New Zealand indie phenoms The Beths stopped by the Globe Iron on Tuesday (November 21, 2025) night. They’re currently on tour promoting their latest album, the critically acclaimed ‘Straight Line Was A Lie.’ Playing to a sold-out crowd, their blend of indie hooks, four-part harmonies, and eclectic sounds made for a great show.
The new album is a tight 10 songs, which allowed the band to play 9 of them in the 18-song setlist. They opened with “Straight Line Was a Lie,” the opening track of the new album. The upbeat arrangement and catchy lyrics by lead singer Elizabeth Stokes is a great way to kick off both a set and an album.
The venue was packed to the brim, which might come as a surprise to those not paying attention, as just a couple of years ago, this band was playing the tiny Grog Shop. That show was especially memorable because it was a summer show, the air conditioning had gone out, making it a giant sweatbox, and the band carried on like true champs. Stokes mentioned that infamous Grog Shop show on Tuesday, saying it was the hottest show they’d ever played, but it was also their favorite show of all time. She asked who had been at the show, which I was. It was also memorable because you could see even then that this was a band on the rise. The Beths were destined to play larger venues.
Once, when talking to a local DJ about The Beths’ early material, he said that they weren’t doing anything he hadn’t heard before, but they were doing it better than anyone else. He even told the band that. If that statement were true, then they’re certainly doing their own thing now. Songs like catchy, pop-infused “Metal” and the quiet, vulnerable “Mother Pray for Me,” show the band has aged into their own with a wide range of musical styles.
The drum solo by Tristan Deck during “Metal” elevated an already good song. And the quiet, enraptured crowd during “Mother, Pray For Me,” showed Stokes’ ability to command an audience, even when it’s just her, a guitar, and her earnest lyrics.
The banter between songs was light but fun. They seemed really impressed by Cleveland’s bridges. “Nobody does bridges like the United States,” said guitarist Jonathan Pearce. He would reference his affinity for bridges several times throughout the show, eliciting laughs from the crowd each time. Other references were, of course, Randy Newman / The Burning River, and that touring is really all about time zones. Eastern Time, hilariously, got another cheer from the crowd.
Pearce was also excited about the new humbucker pickups on his Gibson Les Paul. “If you know, you know,” he said. And he got a chance to show off his new rig on songs like “Ark of the Covenant,” during some well-placed but not overdone guitar solos. It was also one of the many songs that featured the band’s signature harmonies, one of the many things that makes them special.
They closed with “Expert in a Dying Field,” a catchy song from the 2022 album of the same name. The encore was “Take,” yet another from the new album, starting off with the drums and light guitar and kicking in with the bouncing bass line by Ben Sinclair and finally Stokes singing her haunting ahs and ohs.
Not only did the set showcase the eclectic sounds of the new album, but it also showcased the band as a whole. Their unique blend of Indie and Power Pop, coupled with their harmonies and musicianship, has made this band one of the current must-see acts.
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