Show Pics: The Beths at Emo’s (11/4)
The Beths have been in a pattern of record release and criss-crossing tour for a bit now. They come through for SXSW, tour in support of bigger and bigger artists and now they are headlining in mid-sized venues and theaters. It is sustained organic growth, winning over fans with consistently great records, silly banter and nailed down live sets. They are really good at this whole music thing.
Joining The Beths this time around are fellow Aucklanders, Pheobe Rings.
Click through. I have the photos to prove I went to the show. Maybe I’ll even share some thoughts.
Pheobe Rings unassumingly walked on stage, quietly set to their songs after a slight glitch. A bit of nervous energy was expended and the comfort of vocal harmonies and shelter from their instruments took over. Of note, title track for their album Aseurai put Crystal Choi’s harmonies and songcraft in focus as the lyrics sung in Korean disappeared into the song. Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent played guitar and, more importantly, hit the complimentary notes to Crystal’s vocal. Dreamy dream pop…
The Beths played the hits. So many. I’ve had “Future Me Hates Me” stcuk in my head since the show. Their tour budget allowed them to have some stage props with floor lamps giving a living room vibes and letting their lighting guy have a bit of fun. The world-class banter ranged from experiencing Bucee’s and highlighting the home made recorder launcher to somewhat purposely not having BBQ (and subsequently feeling FAR more alert for the show) was capped by the discussion regarding the tour blog, https://www.breakfastandtravelupdates.com/, and that it was actually real and that it was quite good. Reading the blog now, I hear it the New Zealand-accented version of my internal monolog.
The songs ripped, relaxed, serenaded and entertained, sometimes all at once. Aforementioned highlight aside, opener “Straight Line Was a Lie”, “Mosquitoes”, “Little Death” and “Expert in a Dying Field” were noteables. I picked up a copy of Future Me Hates Me for good measure.
