If You Get Confused #044: Goose at Luna Luna
I Saw My Favorite Band Play Inside an NYC Art Exhibit
This past week I got to experience something that, just a few weeks ago, I never would have thought possible.
I saw my favorite band, Goose, play at a special event with only a few hundred people. It was intimate, immersive, and flat-out awesome.
With only a limited amount of tickets sold, I was incredibly lucky to be one of the few who got to attend. It was an experience I will never forget, and I am grateful to have been there for it.
I continue to be blown away by how jam bands, Goose included, can start from literally nothing and improvise their way into something that sounds like music. Let alone something that is as good as what they deliver. It took me a while to fully appreciate how cool it is that the band is able to communicate with each other to sync up without any clue of where they are headed.
This concert was the peak of that appreciation for me. And it took place in an amazing setting.
I can’t stop talking about it, so I figured I might as well write about it too. Here’s a look into my experience and a recap of what went on at the show.
The Fight for Tickets
One week before the event, Goose announced they would be hosting an “immersive experience” around their upcoming album, Everything Must Go, at the Luna Luna exhibition in NYC. The tickets were going on sale in two hours.
Knowing they would be limited and likely very hard to get, I texted a bunch of people, begging for their help. In return, I offered my soul.
But when the time came, everyone was 5,000 people deep in a queue that moved slower than a physical checkout line. I assumed it was game over.
Scrolling through Reddit, sympathizing with thousands of upset fans who were shut out, I suddenly got a text from a friend (who, mind you, never responded to me initially):
“Got 2 tickets for you.”
That’s what we call a miracle. I owe this friend for life.
An Art Amusement Park
So, what is Luna Luna?
One could write an entire newsletter just on Luna Luna, but I’ll do my best to concisely summarize my understanding of it.
Luna Luna was created in 1987 by Austrian multimedia artist André Heller, who aimed to create the world’s first “art amusement park.” He convinced some of the world’s top artists to get involved, including Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Arik Brauer, and Salvador Dalí.
The goal of the project was to provide an interactive way for people to experience art outside the confines of a museum—in a playful and joyful setting.
The park operated for only about three months in 1987 before shutting down. The collection of artworks and installations was packed into shipping containers and placed in storage, where it remained for over three decades.
Luna Luna was essentially forgotten until 2022, when it was rediscovered and put up for bid. The collection was purchased sight unseen by Drake (yes, that Drake) and soon began reconstruction and restoration.
The recreation has been on display at The Shed in Hudson Yards from November through March 16th (which is today, so go while you still can). It features many of the original artworks and installations from the 1987 park, along with tons of interactive experiences for visitors to engage with.
For further reading, I recommend the New York Times article How Drake’s $100 Million Bet Saved the Long-Lost Art Carnival Luna Luna along with Time Out’s review, See inside Luna Luna, the can’t-miss forgotten art carnival reborn in NYC.
I admittedly didn’t spend too much time walking around the exhibit, since I was focused on the task at hand, but I did get to explore a lot of it before and after the show. It was an incredible bonus to experience such a unique art installation alongside a concert.
As you’ll see below, the concert actually took place inside the exhibit, with some of the artwork becoming part of the performance itself.
It was, by far, the coolest place I’ve ever seen a concert.
A Concert With No Songs
Goose labeled this show as an “immersive experience” with a “fully improvisational set.” I had no idea what to expect, and I don’t think many others did either.
As we entered the venue, we were greeted by people dressed as characters from various Goose songs off their upcoming album. This included an iguana, a woman on roller skates wearing headphones and sampling their new album, and a man with a book asking for words for his 'poem.'
We walked through the Luna Luna exhibit, checking out the art and Goose-exclusive experiences like a vinyl listening room (previewing snippets of their new album) and a photo booth.
The stage was set up in the center of the main exhibit room. The circular stage was small, with the band arranged so they were facing each other.
As we waited for Goose to take the stage, another group of costumed characters emerged from different directions. When they reached the front, they removed their masks—revealing themselves as the band.
They tuned their instruments, glanced at each other, and began playing ambient noises, leading into a 90-minute progressive jam.
Goose played zero traditional "songs" at this show. They just jammed for 90 minutes straight without stopping. There were natural ebbs and flows in the music’s pace, but they never broke their improvisation. True to their word, this was a fully improvisational set.
There were some highs and lows to the performance, but it led to some incredible moments. With their percussionist on leave, Goose brought in a saxophone/clarinet player for this jam session, adding a completely new flair to their sound.
As you can see in a few of the videos, the art came into play throughout the set. Some of the installations, including the carousel and ferris wheel, lit up and started spinning, adding some more momentum to the music as the jams started to intensify.
Since they didn’t play actual “songs,” there wasn’t much of a vocal component. However, the character collecting words for his 'poem' earlier in the night ended up turning those submissions into a printed lyric sheet, which was left on stage for Rick (lead singer). Throughout the set, Rick pulled from these randomized lyrics and worked them into the jam. The crowd’s favorite? “I’m just here for the zip line.”
If you brought a non-Goose fan to this concert, they probably would have hated it. That’s why I went alone.
90 minutes of mostly instrumental music isn’t for everyone. It wasn’t even for me just a few years ago! But rather than worrying about whether my friends were enjoying it, I could just relax and take it all in.
But it was, without a doubt, the most unique live music experience I’ve ever had.
Someone online (condescendingly) said it felt like watching them practice. And honestly? That was part of what made it so special.
I got to stand two feet away from my favorite band as they did their thing in a way I’ll probably never get to witness again.
I think Rick is the best guitarist I’ve ever seen. Being able to watch him so close was mesmerizing. It’s one thing to listen to him, another to see him live—but standing just five feet away was something entirely different.
Call it cheesy, but I look up to Rick in a lot of ways, and this moment broke down the fourth wall a bit. It made him feel more human—not just a performer on stage, but a real person. And one who happens to be insanely good at guitar.
While a lot of my focus was on Rick, being this close also gave me the chance to really observe how each band member interacts during a performance. I was so close to the stage that I even locked eyes with Peter (keys player)—I swear we had a moment.
Peter, if you’re reading this, let’s grab a beer sometime, dude!
I’ve rewatched these videos at least 1,000 times, and every time, I think to myself, "Holy shit. I can’t believe I was actually there for this." The videos almost make it feel like I’m on stage with them, or like they’re playing a private concert just for me.
Which, honestly, isn’t far off!
I also walked out of there like a kid leaving his favorite candy store.
They were selling exclusive event merch, and I stood no chance against it.
Shirt. Hat. Poster. Yup—add to cart.
I was proud of myself for showing some restraint and not buying the $100 one-of-a-kind thrifted merch they were selling on-site.
If you see anyone wearing this yellow hat around town, stop them and ask about Goose at Luna Luna!
Thanks for reading! Until next week.