Goo's Secret EP Release Show at 66 Home
On any given weekend at Wesleyan, one is sure to find several concerts and performances happening every night. With fliers posted throughout campus, consistent Facebook event reminders, and the Aural Wes Weekend Preview (shameless plug), it’s extremely easy for Wesleyan students to find out about what’s going on on campus when it comes to music, so it’s not often that a show comes along that involves an unknown time and a search for a secret location.
Like the fictional indie band Where’s Fluffy? in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (that movie where Michael Cera yet again plays the awkward teenager on a quest to get laid), news of a secret Goo concert quickly spread across campus after the release of their much anticipated EP Under the Electric Blanket. This past weekend bassist Bram Wollowitz was seen on campus, and there was talk about a show happening, with rumors of a potential location (Farm House? Art House?) but no formal announcement by the members of the band. On Saturday, a private Facebook event titled “where’s goo” appeared, confirming that the show was indeed going to take place, but with ambiguous details as to where and when.
The day went on and still no details were officially revealed until a post appeared in the Facebook event later that night urging those invited to check their emails. Lo and behold, guitarist Beck Zegans had sent out a mass email with clues suggesting where and when the show was to take place. The clues were a selection of lyrics from the song “‘Round Midnight” and a link to a Youtube video titled “Route 66 home-movie video”, so many quickly figured out the time and location - midnight at 66 Home Ave.
David Caruso
Upon arriving at 66 Home, there was already a horde of people spilling out of the living room and onto the porch. The venue was filled with excitement as many started pushing to the front and tossing balloons across the room. Goo’s set consisted of the songs from Under the Electric Blanket and a selection of their signature covers, and throughout their set, the energy among the crowd continued to build--it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen at a Wesleyan house show. For their performance of “The End”, the last track on the EP, Beck encouraged the people in the living room to crouch to truly allow everyone to enjoy the quiet song. Goo closed their set with two covers, “Wave of Mutilation” by the Pixies and then “Blister in the Sun” by the Violent Femmes, during which everyone in the crowd was dancing and singing along.
David Caruso
Goo started playing together last winter, about a week before their February show at Earth House, but the members have been in the public eye for quite some time. Beck Zegans and Sam Friedman are members of Mcleary Mcleary, and Bram Wollowitz drums in the good lonely and has a solo project under the name bailey blu. Playing together as Goo, they have performed memorable sets opening for solo acts such as Evan from Pinegrove and Dean from Quarterbacks as well as playing alongside campus bands like BOSSY and Girltype Behaviors.
Their new EP Under the Electric Blanket is a short, yet moving compilation of four tracks that deliver a dreamy atmosphere (the third track, “Dark Side of the Goo”, is actually a collection of different dream accounts) with sentimental vocals and catchy melodies. Each member of Goo is incredibly talented, and together they have made what I genuinely believe is one of the best projects to come out of the Wesleyan music scene. You can give it a listen below and on their Bandcamp.
-Allison Hsu '20
