Making a stop Wednesday at The Sett, Girlpool brought their beachy L.A. punk rock sound to the Midwest, mesmerizing the crowd with a simple formula of only guitar, bass and vocals.

Despite seeming young, with high childlike screeching and fun facial expressions, Girlpool had an unexpectedly powerful hold over the crowd.

Girlpool maintained a quirky yet edgy aura, complimented by a fun, feminine soft rock sound.

Like two mirror images, Girlpool’s members, Cleo Tucker and Harmony Trividad, played and swayed completely in sync. The symmetry between the two created an aesthetically appealing, professional quality and sense of routine that didn’t detract from the experience.

The small venue of The Sett enabled an emphasis to be placed on performers and created an overall sense of intimacy for the show, allowing fans and music lovers to hover near the band and even interact with them.

Girlpool didn’t hold back from joking with audience members, encouraging audience participation. The band’s personality managed to shine through, showing their cheeky, down-to-earth image.

The balance in the setlist between fast, catchy jams and slower, more emotional songs helped split up the show, keeping it interesting.

Two local bands, Tarpaulin and Trophy Dad, preceded Girlpool. Tarpaulin, with their female lead and lighhearted surf rock sound, quickly warmed up the crowd for the next Madison band.

Trophy Dad brought the cool factor and got the crowd dancing with their animated stage presence. Their unique sound was reminiscent of ‘90s garage rock, with a softer, more modern lo-fi twist.

With a taste of local talent mixed in with Girlpool’s Cali vibes, Wednesday night’s low-key show at the Sett showed Madison music lovers that some of the best times are the least expected.