Members Of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong & Dogs In A Pile Preview Viva El Gonzo

Goose are getting ready to headline their new event, Viva El Gonzo, premiering May 8 – 10 in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Dogs In A Pile are among the other acts prepping for the festival that’s taking a different approach to hosting a musical destination event.

Beyond a typical all-inclusive getaway, Viva El Gonzo allows attendees to craft their own experience. Fans can choose from travel packages, luxurious resorts, boutique hotels, glamping options or book their own accommodations and purchase music-only passes separately.

The choose-your-own-adventure setup encourages attendees to immerse themselves in the local community of San Jose Del Cabo rather than staying confined to a single resort property. The heart of the event is the El Ganzo Oasis and main stage area — an estuary labyrinth of tropical growth, open fields, and elaborate installations are all a short walk from the Sea of Cortez. A quick stroll from El Ganzo Oasis leads to Crania, a post-apocalyptic world of art at a beachside club featuring installations and music that continues late into the night.

For those seeking activities in addition to the music, Viva El Gonzo offers an array of options like wellness programs, water sports, golf, yoga, and various local excursions around the scenic Baja peninsula.

Viva El Gonzo passes are on sale now. Visit VivaElGonzo.com to book.

Viva El Gonzo’s music schedule features three two-set Goose shows across three nights along with an acoustic performance on Saturday afternoon. Many on the lineup will also appear multiple days of the event, including Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Dogs In A Pile, Sierra Hull, Dawes, Andy Frasco & The U.N., Eggy, LA LOM, Mihali, Tycho (offering both a live set and DJ set), and LP Giobbi (performing both a “Dead House” set and regular performance).

The War On Drugs, Rivka Ruth, Shamans, DJ Marb Menthols, Everything Here is Alive, and local Mexican acts El Ganzo Collective and Cordovas, are also part of the Viva El Gonzo’s lineup.

For insights into what to expect at Viva El Gonzo, read on to learn more about the upcoming musical excursion from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong guitarist “Scrambled Greg” Ormont and Dogs In A Pile guitarist Brian Murray.

“Scrambled Greg” Ormont

You’ve hosted many of your own festivals, what’s the best part of bringing music fans together?

Nothing beats the rewarding feeling of seeing everyone with huge smiles on their faces, enjoying the music and digging the vibe that you worked so hard to curate. From our experience with Domefest, and having attended countless festivals from both sides of the stage, we know how special these getaways are and how much work goes into making the magic happen. Organizing a festival is no small task, there are countless details to attend to. I have no doubt that the Goose team and everyone at Viva El Gonzo will throw an excellent event, down to the smallest details, because I know they truly care about their fans.

There are several familiar faces sharing the lineup with you, can attendees expect to see collaborations?

We love jamming with other bands and have already played with a lot of the acts on the bill. It’s funny, people probably think that sit-ins are planned long in advance, and sometimes they are, but most of the time it’s the result of a chance encounter backstage that gets the ball rolling. So fans may very well see some new or familiar collaborations in Mexico, depending on who we bump into on the lunch line.

Are there any bands you’ve not seen or played with before that you’re looking forward to?

We’re looking forward to the whole event. I haven’t seen a number of the acts before, and I love catching bands for the first time, especially ones of such high caliber. I’m particularly excited to check it all out and then play our sets fresh off that inspiration. The lineup is killer, top to bottom.

What are three tips for making the most of a festival experience?

1. Keep an open mind, sometimes the best moments at a festival are the ones that you didn’t plan for.

2. Pace yourself, so we’re all smiles at the finish line.

3. Don’t be afraid to choose your own adventure, that’s how epic stories begin.

What non-musical adventures are you interested in during Viva El Gonzo?

Call me a newb, but I’ve never ridden a donkey.

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Brian Murray

How do you approach an afternoon festival set differently from a late-night performance?

There are several things to consider when making a setlist for the daytime versus nighttime unless we’re improvising a set entirely. Some tunes seem to work better for afternoon outside sets, since the light show doesn’t have as much of an impact on the experience. These would include more sing-songs, ballads, etc. but that doesn’t mean you still can’t get down and dirty with the spontaneous beauty of jams!

What are your tips for making the most out of a late-night set experience?

Plenty of water is the first step. The next would be to find a good spot to stand where the lights are unobstructed and the sound is crisp and balanced. There’s sure to be more talking the further you are from the stage. If you have friends, stay with your crew! If not, this is the place to make some.

What activities do you hope to immerse yourself in when not performing at the fest?

I’m really looking forward to exploring the stone village of San José Del Cabo, as well as the nature of the estuary. In addition, I’m always looking for the onsite jam circles. For me, I like to keep the music going as much as possible, and there’s no better way than to find others who feel the same, grab my instrument and start pickin’! Plenty of beach time as well.

Do you enjoy the intimacy and interactions with fans that you’ll experience at Viva El Gonzo?

Absolutely! One of the greatest perks of music festivals is that they create opportunities to connect and meet new friends; especially with the added excitement of adventuring through a new place like Baja.

Does playing in a location like San José del Cabo influence how the band performs?

It certainly does. We’ve gotten to perform in some pretty incredible settings over the last few years. The music, particularly the improvisation, seems to take shape differently in the presence of nature and events surrounding. This time around, playing in a tropical environment with wildlife and the sea right nearby, the music is bound to take flight in ways that we can’t predict ourselves. It’s Viva El Gonzo Time!

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[Sponsored article: Viva El Gonzo is a JamBase partner.]