The enigmatic Swedish outfit Goat landed on our shores once more, bringing their brand new album Goat, released earlier in October 2024, along for four dates starting at a sold-out Troxy in London. For those unfamiliar with Goat… Buckle up. The surreal, heavily masked seven-piece hails from the far north of Sweden, a region with a long history of voodoo worship. Described as a psychedelic rock band, they fear no boundaries, pushing the limits to funk, afrobeat and stoner metal. You’re about to embark on a journey through the ages and back.
GANS open the show. The two-piece bone-crushing band only has a short amount of time to impress, and they do so with ease. They bring heavy riffs and a good dose of “if it’s too loud, you’re too old” mentality. Following was Maidavale from Stockholm, who was the perfect opening act for Goat with their dreamy fuzz and funky tunes. We hear most of their brand new record, Sun Dog, released earlier this year. The harmonies between the thick bass lines of Linn Johannesson and Sofia Ström’s floaty guitar marry perfectly with singer Matilda Roth’s expert voice – everything led by drummer Johanna Hansson, who brings a bit of shoegaze to the mix.
Goat @ Troxy, London - 2024.10.24, by Pauline Di Silvestro
Goat are next, coming on stage through a sea of red light, making us wonder if this is real or the most surreal dream we’ve ever experienced. The show begins with One More Death from their new album, followed by Goatbrain and Goatfuzz (2016). This sets the tone. Didn’t we warn you in the beginning? Goat delivers their hypnotic rock to a bewildered, nearly tranced crowd.
The band members are almost immobile, focused on their craft, apart from the two singers who float across the stage with ease, captivating the crowd with their intense moves and talent. Every member is covered from head to toe with intricate outfits and masks; they look like creatures you would only find in deserted mountains while battling the howling wind and defying supernatural elements.
Under No Nation comes next, reminiscent of Afrobeat legends such as Fela Kuti, almost as an hommage. Let In Bleed brings in the funk, and in the absence of a mad saxophone, the band compensates with some unbelievable guitar skills. All seven members play so neatly and tightly as if they were one sentient being with seven arms – and at this point, we’d be willing to believe that is true.
The journey continues with Frisco Beaver and its wonderful vocal harmonies. Dollar Bill is a deep dive into stoner music. Both songs are taken from their newly released album, which keeps on giving and giving and giving… Soon You Die brings us back to earth with its sombre, almost metal, notes. Goat celebrate life and death, as death is part of life. Talk To God from Commune (2014) is another well-known track that takes the madness up a notch – the job is completed with Golden Dawn (World Music, 2019). Ouroboros, from Goat (2024), is a savant mix between straight-up 70’s funk and drum’n’bass, somewhat fitting as a symbol of the eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth.
Goat @ Troxy, London - 2024.10.24, by Pauline Di Silvestro
Goat leaves the stage while the crowd chants for more. Their first encore is Queen of the Underground, a nod to 70’s heavy metal riffs and the hypnotic, melancholic Let It Burn. It’s rare for a band to do two encores, but then Goat isn’t like any other band we’ve ever seen. They make the second (and final) comeback with the threatening but ever-so-luring Run To Your Mama. And while the crowd comes back down, we’re all trying to put the pieces of this strange puzzle together. Goat are one of the best live bands of this moment in time and are solidly grounded. They have proven, once again, that there is no other band like Goat, forever dominating the landscape of experimental, psychedelic rock.
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Goat @ Troxy, London - 2024.10.24, by Pauline Di Silvestro
Goat @ Troxy, London – 2024.10.24
Review and photography by Pauline Di Silvestro.
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