Van Goat
A wild and crazy band is ready to entertain you and get you out of your seats when Van Goat comes to town Saturday. The Oakland band is known for their “swing punk” and bringing a show full of energy and entertainment and nostalgic elements that will transport you to a different era.
“I think one of the best things about our band is you can look at any one of us during a show and be thoroughly entertained,” Lindsay Alexis said. “We’re all kind of going off.”
Alexis described what you’ll probably see at a Van Goat show. She said you’ll see bassist Derek Burle thrashing and jumping about, in full bass mode giving off crazy tones. Ben Einstein will be over to the side on the keyboard and has a “mad scientist thing going on” and you might see something unusual from him such as using a pineapple for an instrument. Taylor Moxon is going to town on the drums through all of this and there’s secret parts where he’s yelling things out in the microphone.
“He’s driving the whole train,” Alexis said.
Then there’s Aidan Ward on guitar, lead vocals and clarinet. He might be clicking his heels and jumping off things showing his dance moves. Alexis plays trombone and shares lead vocals with Ward, and said she is moving and grooving the whole time with the band.
“I have some wonky dance moves,” she said. “I’m playing with my best buddies so of course I’m going to be a silly goose.”
Einstein said: “Everybody’s doing something, and your attention will constantly be diverted in your peripheral by what somebody else is doing. We’re just a fun band and you’re always looking around to see who is going to do something different.”
This upbeat and energizing music is a self-prescribed genre of “swing punk.” The music combines elements of swing and punk but also includes jazz, country, funk, rock and more.
“I think it’s really a lovely meld of what all of us are interested in,” Alexis said.
She said if you feel like doing the Charleston to the music, or if you feel like flailing around wildly, both of those dance moves would make sense at a Van Goat show.
The band has released two singles recently, and they are midway through the recording process of creating a third album, which they are doing most of the work themselves.
“There’s a lot of steps,” said Ben. “We’re doing it for the most part ourselves, so we sort of fit in the recording sessions when we find the time.”
The band has grown with the new stuff by expanding into more four-part harmonies.
“Derek (Burle) and I are learning how to find some buttery, sweet sounding harmonies,” Einstein said. “There was a lot of yelling into the mic early on, and as time has gone on, we have explored the nuances of singing and harmonies and it’s been really fun when you get it right.”
All of the members are equal in collaborating ideas, songwriting and decisions for the band. They have a democratic process and vote on what they do.
“It’s not like one person comes up with the ideas and tells everyone what to do,” Ben said. “It’s a big group effort.”
This will be the Van Goat’s first time playing in Carson City and they said they are really excited for the show. They have enjoyed working with Brewery Arts Center Director Spike McGuire and Alexis said they were delighted to have him call them up to play. They enjoy playing in environments like the Levitt AMP, which is outdoors in the early evening with an all-ages show.
“It’s a sweet gig at a sweet place,” Alexis said. “We’ve played in Reno a bunch and haven’t made it to Carson City, so we’re really jazzed.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Van Goat with opening act Carson Street Ragtime Band at the Brewery Art Center’s Levitt AMP Concert Series
WHERE: 449 W. King St. at the Brewery Arts Center
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 14
MORE INFO: breweryarts.org; www.vangoatband.com/