Show Review: Goalkeeper at Caydence Records & Coffee in St. Paul MN
The Philly-based pop punk trio made their Minnesota debut in late March with an irresistibly fun and energetic set.
Goalkeeper. Photo credit: Bill Cardella.
Several months ago, a friend sent me a YouTube video he thought I’d like. The fun music video for “Sunshine” by Goalkeeper, a pop punk band from Philadelphia, immediately had me looking for more information and more songs from this indie band as I nodded my head to the irresistible beat.
I grew up in the early to mid 90s immersed in the pop punk genre—The Descendants, Green Day, blink-182—so I was primed to love Goalkeeper. What I found online signaled that they were not your typical pop punk band but three very down-to-earth guys making music they loved.
I was becoming quite the fan and had just about decided to go out to Philly to see them for myself, but before I could book my flight, I discovered that a twist of fate was bringing them to Caydence Records & Coffee in St. Paul in late March for their first-ever Minnesota appearance! I could not believe how serendipitous this was—instead of taking an out-of-state trip, I just had to pay a $10 cover to see one of my new favorite bands. I grabbed a couple friends and headed to Caydence.
I’d been in touch with Marc Juliano, the guitar player, and when I spotted him, we shared a hug like we’d known each other for years. While the opener played, I had an opportunity to find out more about them, so we stepped out into the 40-degree March evening. We were soon joined by lead singer and bassist Ryan Beebe and drummer Cody Ritchie. I asked them how they liked Minnesota on their first trip. “Everyone here is so nice,” Ryan said. “People even offered to carry in our equipment for us!”
As we chatted about the bands we all loved and had in common, I got to know their personalities a little more: Marc’s business-minded talents, Ryan’s charming shyness, and the exuberance of Cody, maybe the happiest person I’ve ever met. I told them about randomly discovering them and how much I loved their “Sunshine” music video. “All self-produced,” Marc said, explaining that they’re a DIY band.
Goalkeeper. Photo credit: Bill Cardella.
I’m amazed Goalkeeper hasn’t broken through more on a national level, but I know they’ve been around since 2016 (and all three members have been involved in the Philly music scene even longer). I asked Marc if he remembered how it felt when he first saw someone singing or mouthing the words to one of their songs. “I think all of our reactions were just shock,” he said. “Just knowing that our songs (as goofy as they are) impacted someone enough to learn the lyrics and show up and scream them in our faces. That feeling never goes away—we’re still shocked when we see it.”
Being one of those fans, I absolutely loved that answer, of course! And I got the chance to show them how much their music had impacted me when they took the stage at Caydence later that night.
Goalkeeper’s love of making music is infectious. Ryan’s deep yet melodic voice makes it easy to sing along. Marc’s jumping around while playing makes you want to jump right along with him. Cody’s big smile while he plays makes you smile even more. Their lyrics are catchy and easy to remember, and most of the songs could resonate with anyone, dealing with love, heartache, and what could be (or could’ve been). With some fast songs and some slow, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The show was everything I hoped for. I believe these guys have no ceiling and no limit to how far they could go. Goalkeeper will be coming through again September 24th at Zhora Darling in Minneapolis. This is a group that deserves to show people how hard they work and how much fun they’re having doing it. Come see for yourself and sing along with Ryan, jump along with Marc and smile big with Cody.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Roske. Photo courtesy of the author.
Stephanie Roske is a Minnesota-based freelance writer who landed her first interview in 1998 with blink-182 at the Quest in downtown Minneapolis. She’s covered bands such as Cherry Poppin Daddies and Reel Big Fish and done promotional work for musicians. Now that her children are older, she’s back on the journey she started 25 years ago, inspired to dive into independent artists, and more driven than ever!
