Starting early in the morning, eager fans lined up outside of Stubb’s in Austin, anticipating Wednesday night’s performance by American rock band Geese.
Following the release of their latest album, Getting Killed, in September, Geese experienced a meteoric rise to fame, with their unique sound capturing the hearts of rock devotees and fans of experimental. The Austin stop of their “Getting Killed” Tour marks Geese’s largest headlining performance to date, surpassing past shows by roughly 1,000 attendees. While historic in size, the concert also proved historic in execution, with the band’s electric performance solidifying Geese’s status as an up-and-coming musical powerhouse.
Taking to the stage amidst chants of “Geese! Geese! Geese!,” the band dove into “Husbands” off their latest album. Frontman Cameron Winter’s distinct voice, ranging from deep and growling to high peaks of sweet falsetto, lulled the audience into a trance.
“I See Myself,” off their 2023 album 3D Country, showcased the band’s musicianship, as the arrangement built upon the existing melody with Winter exploring new vocal riffs and inviting the audience to fill in the chorus. During the instrumental breakdown, drummer Max Bassin’s heavy, rock-influenced beats contrasted the persistent snappy drum accents heard throughout the song. As with many of Geese’s songs — both recorded and performed — their use of dynamics provides engaging contrast to Winter’s vocal melodies, proving especially successful on “I See Myself.”
Reaching the halfway point of the show, Winter reminisced on Geese’s first show in Austin at South by Southwest.
“It was an absolute wonderland,” Winter said. “We were introduced to all sorts of things at the ripe young age. Drugs. Evil. We saw all of it here in Austin firsthand and that changed us completely. And then we came here tonight, fourteen years later … it’s full circle.”
As the audience laughed and cheered at Winter’s remarks, Dominic DiGesu’s bass riff announced the start of “Au pays du cocaine.” The tender track included Winter’s heartbroken lyrics that washed over the audience.
“Baby, you can change and still choose me,” Winter sang. “Like a sailor in a big green boat / Like a sailor in a big green coat / You can be free / You can be free, just come home.”
Rather than a sailor, Winter proved the captain of the evening, commanding the crowd’s attention at every turn, from the calm seas of sentimental heartbreak ballads to choppy waves of experimental rock-heavy numbers.
Leaving the stage, chants for an encore drew Geese back to the audience not once, but twice. The first encore began with a trailing piano melody signaling the start of “Long Island City Here I Come.” While this over nine-minute masterpiece felt the apex of excitement, the crowd’s cries for one more song resulted in the most energy-driven track of the evening, “Trinidad.” The blues-inspired start devolved into chaotic instrumentals, with Winter resorting to screaming over the pulsing drums and fuzzy guitar tones.
Closing out an evening of greatness, Geese showcased how their tender side comes with a bit of bite, as longer jam-style tracks illustrate Geese’s range and musical expertise, proving rock’s future lies in good hands.
