By: Corey Price
The Beths are a band that’s easy to love and their maiden headlining gig in Ottawa reinforced all the reasons why.
The Auckland power-pop, alt-rock, multi-hyphenate-indie quartet bring an affable charm and effortless musical virtuosity to ear-wormy, emotionally taut songs you can just as easily mosh or cry to depending on what you pick and the emotions you bring to it.
It was a bit of a shock the group even ended up in the capital. Their star has kept rising as of late, including recent tours with Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, The National and, Canadian group, Alvvays, as well as two wins at New Zealand’s Aotearoa Music Awards for their latest record Expert in a Dying Field.
The Beths have got serious bona fides and it’s exciting to have a band of their calibre roll through an Ottawa venue like The Bronson Centre – assuming something like that might never happen, I went to Toronto last year to see them, too.
As such, the show had inevitable hype in indie circles given the band’s stature and despite a relatively modest line at the doors the venue was thoroughly packed by the time artists hit the stage.
I think one of the greatest strengths of a band like The Beths is how immediately accessible the music is. Songs like I’m Not Getting Excited and Silence is Golden are built to live in your head with catchy guitar riffs, pristine vocal harmonies, and cutting, emotional lyrics – the latter a particular highlight of the latest record.
The audience reflected that wide accessibility: there was a strong contingent of older fans throughout the crowd mixed with teenagers, 20-somethings and beyond. Right at the centre of the front row, a young girl with her parents eagerly awaited the set in a glittery bright shirt, tense with anticipation.
Before that more comfortable headliner, though, enter the avant-garde: Princess Chelsea and The Dream Warriors. The arty seven-piece ensemble – also from Auckland – filled the stage, kitted out with their own drums, two synth racks, and two tambourines to boot.
The band are a proper motley crew to the eye, complete with pink construction vests, tiny shorts, goth and hippie inspiration, the works. Collectively, the group is undeniably trendy and cool-looking.
Their set began with ominous synth dronings ultimately giving way to haunting, almost languid tracks that would jump up with waves of frenetic energy and give way to a full-on party on stage.
Musically, it’s difficult to pin down into a genre. Lead singer Chelsea Lee Nikkel has a delicate voice that, at times, I struggled to catch through the noise, but her band would punctuate it with powerful harmonies that helped supplement that more subtle character.
Some of the playing was a bit unconventional, though admittedly some of it seemingly with a wink and a nod.
From there, it was like watching proud friends fool around, complete with rolling around on the floor, Queen-esque guitar shredding, feedback, noise, smiles, laughs, and a surprising amount of direct eye contact. The crowd seemed to offer up a respectful enjoyment of the set, save for a few dedicated listeners singing along.
Once the stage was clear, strangely familiar-looking instrument techs came out to prepare for The Beths. Eagle-eyed fans would recognize Elizabeth Stokes, Jonathan Pearce, Benjamin Sinclar, and Tristan Deck as the crew here, tuning up their tools of the trade.
Navy hoodies with innocuous labels shrouded their faces in mystery as they prepped the set, presumably looking to draw minimal attention and give pause to any premature cheering. It worked.
Then suddenly, the signal appeared – a large inflatable fish named Bert hit the stage, as seen on the latest album cover – and it was showtime.
An 8-bit (or maybe 16-bit) rendition of Future Me Hates Me welcomes the band to the stage and the crowd surged with joy and enthusiasm for their arrival along with a ripping tune to get things off on the right foot.
This kicked off a nearly 90-minute, career-spanning set with multiple encores and the crowd didn’t slow down for a second. If anything, it ramped up, starting maybe somewhat more subdued and chanting along in roaring unison by the end.
Right before the encores, the crowd belted along to Silence is Golden and Expert in a Dying Field, amounting to a communal crescendo of pent-up energy.
Along the way, Stokes provides a truly staggering vocal performance that sounds straight from the studio, hitting high notes and rattling off quick lines without breaking a sweat. Pearce, Sinclair, and Deck provide pitch-perfect harmonies that could make The Beach Boys blush.
Frankly, the talent on display is jaw-dropping yet subtle. It’s not flashy or based in bravado, but rock solid down to its bones and helps flesh out these songs that are already so hard to put down. Even if you’re hearing them for the first time, there’s bound to be a hook that doesn’t let you go.
And there’s still room for fun – the band takes moments to smile and connect with each other on stage. It’s clear they love being up there, but not in a way that’s overly indulgent or here to waste your time.
It’s not all business by any means, but there’s an incredible efficiency to how easily The Beths put on a good show. There’s no backhandedness to the compliment.
Stokes said early she was getting a “very good vibe tonight” and I think that’s a great descriptor. It sounds somewhat mild, but in truth, it’s high praise: it was an incredibly good vibe. (Sinclair’s aptly named Breakfast and Travel Updates blog would later call the show one of their best of the year.)
Audience members young and old came together in harmony to sing along and jump around to tightly played, thoughtfully written, impossible-to-hate music and had some laughs along the way.
Crowd banter highlights include: chanting along to a newfound appreciation for Ottawa’s canal locks; potential rivalries with Quebec; accidentally choking on your own spit; and prolonged advertisement for Breakfast and Travel Updates.
Musically and personally, there are no false notes – it all rings true.
When The Beths come to town you’re promised something. That includes a warm, welcoming atmosphere, a ready and willing crowd, and striking, undeniable musicianship.
On this late summer night, they delivered that and more.
