It was a melting public holiday Monday night as people crowded into the main band room of the Rosemount Hotel, vying for a spot of the stage and awaiting the music to come. They didn’t have to wait long, as soon the sweet mellow voice of Juice Webster rang out, strumming her guitar for the audiences listening pleasure. She noted that the people of Perth were beautiful, lovely and good listeners as she explained that she normally plays with a band but was running the solo ship today. Her first song had messages of sad love lost, including lyrics about there being no room to sleep beside her love tonight. It was so quiet when she played that you could hear a pin drop as the audience gave full respect to the artist before them.
Juice Webster poured her heart and soul out through her guitar on stage with her delicate and soulful melodies washing over the room. With the rest of her songs contained lyrics and messages about her self-perceived insecurities and flaws, writing music from the heart is definitely not one of them. Special anecdotes were shared throughout Juice Webster’s set, as she shared her new record is named after herself, and her real name is Julia. She told us how when she was born, her brother couldn’t say Julia, so he called her Juice and how she has grown up being called Juice her whole life.
The gig was put on pause as Juice Webster stopped to check on an audience member who had fallen, making sure they were alright, her caring nature evident and not just through her songs but in real life too. Juice Webster sung her vulnerable heart out as she opened up to the crowd through her music about love found and love lost, about having heart-trouble but at the same time wanting that someone to stay close by her side. Her final song was called Headache, which is ironic because I could listen to Juice Webster’s sweet, beautiful melodies complemented by simple guitar riffs all day long, and it would be the best headache cure. A sentiment shared by the crowd as she wrapped up her set, to rounds of applause and cheers.
The stage went dark, with all of the lights were turned off, as The Beths made their way on stage with the applause and cheers continuing louder and more urgent. A catchy boppy beat played through the speakers overhead with the stage lighting up with perfectly synched timing as The Beths played their instruments on the next note as the beat ended. The crowd couldn’t get enough of this entrance from The Beths, an indie four piece from the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand. The packed band room was standing room only in front of the main stage, with the crowd grooving along like a moving wave of bodies swaying rhythmically together and nobody standing still. The crowd were giving The Beths the same energy as they were exuding from their stage presence.
The style of The Beths is very indie rock, but with heavier riffs and more gravelly backing vocals from the other band mates. Their sound has developed and deepened since then, with the tight-knit band now more confident and sure of themselves and rightfully so. Soaring rock riffs with sweet clear vocals and bending notes creating the unique licks complimented the lyrics of The Beths sweet catchy melodies. They had great interactions with the crowd, talking about how great it was to be back here in Perth. Noting their last time here was for Laneway in 2023 when their album came out, they were happy to be back here to do this nice intimate gig (to a nearly sold-out main stage band room at the Rosemount).
The crowd were very happy to clap along, sing along and go along on the musical journey that The Beths were taking them on throughout the night. A disco ball added to the indie rock aesthetics.
The Beths paused to take turns playfully introducing each other before diving into their next song with faster, heavier riffs. The atmosphere was exciting throughout the entire performance by The Beths, the crowd enjoying every song and singing along so loudly that I almost couldn’t hear the band at one point despite being only a few metres away from the stage and the speakers. They were very engaging with the crowd, asking if anyone read as the bass player Ben was writing a blog while they were on tour about breakfast and travel updates.
The Beths commended the Perth crowd for coming out on a Monday night with school and work the next day, making a joke about going to bed by 10.30pm but spending several hours on phone time to wind down. The Beths songs are a soundtrack to love and loss, searching far and wide juxtaposed to a closeness and running away at the same time, their lyrics are songs from the heart and for the heart broken. Their final song, Expert, was played to the cheers and applause of the audience. The crowd won them back with their good clapping as they took requests for an encore performance. The Beths ended the night on Not Running. I am sure the crowd, all singing along, will be running to their next Perth gig as they couldn’t get enough of The Beths and neither could I.
GALLERY
With thanks to Live Nation for the Media Accreditation
Images Credit Shotweiler Photography