When a New Zealand band sells out a venue that’s 9,000 miles away from their hometown, it makes a statement. So when The Beths, who hail from Auckland, took the stage at Brighton Music Hall last Thursday night, their energy was full force. It was partially due to how freakin’ fantastic openers Bad Moves and Bad Bad Hats were at hyping up a crowd, but there’s no denying that The Beths have a power that is all their own. With a relatively short repertoire on the books (they have just one LP and one EP out right now), the four piece performed with all the nervous energy of a new(ish) band, but none of the confidence issues.

And why would they? Their fall 2018 release of Future Me Hates Me received international buzz (hence the sold-out show). Lead vocalist and primary songwriter Elizabeth Stokes absolutely kills it with her relatable albeit pessimistic lyrics, unexpected hooks and all-around aura. And seeing three guys backing up their frontwoman with perfectly practiced harmonies is so dang refreshing.

Elements of jangly indie-rock, emo, harmonization akin to a 40’s parlor group, and pop-punk speckled the Beths’ setlist. Highlights included what Stokes called their “most emotional” song (“River-Run: Lvl 1”), as well as what AP identifies as their most Scorpio song (“Little Death”) and an undeniable crowd favorite (“You Wouldn’t Like Me”). It was fun to see drummer/vocalist Ivan Luketina-Johnston’s talent for twirling drumsticks, along with hearing guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Pearce and bassist/vocalist Benjamin Sinclair joke about partaking in the “sport of rock band.” All in all, we learned that you can take the Beths out of NZ, but can always identify a New Zealander by their distinctive, slightly self-deprecating sense of humor.

Opening the show with pop-punky tunes was D.C.’s Bad Moves. Like the Beths, they’re a band who utilizes each member’s vocal abilities. Their music creates a lot of anthemic vibes, with moments of folk-tinged rock comparable to the Mountain Goats but also, local punk rock group Elephants.

Second on the bill was Minneapolis band Bad Bad Hats. Their band name alludes to a naughty character from the wholesome Madeline children’s books, and their stage presence weirdly does the same. Kerry Alexander’s onstage persona can only be described cartoonish, telling anecdotes about the Buffalo Bills and the significance of Minnesota convenience stores before diving into metaphor-soaked songs about love and losing. Their music is unforgettably solo-heavy indie-rock, that plays with pop melodies, calling to mind Land of Talk’s newer stuff. 

Again with Bad Bad Hats, dudes on delicate vocals backed up their frontwoman. Not that the idea is unheard of, but it was revitalizing to see Alexander rule the stage. Actually, having a whole bill centered on the whole “everyone-sings-in-this-band-and-they’re-all-supporting-each-other” turned out to be much-needed on that Thursday night. We should all do it again, sometime.

See below for photos from the show (in order: The Beths, Bad Bad Hats, and Bad Moves):