The Beths are very used to North America by now.
Currently playing their biggest shows to date in that part of the world, the Auckland-based power-pop band’s lead vocalist and primary songwriter Liz Stokes told us about their progress in North America during an in-depth Rolling Stone AU/NZ interview.
“I’m think I’m less nervous,” she revealed. “We’ve done it a lot. [I] feel like we’re prepared enough now that, if something went wrong, it would be something that we would just have not foreseen and have no control over.”
Stokes continued: “It’s [North America] our biggest market — that sounds like a business word, but, you know, it’s a large country with a lot of people. Yeah. It means it’s where we play the most because it’s where there are the most people who come to shows [based] on pure numbers.
“Yeah, it feels really good. We’re not like a massive band by any means, but it feels nice to feel like you’ve found your niche following in a bunch of different places, including in New Zealand.”
To kick off their latest North American trek, The Beths made their late-night television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform the title track from their recently released fourth album, Straight Line Was a Lie.
After completing their North American tour, they’ll return home for a seven-date Aotearoa tour, set to take them to Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, and Auckland next March (see full dates below).
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Straight Line Was a Lie earned a positive 3.5/5 review from us.
“Four records in, the Beths know their formula works — their strengths lie in ear-worm choruses, insightful lyrics, and Stokes’ sweet, knowing vocals, all anchored by stacked harmonies and sharp guitars. Straight Line Was a Lie finds the band embracing an openhearted surrender to every aspect of growth while acknowledging that the cycle will inevitably begin again,” our review read.
Their previous album, Expert in a Dying Field, also topped our 80 Best New Zealand Albums of the 2020s So Far list.
Read our full interview with Stokes later this week.
The Beths 2026 New Zealand Tour
Ticket information available via thebeths.com
Friday, March 13th-Saturday, March 14th
Meow Nui, Wellington
Friday, March 20th
Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin
Sunday, March 22nd
James Hay Theatre, Christchurch
Monday, March 23rd
Theatre Royal, Nelson
Thursday, March 26th-Friday, March 27th
Powerstation, Auckland
