The Garden, a two-person band–consisting of twins Wyatt and Fletcher Shears–landed at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz to perform a much-anticipated show with opener Iceage. As a huge fan of The Garden (my second artist on my 2024 Spotify wrapped), I was enthralled when I saw they were doing a mini tour of the West Coast. Originally from Orange County, the Shears twins have created experimental rock music since 2011. As of recent, the band has released an album titled Six Desperate Ballads and teased new music to come soon within their individual projects, Puzzle (Fletcher) and Enjoy (Wyatt).
When arriving at The Catalyst (30 minutes before doors opened), the line was wrapped around the building and down a block. Doors opened at 8, and we were in promptly around 8:15. Immediately we waited on the floor for the best possible spots until the opener Iceage came on at 9. Overall, he was a great performer, and his ambiance was greatly felt throughout the audience. Finally, The Garden appeared roughly around 10, and it immediately became a madhouse. The moshing was quite intense, and in fear of being trampled to death, I relocated further right of the stage. Either way, the Shears twins put on a fantastic show with a phenomenal setlist, great stage presence, and overall left me with a satisfactory feeling. They even played some of my personal favorites, “Clay”, “Ballet”, and popular closer “Thy Mission”. After dying to see them live for so long, all my expectations were met. If they return to the area, I certainly hope to see The Garden again!
