Goose has been a force on the jam band scene recently and was the overwhelming choice for best jam band of 2019-2020 when I personally polled my friends. In the new year I was eager to talk to them about their 2020 plans, but man these guys are already a moving target! I was able to catch them after getting back from Mexico and right before heading out on a huge tour – a tour so big they can hardly fit all of the dates on the admat!
So who is Goose? Goose is a band started in 2016 from Norwalk, CT, consisting of Peter Anspach on guitar/keys/vocals, Ben Atkind on drums, Rick Mitarotonda on guitar/vocals, and Trevor Weeks on bass.
Why are they the best jam band of 2020, you ask? The answer is probably as subjective as the question, but I would say it’s because of their tight musicianship, improvisational prowess, and ease of evolution within the scene. Their jams are rarely boring noodle-fests (no ramen soup here), but instead filled with dynamic guitar solos, time changes, and fun fills. Their cover choices are quirky while not being overplayed, and the number one reason they are taking over? They are just touring relentlessly freaking hard–co-billing tons of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong shows and already having their own sell-outs with no doubt of more in the projected future.
Besides hitting the road, the guys have been busy working on new material, performing new songs “Arrow” and “Honeybee” at Goosemas, debuting a new song “Bob O John” just this last week in NYC, and releasing a new music video for “Hot Tea” (view below).
We managed to get some Q&A with drummer Ben Atkind about what’s new in the Goose world as well as some follow ups from our 2017 interview.
