There is a lot of hogwash surrounding this band. A lot of hokum, misinformation, propaganda, legend and myth. Who the hell are they, and where do they come from? Yeah, some of them probably play in other bands, known only to a very few. But, somehow (apart from early on when Christian Johansson, the only publicly known member of Goat, gave some interviews under that name) they have managed to keep that cloak of secrecy around them, the antithesis of reality TV and commercial pop and rock. They are underground, in more ways than one but everyone is welcome to the communal celebratory spirit of the band and it’s this underlying ethos which is part of the attraction. It feels and looks honest, and right for many.

Before Goat get started tonight though we have Josefin and The Liberation, also from the same stable, who proved to be an excellent support (making a rare appearance in the UK). They provided a more psychedelic and heavier rock show, with the ephemeral Josefin weaving her seductive vocal throughout the set. Very often support bands can fall well short of the main attraction but Josefin and the Liberation definitely wowed the audience, receiving enthusiastic responses for their often brilliant musicianship and strong material. It almost gave the impression that The Liberation could have included members of Goat, unrecognisable without their masks.

Tonight, though, no support band could have stolen the show. Brighton has fully embraced Goat: this gig was upgraded from All Saints Church (thankfully, as the acoustics are sometimes difficult in there for heavier bands and they don't have an alcohol license), only for the extra Corn Exchange tickets to sell out in half an hour, with the bar tonight making a nice killing, thank you very much. And they had come out in their droves to see this band: many were already disciples of these voodoo rams, along with a number of recent converts like myself. Yes; the beautiful, the brave, and the plain curious were out in force, a few even in their own approximations of Goat-like masks and finery. There was a strong hint of a 'happening' and 'ritual' prevalent in the air, somewhat mirroring the late 60s/early 70s grooves and rhythms of the band, who like to up the ante on the live stage, more closely allying themselves to the psychedelia that they so love and nurture.

This much we know. They have made three albums including the just released Requiem. There are seven of them on stage; two energetic female singers/dancers/shamanic forces, two guitarists, a drummer, a percussionist, and a bassist. They play what they like to think of as 'world music’, and they are super-tight throughout as they plunge into their repertoire which includes a fair few from their previous albums, choosing only tracks that are going to add to the celebratory vibe.

Indeed, Requiem is quite folksy and laid back for the most part, and they largely eschew these numbers for the more upbeat fare including ‘Union Of Sun And Moon’ (which bears more than a passing resemblance to the equally eclectic, culturally appropriating music of Go! Team), the deeply psyche-rocker ‘Det Som Aldrig Förändras’, the African guitar-infused ‘Trouble In The Streets’, ‘Talk To God’, the Hawkwind meets Black Sabbath riffing of the appropriately named ‘Goatfuzz’, the heavy wah-wah of ‘Goatman’, and ‘Let It Bleed’. There’s a lot of guitar work, plenty of deeply fuzzed up bass, tribal percussion, and shouty invocations. The Corn Exchange has rarely sounded this good, this full.

With Goat it is all about the communal experience, the elevating and transcendental nurturing of their music. There is love in the air, of a spiritual kind, that deepens and empowers as the set goes on. It is Monday night, yet the clubbing vibe of the sounds and setting is quite magical. Men and women are increasingly losing themselves in the vortex of this moment. Reality is both inside and outside the venue, miles apart, but one co-existing with the other, both needed. The warm glow of inside the perfect tonic for the harsh winds blowing outside.

I'm a latecomer to Goat. I'll admit it. I've only just come to the party but the party is in full swing and it's definitely nowhere near too late.
Jeff Hemmings

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