Gardens & Villa w/ Hosannas at SLO Brew

Gardens & Villa are apparent noisemakers in the indie music scene. Actually, their music is quite melodic, however, after releasing last year's eponymous debut album to some fanfare the band has been making headlines -- most notably by scoring a set on this year's two-week Coachella lineup.

But before making it to Indio, the band has been trolling around the West Coast -- staying close to their home base of Santa Barbara -- and on Saturday night they took the stage at SLO Brew, injecting some tunes into the sleepy San Luis Obispo night.

Opening for G&V was Portland duo Hosannas -- who had the keyboard setup and flannels to prove they were from the Northwest. Having never listened to the group before, I was pleasantly surprised by their avant garde type of electro-pop, which had the drum beats and harmonies to fill the relatively small venue with lush layers of sound.

Hosannas

After a brief intermission and another SLO Brew house beer -- try the "Reggae Red" -- Gardens & Villa took the stage as locals poured in in surprising numbers.

To describe their music, I would probably have to use the word "eclectic" as an adjective. What more can you say about a band whose lead singer carries a satchel of flutes around his shoulders? Well, on this night only good things.

The band certainly has a bit of funk and groove in their step. Mix some solid drum work with a powerful bass and a couple of synths and you can see why these guys are carving out a name for themselves in the indie landscape. Ok, I'm not gonna lie, "Black Hills" may still be in my head as I write this, but that is in no way a bad thing, a great mental soundtrack for a night of great beer and local shows.

Gardens & Villa

To see the full album of photos from the show, checkout our imgur account here and like Sonic Ambulance on FB here.