a kitchen pot during What The Hell as the crowd sang along during the “chorus”.
The Whammy Bar itself seems to have gone through a few changes for the better with more lighting on stage and more room for the crowd as the sound desk was replaced by sound tech Bob Frisbee and his portable pad, the result being that even though these shows are sold out it never felt overcrowded.
THE BETHS
The Beths ambled on to the stage shortly after 9pm as Bic Runga’s Sway played through the PA. My goodness if felt good to be here!
Their set got underway with Happy Unhappy from 2018’s Future Hates Me and the sound was glorious. Having played Wellington over the weekend and a show the night before at Whammy, this band was anything but rusty.
“We are The Beths and we are from Auckland, New Zealand” announced frontperson Elizabeth Stokes…as if there was any question who we came to see.
Most of the set was made up of tunes from the band’s two albums but there were a few surprises…three new songs and a tribute to Stella Donnelly in the form of her song Tricks.
Guitarist Jonathan Pearce peeled off tasty lick after tasty lick and the rhythm section of Benjamin Sinclair and Tristan Deck was locked and loaded.
One “highlight” came after I’m Not Getting Excited when drummer Tristan announced that he saw a guitar capo flying off stage during the tune. He asked the audience to look around and after a bit of a scramble the capo was found and the show was able to proceed.
The band itself was sounding fresh with tight harmonies in evidence on tunes such as Watching The Credits and Lying In The Sun.
Getting to see and hear The Beths in an “Intimate” venue such as Whammy (they last played there in 2018) almost made lockdown worth it.
There are three more nights to go…grab a ticket if you can!
Marty Duda
Click any icon to view a gallery of photos of each band.
The Beths
Lips
Lips setlist:
- Heave Ho
- Guilty Talk
- Ghosts And Demons
- Normally
- Your Deodorant Doesn’t Work
- What The Hell
- I Want You
The Beths setlist:
Happy Unhappy- Mars, The God Of War
- Not Running
- When You Know You Know
- I’m Not Getting Excited
- Lying In The Sun
- Little Death
- Tricks
- Jump Rope Gazers
- Future Hates Me
- Watching The Credits
- Acrid
- Great No One
- Dying To Believe
- Out Of Sight
- Silence Is Golden
