Last weekend, Goose jammed their way down to San José del Cabo in Mexico for the latest edition of Viva El Gonzo, the group’s curated destination festival. For 2026, they brought along with them an impressive crew of similarly jam-tastic acts, resulting in three days of beautiful scenery, one-of-a-kind experiences, and wonderful live music.
Alongside the title band, Viva El Gonzo 2026 boasted sets from artists like Cory Wong, The Disco Biscuits, My Morning Jacket (plus Jim James performing an additional acoustic set), and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, as well as LP Giobbi’s special Dead House performance and a tribute to Nirvana featuring Mihali and Lespecial. LP Giobbi also led an intimate, all-female “Femme House” jam session at Hotel El Ganzo’s recording studio (alongside Mikaela Davis, Ruthie Bandit, and author Hayley Shines), while acts like Leisure and Mexico’s own Midnight Generation rounded out the weekend with standout performances.
For their part, Goose offered up a whopping five sets — a limited Super TED VIP performance on Thursday, a daytime acoustic set with harpist Mikaela Davis on Saturday, and three full headlining sets.
True to their reputation, Goose ripped through extended jams and killer covers, including Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue,” Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song),” Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” Radiohead’s “True Love Waits,” and Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer” with Jim James — with the latter being a true treat and easy highlight of the weekend. Notably, the band also covered Jimi Hendrix’ rendition of “Hey Joe” for the first time in concert. Just as exciting, Goose also had a rotating door of guests join them along the way — like James, Cory Wong, and Stuart Bogie — and were prone to jump on stage with other acts during their respective sets.
Outside of the music, Viva El Gonzo was a “choose your own adventure wonderland,” as we described in our preview. The jungle environment offered a wondrous setting for Goose’s unique festival design, which included a lush sculpture garden, towering rock formations, and a post-apocalyptic beachfront side stage — in addition to pools, lounges, and the San José del Cabo charm, of course. The main stage was housed within the “Iskali Sculpture Garden,” while the “Round Rocks” stage was built into the earth itself and featured a 360-degree design. Then, there was Crania, a one-of-a-kind venue with ocean views and a backdrop of old heavy equipment and reclaimed materials. These physical spaces, combined with the variety of accommodation options (from hotels to resorts to camping opportunities), opened up the festival in a way that no two stays were the same.
Even more exciting were the many unique experiences, some led by Goose themselves. From morning yoga to sound meditation sessions, Peter Anspach’s one-mile jog to Cotter Ellis’ beach volleyball tournament, the Goose members spent Viva El Gonzo proving why the festival is special both on and off stage.
Other notable experiences and surprises included “Firebird Lounge” (which was part oasis, part lounge, part “Unzertain Zen Garden”), “Gonzo Bazaar” (a gathering/market of local artists, traders, and misfits), and the mysterious “My Last Good Shirt” (a traveling wagon that would print designs on the items of any lucky attendee who could track it down).
Check out photos from Viva El Gonzo 2026 in the gallery below. Fans who want to catch Goose on the beaches of Mexico can also look forward to their set at Dave Matthews’ 2027 destination festival, Dave and Tim Rivera Maya, which also features Sierra Ferrell and Stephen Wilson Jr.
