Don Chambers and GOAT

"The opening acts included The South, a post-Georgia Satellites group of good-timers replete with a tambourine-slappin’ backup singer and the Athens, GA-based Don Chambers and GOAT whose polished, rhythm-tight music is like old-time storytelling through a hard, hard rock lens. Who knew a banjo could be so loud?" - The State

"I wasn't going to write (again) about Friday's opener for the Truckers at the 40 Watt, but some performances are just too damn good to ignore. I'm talking about Don Chambers + GOAT as - once again - they go for broke, burning up the night like a petrol-soaked bonfire of dry mesquite and hickory scrub. Chambers always looks like he's been dragged through a bush backwards after a blinding night on bad moonshine; regardless of this sweaty and gruff exterior, he never fails to holler and play his banjo like a man trading blows with the devil. While Chambers is, and should be, the show, I really, really can't say enough about the addictive medicinal powers of GOAT. Patrick Hargon's scalding guitar work smolders with captivating, rustic, folk-rock! Lisa Hargon Smith's confidence and sheer enthusiasm on bass is infectious! Brandon McDearis' drums are a driving force! They're completely void of clichéd fills, providing a compelling backbone for the rest of the band's unmistakable counter timing. And you can't leave out the innovative and unique percussive levity of Jim Wilson as he rhythmically assaults a ladder covered with parts from a Chevy Suburban. In further testament to the raw quality of this band, the addition of Matt "Pistol" Stoessel's guitar talents are like an extra coat of clear lacquer on the already impeccable, gun-metal-gray of this Southern swamp tractor. Fans are also blessed tonight with the surprise unveiling of the long-awaited self-titled debut CD, of which you will undoubtedly hear more about over the coming months. " - Flagpole Magazine - January 25, 2005

Don Chambers is on a roll at the moment and the driving rock of his band Goat is right behind him. Recent performances have built a groundswell of support behind the Waits/ Petty-styled rusty-voiced rocker, and after tonight that swell only has reason to build further. Starting with the intensity and percussive power of a hailstorm on an old tin roof, Chambers and Goat (or as he likes to write it Don Chambers + GOAT) also exhibit a softer side, proving that they are more than a one-trick horse and that ballads can be delivered with as much cutting-like-a-wire-brush poignance as their roots-rock has oomph. The set is relentless and just as I think the bottom of the barrel may be nigh, extra strings are drawn from the bow, in the form of infusions of campfire-bluegrass-banjo and vocal extremes, from harsh bellowing highs to dark treacherous lows, all from the charismatic frontman. Chambers exudes a maturity and grit that the young Turks of the music scene would do well to aspire to. I hope that Chambers continues to explore life outside of Athens' shadows, because this is the shit!
- Flagpole Magazine - August 4, 2004