Goon’s Dream 3 Tour Hits The East Room in Nashville

Kenny Becker (vocals/guitar), Andy Polito (drums), Dillon Peralta (guitar), and Tamara Simons (bass) of the band Goon performing at the East Room in Nashville Tennessee — **Kenny Becker (vocals/guitar), Dillon Peralta (guitar), Tamara Simons (bass) of the band of the band Goon w/Malik Dugan (drums) performing at the East Room in Nashville Tennessee**

Nashville finally got its first taste of Goon in the headlining slot on Wednesday night, and the band made the moment count. Frontman Kenny Becker acknowledged the milestone early in the set, then led the band into “Begin Here,” the hazy first track from their new album Dream 3. Easing the crowd into a performance that balanced intimacy with weight, it was a fitting start for a record born in upheaval, and for a night that steadily grew from restrained beginnings into something heavier and more cathartic.

Formed in 2015 as Becker’s solo project, Goon has grown into a full band now featuring Tamara Simons on bass, Dillon Peralta on guitar, and Andy Polito on drums. (Malik Dugan appeared on drums for this part of the Dream 3 tour.) Dream 3, released earlier this year, stands as both their most ambitious and their most personal. What began as a joyful recording process was reshaped midstream by the sudden dissolution of Becker’s marriage, giving the album — and this tour — a darker, more searching edge. That mix of beauty and anguish carried through the Nashville performance, where the songs moved between aching intimacy and louder moments of collective energy.

The band Goon playing in Nashville — **Goon at the East Room In Nashville**

**Dillon Peralta from the band Goon playing in Nashville Tennessee**

Early songs drew attentive listening, with the crowd locked in but relatively stoic, until “For Cutting the Grass” provided a noticeable turning point. Its taut rhythms and layered guitar work seemed to spark the room. The energy surged further with “Patsy’s Twin,” easily the most raucous moment of the night. With Becker’s nearly shouted vocals and a rock intensity that stood apart from the rest of the show, the song pushed the performance into another gear. From there, the audience, already attentive, loosened up, nodding along and moving with the band through “Jaw” and into the resounding finale of their 2022 single, “Angelnumber 1210.”

**Tamara Simons of the band Goon playing bass at the East Room In Nashville**

Each member of Goon brought something distinct to the performance. Becker’s vocals carried both the fragility and force that define Dream 3, while Dillon Peralta’s guitar added color and texture around him. Tamara Simons provided a steady foundation on bass, locking in the low end and giving the songs their weight. Behind them, Malik Dugan — filling in on this run of shows for regular drummer Andy Polito — pushed the performance forward with an energy that often set the pace for the night. Even when the band’s movement on stage stayed relatively restrained, likely due to limited space, the interplay between the four created a show that echoed Dream 3 itself: songs born from turmoil but delivered with resilience and a strange kind of beauty.

For Goon, their Nashville headlining debut reflected the spirit of Dream 3, a record born in dark transition, but marked by contrast. The performance built patiently before closing in release, a live rendering of the album’s balance between intimacy and force.