All photos by Autumn Andel.

If one had to use only one genre to describe the Garden, it would be punk. But according to singer/bassist Wyatt Shears, they create "Vada Vada": "an idea that represents pure creative expression, that disregards all previously made genres and ideals." The Orange County duo tries hard to uphold the Vada Vada aesthetic, but they do not deliver anything radical nor new. This isn't necessarily a negative observation—certain familiarities contribute to the enjoyment of their performance, which was preceded by an opening set from Portland's Minden.

Promoting their latest LP, Haha, the Garden took us on a zigzag sonic journey with plenty of visual interest created by their physical energy. Wyatt was not discouraged by the sparsely filled Mississippi Studios, even attempting to stage dive when there just wasn't enough body mass to accommodate him. At times looking more like a performance artist, Fletcher would leap from his drum set and join his twin brother in disorientating the audience. The identical twin Shears brothers don't settle for the usual indie-rock show although they don't quite set any new standards, either. It doesn't really matter, because the Garden are interesting and fun!

Lots more photos after the jump!