Review: Geese soars above the haters as the controversial New York rockers debunk the myths haunting the band

In the year since the release of its latest album “Getting Killed,” Geese has been in the crosshairs of many a music critic and music snob.

The New York rockers have been accused of being industry plants, scene interlopers and marketing manipulators at best. Their “Saturday Night Live” debut was picked apart. Their family lines were investigated for possible record label moles. A band nowadays apparently can’t actually be good and have a sudden rise before being prematurely autopsied.

But at Lollapalooza Saturday, Geese spread its wings and properly debunked the myths that keep haunting the band.

There were a few rough edges — but that’s rock ’n’ roll. And it also could be blamed on the unfriendly skies.

“Thank you to United Airlines for losing our guitar,” said singer/guitarist Cameron Winter, putting the local brand on blast. “The buck stops at United tonight. The quality of the show is ‘up in the air,’ so to speak.”

To the aforementioned music snob, it probably is ammo in the band’s argument. For the casual fan, no one seemed to know any difference. A sizable crowd flocked over to the Allianz stage to catch the controversial act, though it was unclear if that all was truly for Geese or hangers on for Olivia Dean who headlined on the adjoining T-Mobile stage right after.

“Who’s on after us?” asked Winter. Some responded correctly. “Nobody!” and “Who cares?” said others. In either case, it was a win for the quartet who are just weird and mysterious enough to turn heads.

The music rose to the occasion, with Winter’s inner Lou Reed and Julian Casablancas shining on songs like on “2112,” “100 Horses” and “Cowboy Nudes,” matched by the on-point playing of fellow guitarist Emily Green, bassist Dominic DiGesu and drummer Max Bassin. They all operated with great cohesion and rule-breaking gumption, no more so than in the brutal blues rocker “Trinidad” that could be their best work.

When Winter headlined the Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago last December under the guise of his solo album “Heavy Metal,” he proved his gifts, just himself and a piano. But on the Lolla stage with the full band, it’s tenfold. His charisma as a front man is undefinable. It may not be in line with the fervent fans who hail him as this generation’s Kurt Cobain. Then again, Courtney Love is a very vocal supporter of him and the band so there’s that.

Formed in 2016, Geese comes from the holy grail of Brooklyn, an untouchable lineage to some, but the quartet wears the Television, Velvet Underground and Strokes influences well on songs like fan favorites “Taxes,” “Bow Down” and “Cobra” without coming off as pantomime. Throw in a little Leonard Cohen on slow peak songs “Au Pays du Cocaine” and “I See Myself.” Maybe some Henry Rollins on bar brawler “Jesse.” Who could hate any of that? But don’t take our word for it. See them at Salt Shed Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and judge them yourself. Everyone else is doing so.