Dancing the Night Away With The Golden Geese
Photo by Alicia Lenea
The opinions reflected in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.
(REVIEW) The Golden Geese, a three-member country and American band, performed at the Waylon on Thursday, April 13.
The Golden Geese comprises Cameron Mitchell, the lead singer and guitarist, Jamie Alegre, the drummer and singer and Brett Bass, the bassist. These three men captivate the crowd on stage with their upbeat tunes and raspy and smooth voices. From their unique voices to their heartfelt country lyrics, The Golden Geese have something for everyone. Their music is a blend of folk, pop and rock, making it enjoyable for all music lovers. They are able to transform any country cover into a work of art with their unique performance style.
At The Waylon, the Golden Geese perform every Thursday night as part of their regular schedule. The Waylon is a country bar in Hell's Kitchen. Black-and-white photos line the walls, with various country items hanging between them. The bar exhibits the spirit of the country, yet it is well-maintained and possesses the class of a city. Upon entering the bar, a person will see the band immediately on their right side. In most cases, the lead singer is located closest to the entrance.
Each time a person walked into the bar, they looked over at the band, and Mitchell smiled at them as he sang. The strength and sincerity of his smile added a sense of joy to the performance. It appeared that he was genuinely happy and contagious to the crowd.
Due to a last-minute private party renting out the entire bar, the performance was cut in half. It was a party for a group of young teenagers.
“The Waylon was booked for a private event from 7:30 - 9:30 pm. The doors reopened at 9:30 pm to the public,” said Alegre.
When the doors opened to the public at 9:30 p.m., the children jumped up and down in the middle of the bar singing along to Cherry Bomb. As the Golden Geese played the last song, the children jumped onto each other's shoulders and ran down the bar aisle. Empty Red Bull cans were sitting in front of all the teens as they were given a last call from the lead singer to get more before going back out into the city lights.
As the teens were having fun, adults of various ages entered the bar. They seemed confused about what was going on, but they stayed to listen to the Golden Geese sing. As more adults entered the bar, there were no seats available for them to sit in since the teens blocked the only pathway through the bar and all the seats on either side.
Mitchell played the Star-Spangled Banner on his electric guitar as they exited the bar. As soon as they were gone, the band took a well-deserved break before continuing their performance. After a few minutes of rest, the band returned to their instruments and began to play a lively tune. People dancing and singing along to the music soon filled the bar.
The Golden Geese invited audience members to request a song, and a group of young women chose Midland's Drinkin' Problem. They had never played that song before and were unfamiliar with its lyrics but decided to give it a shot after pulling up the music and lyrics on their phones. As a result of accepting the challenge, the Golden Geese performed a nearly perfect rendition of Drinkin' Problem.
The band continued to play hit cover songs, and more people came to watch them perform. In the evening, they sang Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places." The crowd sang along with the band and cheered as they finished the song. Everyone was in high spirits, and the band members thanked their audience for their support. The show was a great success.
Alicia Lenea is the Live Music Columnist at The Empire State Tribune. She is a senior majoring in Journalism Culture and Society.