By Paulina Salazar
The Garden was formed in 2011 by two brothers who I am sure could not imagine they would someday end up playing in Ohio. (Sorry for the Ohio slander.) Both The Garden and Machine Girl create such unique sounds. Each band’s experimental noise is so different, but their concert together was a match made in heaven. Not only have both of them blown up on TikTok through audios, but they have gained a massive following of mostly Gen Z kids who enjoy each band’s funky music.
The Garden and Machine Girl played at Newport Music Hall in Columbus on November 16. I have been listening to both The Garden and Machine Girl for a few years, so I was excited to learn they were playing at a concert venue that was a two-minute walk from my apartment complex. I consider Newport to be a somewhat small concert venue, and I was very thrilled to see them there. No matter where you are at the venue, you can see the stage pretty well. One of the things I was a bit nervous about was the horror stories I had heard from other The Garden fans about their concert experience, which often had nothing to do with the band themselves but rather the messy audience. However, I felt like the Columbus crowd would be much better than the picture painted by word-of-mouth, and I was right.
Machine Girl opened and everyone went absolutely crazy. The band’s energy was electric. Watching Sean Kelly play the drums proved to me that I probably should have worn earplugs. The music was insanely bassy and loud, but I like to think my ears were blessed that day, ignoring my morning-after tinnitus. The best part of Machine Girl playing was when Matt Stephenson got off stage and joined the pit while still performing. Not only did he go into the pit, but he also climbed up onto the rail I was standing next to and jumped to crowd-surf from there. Thinking about being that close to Machine Girl makes me giddy with excitement. The crowd anxiously waiting for Stephenson to jump from the rail was probably the best moment in their performance. The music’s loudness left me confused at times about which track they were playing. but nevertheless, the energy was so high that I was just excited to see them play.
After Machine Girl’s awesome performance, The Garden took the stage, of course, in their classic juggalo-inspired makeup, which many fans took part in. It was so cute seeing fans and the band both wear similar makeup, demonstrating just how popular the band has gotten. The Garden played “Haunted House on Zillow” first from their newest album HORSESHIT ON ROUTE 66. The strong drum sound from Fletcher Shears in that song really stood out. A song later, they played “Call This # Now” from their 2016 single release, one of their most popular songs. Wyatt Shears provided an amazing performance from the mic stand and got the crowd jumping, even compelling someone to swing their cowboy hat. “Puerta de Limosina” came next, which begins with its iconic drum beat. A bit of a heavier punk sound than “Call This # Now,” I feel shows The Garden’s talent in versatility. “Vexation” played from their 2015 album, haha, and it reminded me how much I enjoy their classics. The bass in “Vexation” reminds me of something I would hear in an early 2000s movie which is perfect.
“Call the Dogs Out” played next from Mirror Might Steal Your Charm, my favorite album from them pre-Route 66. The mellowed, chill song gave the crowd a break from the rage of the pit. Another song that gave a melancholic tone to the show was “Egg” from haha, which was breathtaking to see live. The emotions both brothers put into the tune were overwhelming. The crowd swayed simultaneously. To my surprise, they played a lot of songs from haha, like “This Could Build Us a Home,” which was great because I was anxious about whether they would only play newer material. I really enjoyed the nostalgic change of pace.
With “Stallion”, the duo got the crowd riled up with the sound of the guitar mixed with the drum. It was crazy seeing how energetic the crowd was still over halfway through the show. Of course, they played “:(“ which is also one of their most popular tracks. Wyatt Shears performed this song fresh and excitingly, cementing the anthem’s experimental sound as being emblematic of The Garden. It’ll forever stand out.
The song I was most excited for them to play arrived near the end of their set. “Horseshit on Route 66” is the title track of the duo’s newest album, and it was stunning to experience live. Fletcher’s extraordinary drumming ability is on full display here. The quick change of tone halfway through the song for a minute had the entire crowd headbanging. “Thy Mission” played last, and Wyatt sang this so perfectly live and I think it was the ultimate close to a wonderful show. The crowd sank all of their remaining energy into it.
Of course, a show isn’t a show without an encore. After only a couple of minutes, The Garden came back to play two songs. “Hit Eject” was the first, and the electronic noise of this track is genuinely so thrilling along with the vocals. The last thirty seconds of that song are showstopping, leading me to pity the people who didn’t stay for the encore. The Garden’s last song that night was “Banana Peel” from Mirror Might Steal Your Charm, which wrapped perfectly. You can really hear the synth sound that the band puts in most of their music in this song, it is mesmerizing.
This concert brought to the crowd some of the best performances I have ever seen. Both Machine Girl and The Garden really made themselves stand out, which brought me new excitement in listening to their music.
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