I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: December 6, 2025] The Beths

This is my third time seeing The Beths, a New Zealand band that’s taking the U.S. by storm.  Las time they played here they sold out Union Transfer.  This time, they sold out TWO NIGHTS at Union Transfer.

We immediately got tickets to night one and for the first time, saw them from a chair off to the side (thanks ADA seating).  Although they interact so nicely with the front, that it’s kind of a bummer to not be in on the action.

But the sound was great (I know it always sounds better further back, but I like being close).

So The Beths are a four piece: Elizabeth Stokes, singer and guitarist.  Jonathan Pearce who plays lead guitar. Benjamin Sinclair on bass and Tristan Deck on drums.  They are delightful and funny and play fantastic songs.  Liz is a great songwriter and the boys make divine harmonies.

Last time they played nearly all of their then new album.   This time they played nine out of ten songs from their newest album.  And they opened with the title track a bouncy song that had everyone delightedly singing along.

After the even punchier No Joy they played two older songs one from Expert and one from Future Me Hates Me.

Then they moved back to the new album with the super fun first single Metal.

At one point during these songs, Benjamin did something that made a tin whistle fly into the air which he caught and started playing.  Later both Benjamin and Jonathan activated the tin whistle cannon and we were delighted to see them snatch the instruments out of the air and start playing.  The also have some shakers in their songs.  Liz uses a banana shaped one.  If you go to Benjamin’s review of the following night, you can read about the amusing trick they played on Liz and her banana.

There’s one very slow and pretty song on the album that I didn’t think they would play because it seems so personal.  But they dd play Mother Pray for Me and it sounded gorgeous–just Liz and her guitar with occasional backing tones.  The crowd was utterly still during this beautiful song.

Last tour they play most of Expert in a Dying Field, but they did not play Your Side, so it was fun that they tossed that in the play list.  It was really a great mix of new and old songs and I was thrilled that they played Jump Rope Gazers and Little Death (which the crowd went absolutely berserk for!)  Following that with the ripping I’m Not Getting Excited was a one two punch of fun.

They clearly had a little fun seeing as how it’s the holiday season because they played a fantastic version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (which if they released the song, I would have iy at the top of my Christmas music playlist).  Then there was time for one more song, the amazing Expert in a Dying Field.

After a brief encore break, they returned to play Take. But somehow earlier in the night, the crowd had talked about Roundabout and so they played that instead.  A Baths show s always fun.  Plus, you feel satisfied but still want more.

I love that The Baths are getting so much attention (showing up on many Top Ten lists) but I’m afraid that next tour they’ll be playing a much bigger venue.