The Beths with Sidney Gish @ Brooklyn Steel 3/2/2023

The Beths

I didn't have a photo pass to this one, I bought the tickets as a birthday gift for my partner, but it was such a good show that I wanted to post something about it! These days I don't feel the pressure to show up for an opener anymore but we were at the venue on the earlier side and weren't hungry enough to grab a bite to eat beforehand. I'd listened to Sydney Gish a few times after she blew up at SXSW in 2018 but I was too into Big Thief at the time to listen to much else 😬  

Sydney was not what I expected. First, she was playing solo, no back up, in a big venue, AND and she was doing all the layering for her songs in real time with a loop pedal. She'd chatter brightly with the crowd while also tracking her next bass line, joking before one song, Sin Triangle maybe, that she was putting it in the microwave and we all needed to be patient for it to be ready. A violently upbeat "Let's Go!!!" was announced before the beginning of each song. Quirky, weird, charming. She was giving indie Weird Al, in the best way. Definitely a fun artist to watch live, even if her music isn't your thing.

The Beths were rock solid, the set was tight, and the banter was adorable, all topped off with the glowing cherry of a New Zealand accent. A few seconds into their first song, a huge inflatable fish head popped into existence at the back of the stage, towering over the four band members for the rest of their set. 

About halfway into their third song, Out of Sight, there was an emergency in the audience and Liz Stokes (vocals, rhythmic guitar) stopped Jonathan Pearce just as he was getting into his guitar solo so security could be summoned to help. Once it seemed like everything was going to be fine, the band started over from the top of the song. G especially loved this because he got to hear his favorite drum fill again. 

The only other non-musical interruption of the show was a delight: Adam Tobeck (drums) needed to make a quick addition to his kit to continue to the set, and so the other three band members all took their time introducing each other, finally throwing out the fact that Benjamin Sinclair (bass) diligently keeps a breakfast and travel blog (imagine that in a NZ accent for authenticity). I highly recommend giving it a read if you're a fan of the band, in fact I wish more bands blogged while on tour, especially if it involves the food they eat while traveling. 

Set List
Future Me Hates Me
Knees Deep
Out of Sight (x1.5)
Your Side
Best Left
Dying to Believe
Idea/Intent
I Want to Listen
Head in the Clouds
Jump Rope Gazers
Less Than Thou
When You Know You Know
I'm Not Getting Excited
Whatever
Little Death
Expert in a Dying Field


Encore:
You Are a Beam of Light
Silence Is Golden