Goose plays the Kettle to ‘delicious exhaustion’
William Munoz
(Missoula Current) As jam bands go, Goose is new. They are following a path blazed by the Grateful Dead, Phish and Umphrey's McGee.
This Connecticut-based band formed in 2014 but did not realize the popularity they currently have until their 2020 January appearance at Dead & Company's Playing in the Sand in Mexico – a music festival that the band headed by Bob Weir put on and has become a destination for Dead Heads.
As their Facebook page states “Simply put, Playing in the Sand is the ultimate trip for fans of the Grateful Dead and their families. Spend your days lounging on the beach or exploring Riviera Cancún, and cap off each night with Dead & Company live in concert under the stars.”
Goose's performances there gained them notoriety among the Grateful Dead's long-time followers as well newer, younger fans. The crowds at the concerts at the Kettlehouse Amphitheater were a mix of older and younger; all groovin' out to the musical jams that Goose produces.
In addition to the music, this band brings a light show that rivals the best on tour. In true Dead fashion, Goose has many followers who go from concert to concert. Many at the Kettlehouse concerts came from out of state.
While Goose has been influenced by the better-known jam bands, they also are influenced by the indie rock and trance genre. Indie rock is a broad category that include bands like Radiohead and the Pixies from the 90's, the grunge sound out of Seattle, then Coldplay and the Strokes.
It is more structured than traditional jam bands whose live performances are very different form one night to the next, but at a Goose concert, it is easy to get lost in the excellence of the sound they are playing.
“California Magic” has a definite Grateful Dead feeling while “Elizabeth” is a more upbeat vibe that's more in line with bands like Vampire Weekend, but both get people dancing and this is the genius of Goose.
Once they start playing the 75-minute set, the people in the crowd never stop moving. It is no wonder that they are gaining the entourage of devoted fans.