Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on 2026-05-14
The second edition of Viva El Gonzo brought fans back to the shores of San José del Cabo for another weekend of music, collaboration, and late night exploration on May 7, 2026. Once again, the destination itself felt like part of the experience. The tropical setting, warm air, endless tacos, and beach-side atmosphere gave the festival a sense of escape that few events could match. If paradise for Goose fans existed somewhere on earth, Viva El Gonzo made a convincing argument that it might have been there.
The overall layout remained largely the same as the inaugural year. The grounds stretched across a beach park setup, though none of the stages directly overlooked the ocean. Crania sat closest to the shoreline, planted in the sand with the beach just steps away. The Main Stage occupied a grassy section adjacent to the water, while Round Rocks rested higher behind the main field among rugged sandy hills. Each stage carried its own distinct personality, which helped the day flow naturally as crowds drifted between performances.
The music began with Kitchen Dwellers on the Main Stage. The Bozeman, Montana outfit brought their progressive blend of bluegrass, folk, and psychedelic grit to Baja California Sur, and immediately set a strong tone for the weekend. Shawn Swain on mandolin, Torrin Daniels on banjo, Joe Funk on upright bass, and Max Davies on acoustic guitar delivered a performance rooted in tradition but unafraid to stretch outward. Their cover of “Run for the Roses” by Jerry Garcia stood out as one of the early highlights of the afternoon and felt perfectly suited for the atmosphere surrounding the festival.
Over at Round Rocks, harpist Mikaela Davis performed inside the stage’s natural amphitheater setting. The rocky terrain and elevated perch gave the performance an intimate quality despite the intense afternoon heat. Roses somehow remained a theme for the day, as Davis offered a delicate rendition of “It Must Have Been the Roses” by Robert Hunter that floated beautifully through the desert air.
Cory Wong kept the momentum building back on the Main Stage with his trademark fusion of funk, jazz, pop, and soul. The Minneapolis guitarist and composer brought relentless energy, driven by impossibly clean rhythm guitar work and an exceptionally sharp horn section. Their cover of “Benny and the Jets” proved to be one of the day’s most crowd pleasing moments. The horn arrangements were remarkably tight and elevated the tune into something explosive.
Meanwhile, Dogs in a Pile wasted no time turning Crania into a proper sunset throw-down. The Asbury Park quintet filled their hour-long set with standout originals and even debuted a new song, “Throw It Away.” As the sun began dipping toward the horizon, the sequence of “6 Little Lies” > “EDM Song” > “Bubble” delivered some of the most raging energy of the day.
The first headlining performance from Goose quickly confirmed that the band intended to make the festival feel special from the outset. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda experimented heavily with effects throughout the evening, particularly during “Bear,” where layered guitar textures and vocal delays created a warped psychedelic atmosphere. Bassist Trevor Weekz came into the set sounding especially aggressive and forward in the mix, adding extra drive beneath the jams.
During “SOS,” the band locked into a tight funk groove with Peter Anspach leaning into the clavinet while Mitarotonda soared over the top with fluid lead work. Weeks anchored the improvisation with a deep, confident bass presence that kept the jam grounded even as the band stretched outward.
Mitarotonda continued using vocal echo effects in “Dr. Darkness,” which pivoted unexpectedly into a melodic, drum driven improvisation before morphing into “Silver Rising.” The transition felt fluid and instinctive, with the band moving confidently between moods.
The energy shifted again when Cory Wong returned to join Goose for “Mr. Action.” Wong’s rhythmic precision added another layer of funk to the performance before the collaboration spilled seamlessly into “Hey Joe.” Blues soaked guitar lines, extended rock phrasing, and Wong’s continued presence onstage pushed the jam into classic territory and brought the first set to a powerful close.
Set two elevated things even further. The five song frame opened with the arrival of woodwind specialist Stuart Bogie, who had previously appeared with Goose during Goosemas 2025. The band launched into “Interlude II,” where Weekz immediately carved through the mix while Anspach colored the improvisation with warm organ textures. Bogie’s saxophone contributions helped transform this “Jive” exploration into a memorable groove.
Bogie shifted to clarinet during “Electric Avenue,” which added strange and fascinating textures that helped drive a jam that stretched well beyond fifteen minutes and never lost momentum.
An especially fluid segue carried the band into “Wysteria Lane,” where Bogie layered acid jazz inspired saxophone lines over a tight rhythmic pocket. Goose maintained that momentum into “So Ready,” with Bogie continuing to float esoteric jazz phrasing over a disco funk foundation. By the end of the sequence, the band appeared fully locked in with one another. It felt like some of the best music Goose has ever played, and remarkably, the festival had only just begun.
Late night duties belonged to the Disco Biscuits at Crania, where fans effectively received two bands in one. The Philadelphia quartet incorporated their improvisational alter ego Tractorbeam into the performance, and transformed what had originally been billed as two sets into one massive statement.
Goose members Mitarotonda, Anspach, and Cotter Ellis joined the band early for an explosive version of “Helicopters,” which turned the beach-side venue into a full blown dance party. From there, the group dropped into “Hot Air Balloon” and seemingly never stopped playing for the remainder of the set. The eventual transformation into Tractorbeam during “Quad D” only deepened the late night madness, and provided a fitting conclusion to an opening day that already felt difficult to top.
If night one proved anything, it was that Viva El Gonzo had fully grown beyond the feeling of a new experiment. The collaborations felt natural, the environment remained uniquely immersive, and the performances consistently rose to meet the atmosphere surrounding them. Day one alone delivered enough standout moments to justify the trip south of the border.
Stay tuned for our reviews of days two and three. Check out more photos from the show.
Date: May 7, 2026
Festival: El Gonzo
Location: San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico
Venue: The El Gonzo Oasis
Set One: Bear[1], Same Old Shenanigans, Dr. Darkness > Silver Rising, Mr. Action[2], Hey Joe[3]
Set Two: Interlude II[4] -> Jive I[4], Electric Avenue[5] -> Wysteria Lane[4], So Ready[4]
Notes:
[1] The Shouting Matches.
[2] With Cory Wong on guitar.
[3] Jimi Hendrix. FTP. With Cory Wong on guitar.
[4] With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[5] Eddy Grant. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
