Matthew Patrizio reviews Geese’s appearance at King Tuts this month ahead of the release of their second album.
The New York quintet, Geese, returned to Glasgow’s infamous King Tuts for their second world tour celebrating the release of their new album “3D Country”. I was first made aware of Geese after the release of their 2021 single “Disco”. Geese had recently signed for Partisan Records with a stacked roster of huge names such as Ezra Collective, IDLES, Fontaines DC and many more. Under Partisan, Geese would release their debut album “Projector”, an impressive alternative rock LP written by the group when they were teenagers.
Folly Group are an eccentric London-formed electronic post-punk outfit and a fitting support for the likes of Geese, having demonstrated an appreciation for the value of suspense, with catchy drum groves and guitar licks characterising their live sets. In Folly Group’s popular single “Fashionista”, lead singer and drummer Sean Harper shows off his ability to multitask as the song ascends to its chorus. Song choices such as “Butt No Rifle” really make the setlist and illustrate how tight the group are. The group visibly enjoyed themselves when playing “Four Wheel Drive”, as bassist Tom Doherty flaunted his distortion pedal through the verses and guitarist Louis Milburn maximised his freedom in the bridge and buildup of the song. However, this song and a few others are unfortunately haunted by the dual-wielded cowbells: one borderline inaudible, the other completely deafening. Folly Group’s new single “Strange Neighbour” was a highlight, the song’s eerie lyrics and catchy hook show the band taking a new direction, reminiscent of “Remain in Light” era David Byrne.
I had high expectations coming into the Geese performance after having witnessed the spectacle of their first world tour. Geese seemed to take inspiration from bands such as The Strokes and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers with loud and memorable guitar riffs and passionate vocals. The band’s sophomore album sees them taking a whole new approach to song writing and instrumentation, so I didn’t know what to expect of the long-awaited return. The gig kicked off with a suspenseful piano introduction before breaking out into “Mysterious Love” setting the tone for the rest of the gig appropriately. Frontman Cameron Winter accompanied by a walking bass makes for a great combination.
Geese completely switch up their style when performing old classics from their debut album. Songs such as “Disco”, “Low Era” and “Rain Dance” have found a new life under 3D Country Geese. The band seems to favour cohesiveness and timing over sheer volume, demonstrating how they’ve matured since their first tour. It is rare and refreshing to see this in such a young band. Songs like “I See Myself” play an important role in the setlist, encouraging crowd participation and engagement. The night ended with a three-song encore featuring unreleased “Smoke In Japan” heavily requested by the hardcore Geese fans who were first made aware of the song through a YouTube video released over a year ago with 260 views, which is the only evidence of the song’s existence. The encore also included a flustered Winter forgetting the lyrics to St. Elmo – luckily Winter’s charisma and improvisation served him well to rescue the performance despite disappointed looks from other band members.
I am excited to see where both Folly Group and Geese take their music in the coming years, both having shown great development and maturity in a short space of time. I am anticipating Folly Group’s debut LP and will be front row if and when Geese return to Glasgow.
