On November 6th, The Van Buren in downtown Phoenix became a glowing home away from home for fans of The Beths. The beloved indie-rock quartet from Auckland, New Zealand. The room buzzed even before the lights dimmed. Fans pressed eagerly against the barricade. The kind of crowd whose excitement you could feel radiating through the air. When the band stepped onstage, the cheers were instant, joyful, and loud enough to drown out the opening chords.

Formed in 2015, The Beths, Elizabeth Stokes (vocals, guitar), Jonathan Pearce (guitar), Benjamin Sinclair (bass), and Tristan Deck (drums) have become one of the most consistently excellent bands in modern indie rock. Their sound blends bright. Packed with power-pop guitars and emotionally sharp lyricism. Relatability falls into place with songs about anxiety, longing, and fleeting joy. Delivered with precision and heart. Sonically, they dance between optimism and melancholic honesty, often in the same song.

The stage setup perfectly reflected that duality. Scattered lamps with warm amber light surrounded the musicians. This created an inviting, almost domestic atmosphere. As if the crowd had gathered in the band’s living room for a night of stories and confession. Yet, this intimacy was counterbalanced by a vibrant lighting design that transformed with each song. Bursts of magenta, gold, and electric blue washed over the stage in time with choruses. Enhancing the band’s shifts. From the euphoric punch of “Silence Is Golden” to the contemplative shimmer of “Jump Rope Gazers.” Behind them, their banner of green vines spelling out “The Beths” added to the deeply comforting ambiance. 

They opened with “Straight Line Was a Lie,” immediately locking into their signature chemistry. All tight rhythms, crisp harmonies, and bittersweet delivery. “No Joy” and “Silence Is Golden” followed. The two songs showcased the band’s effortless balance between controlled chaos and melodic finesse. With every lyric about self-doubt or inner noise. The audience shouted back words of recognition.

By “Future Me Hates Me,” the crowd was fully unrestrained. It’s a song about overthinking love. Hearing the performance live felt more cathartic than melancholic. All voices were rising together in a kind of joyful release. The lamps glowed brighter. Casting golden light on fans who sang every line word for word. Throughout the set recorders shot out of two cannons. Two members grabbed the flutes while still holding their guitar and bass. Managing to play them simultaneously to excitement from the audience. 

The emotional tone deepened with “Mother, Pray for Me” and “Til My Heart Stops.” Which are back to back songs on their latest album Straight Line Was A Lie. Stokes’ voice floated tenderly over glowing amber lamps. Her words explored exhaustion, devotion, and self-preservation. “Lying in the Sun,” followed by “When You Know You Know,” during which Stokes introduced each band member to drowning applause.“Best Laid Plans” and “Little Death” shimmered with lush harmonies. Their layered guitars glowing under jewel-toned lights. “I’m Not Getting Excited” turned the venue electric again. A vibrant rush of drums, color, and movement that primed the crowd for the emotional weight of the night’s closer, “Expert in a Dying Field.” 

After a brief break, the band returned for an encore with “Take.” Closing the night on a note of wistful acceptance. The lamps glowed their warmest, casting the band and audience alike in soft gold. By the end of the set, The Beths had done what few bands manage. They made a 1,800 capacity venue feel intimate. Between the vibrant lighting, the warm stage glow, and the earnest connection between artist and audience. The Beths built a space where vulnerability felt luminous.