The Beths & Emily Edrosa – Golden Dawn February 1, 2018

A double bill of two of Auckland’s finest indie acts made The Golden Dawn the place to be on this Thursday night.

With rain bucketing down outside, the Auckland evening cooled off, but inside the Golden Dawn the heat was still turned up.

Former Street Chanter Emily Edrosa began the proceedings with a short, snappy 30-minute set that began with her playing solo, then being accompanied by her two bandmates.

Among pleas to buy her T-Shirts we were treated to Emily’s sharp lyrics, such as this couplet…”When I eat when I’m not hungry, I’m sure I feel my face get fatter.” Vocally, Emily is sounding better than ever…I’m guessing a new album is imminent.

Then it was time for The Beths.

It was just a few days ago that Jonathan Pearce was pounding out the strident chords to Aldous Harding’s Horizon at the Laneway Festival. And last time I was at Golden Dawn, he was playing bass for The Ruby Suns. Now Pearce has his six string strapped on, ready to rock the house.

In addition to Pearce, the rest of the band includes vocalist/rhythm guitarist Elizabeth Stokes, bass player Benjamin Sinclair and drummer Ivan Luketina-Johnston.

The quartet opened with 2017 single Great No One and raced through 9 songs in just over a half hour.

“It’s so hot, so we’re gonna play really fast so we can all go outside”, explained Stokes. Appropriately enough, Lying In The Sun followed.

In addition to playing tunes from their EP, the band unveiled a few new songs such as the upbeat, poppy Happy Unhappy which Stokes teased is “gonna be on the new album… who knows when.”

And it seems Pearce isn’t the only virtuoso in the band as drummer Ivan Luketina-Johnston played like a maniac, particularly on Uptown Girl.

When the band launched into Whatever the show turned into a big sing-along. And when the band announced that this was the end, the demand for an encore was genuine and persistent.

The band got the message and wrapped with Rush Hour 3, featuring one last fine guitar solo from Jonathan Pearce.

Judging from this show, The Beths are on the verge of exploding onto the NZ music scene. Bring on that new album!

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Rosie Kestle:

The Beths set list:

1. Great No One
2. Idea/Intent
3. Lying In The Sun
4. You Wouldn’t Like
5. Happy Unhappy
6. Future Me
7. Uptown Girl
8. Whatever
9. Rush Hour 3