The Garden at Big Night Live, 10/4/22
Orange County experimental punk duo The Garden recently set off on their promotional tour for their 5th album, Horseshit on Route 66. Formed by twin brothers Fletcher and Wyatt Shears, they have been steadily increasing in popularity (or notoriety) since their emergence. Difficult to exactly pinpoint this band's sound, the twins intentionally step away from preconceived ideas of musical genres, describing their sound as “vada-vada.” This sort of unique disregard for restrictive boundaries pays off in the form of a high-energy spectacle massively enjoyed by the fans, many adorned with clown makeup and extravagant accessories.
Two bands opened for The Garden at Big Night Live, both evoking a dynamic response from the crowd. Kumo 99 kicked the night off with a punky electronic set. Singer Ami Komai danced confidently in front of a crowd that was loving every second. Flipper took the stage next. A different sound from Kumo 99, Flipper’s songs were slower paced and much noisier. Vocalist David Yow energized the crowd, trying to jump into it a couple times. Both openers for The Garden were in touch with aspects of the band’s sound, which readied the crowd for their performance.
The Garden took the stage: Fletcher headed to the drums and Wyatt to the microphone, armed with a bass guitar. “Haunted House on Zillow” was a fantastic first song, setting the fast and chaotic tone for the show with its ghostlike boos and aggressive yells. This wild rapid-fire blast of electronic and bass-heavy songs came to a crash when the duo played “Egg.” This song gave the room a thicker, more emotional air. Every time they hit the chorus, bodies jumped high in the air and screamed back the lyrics, the words relatable to many in the crowd.
“Freight Yard” seemed to put a hex upon the minds and bodies of the audience. Everyone was hopping, bouncing, or tapping to the quick and steady beat of the song, unveiled as a single leading up to Horseshit’s release. The song’s back-and-forth change from rhythmic and quiet beats to a guitar-laden and vulgar chorus translated incredibly well as a live performance. The same accolades can go for their rendition of “Stallion”- a song that climbs up in tension and power from the very beginning, starting with a fuzzy plucking of strings that is highly recognizable to most Garden fans.
The Garden started their encore, much to the glee of their heavily costumed fans, with one of their most popular songs, “Thy Mission.” Made in collaboration with Mac DeMarco, this song features a guitar riff more saccharine than the majority of The Garden’s songs- a key mark that DeMarco had something to do with it. The show ended with the outlandish “Banana Peel”. This song had the same unnerving and eccentric feeling as the rest of the set, but featured a repetitive horn-like sound. It was hard to tell if it was truly a horn or maybe a heavily distorted guitar of some sort - but knowing The Garden, it would not be surprising if it was an effect. Either way, it was a fantastic end to a memorable show that, unlike other concerts I have experienced, seemed to fly by before I even knew it was over. Both the Shears brothers have what appears to be a genetic predisposition to entertaining; even Fletcher got off of the drums and sang for a few songs. The crowd ate up everything that was given to them, and I would happily attend another of their shows in a heartbeat.
