Bet on The Beths to be Your New Favorite Indie Band
Santa Ana, California - August 8, 2026
The Beths set foot at The Observatory in Santa Ana on Saturday, ready to give the sold-out crowd a taste of their Kiwi charm.
The Beths are an indie rock four-piece band from Auckland, New Zealand. The band is composed of lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes, lead guitarist Jonathan Pearce, bassist Benjamin Sinclair, and drummer Tristan Deck. Saturday night’s show was the eighth show in the band’s co-headlining tour with Beach Bunny. Indie rock band Wishy opened the show.
The band emerged to a set that felt warm and inviting. On a stage clad in rugs, softly lit by green floor lamps, and a flowery tapestry hanging at the back, it was obvious that The Beths were here to make the audience feel safe and comfortable, while still delivering an entertaining rock show.
The show opened with “Straight Line Was A Lie,” the opening track of their most recent album, Straight Line Was A Lie. This opening track gave the audience a taste of what they could expect for the rest of the show: instrumental and vocal prowess as The Beths seem to have mastered their harmonies and how to smoothly blend their voices together.
After a brief intermission to check in with the crowd, The Beths played “Future Me Hates Me,” the band’s most streamed song on Spotify, as the third song of the night. The counterpoint in the last quarter of the song gives the audience an interesting listening experience as Stokes sings one melody, and Sinclair and Pearce sing countermelodies.
The Beths’ harmonies are an obvious strong point in their live performance, especially seen on “Roundabout,” a song from Straight Line Was A Lie. A special shoutout needs to be given to Pearce, Sinclair, and Deck for holding their own on the background vocals, while managing to complement Stokes’s voice and not overpower her soft sound. Pearce’s sweet and gentle guitar picking on “Roundabout” served as another prominent voice and melodic line, adding depth to the song.
Before playing “No Joy,” the band took a few minutes to talk to the crowd, leaving them to burst into laughter every few seconds. The Beths have the ability to draw the audience in with their seemingly natural charm and humor, and use that attention by serenading the crowd with their beautiful musicality.
“Jump Rope Gazers,” another popular song by The Beths and the seventh song of the night, stood out, and not just because of the song’s sweet lyrics or catchy chorus, but due to Pearce’s guitar playing. Many guitarists are guilty of using too much distortion, making some solos or guitar lines almost unlistenable. But Pearce finds a good balance between the slight edge that he’s trying to achieve and not drawing attention away from his bandmates.
Although The Beths only played a 12-song set, their performance was one to remember. After claiming that they “caked it” on previous LA and Southern California performances, they came back to The Observatory last week to prove to the audience and themselves that they can do it. And do it, they did.
Stokes’s breath control makes her soft and airy indie voice surprisingly powerful— a power that seems to be more prevalent in-person than on a streaming platform. Pearce knows how to execute a well-placed and well-timed guitar solo. Sinclair is able to lay a strong musical foundation with his bass playing, while supporting Stokes with his stunning harmonies. And even though he’s at the back of the stage, Deck commands the audience from his drummer platform with his skillful dynamics and powerful stoicism.
If The Beths are any indication of the type of talent hiding away in New Zealand, then people should turn their attention to the islands for their next favorite indie artists.
After finishing this co-headline tour with Beach Bunny, The Beths will return to the US for their “BY REQUEST” US Tour in September.
