Jackson Foster, the 23-year-old frontman of the nu-metal band Silly Goose, recently experienced a whirlwind of events, transitioning from performing at Lollapalooza to being arrested just two days later during a pop-up performance at a Chicago gas station.
Foster shared his surprising turn of events with the Sun-Times on Wednesday morning, reflecting on how one day he was on stage at a major festival and two days later, he found himself handcuffed in a police squad car.
The incident unfolded at a BP gas station located at 50 W. Ida B. Wells Drive around 10:50 p.m. on Saturday night, where a crowd gathered, leading to calls for police intervention due to a “large disturbance.”
According to police reports, people were surrounding a van parked at the gas station, where Silly Goose was performing at a high volume. The crowd was described as “partying and mosh-pitting” in the parking lot, causing blockages on the sidewalk.
Officers arriving at the scene activated their emergency lights and repeatedly played a message instructing the crowd to disperse, as they were deemed unruly.
Footage of the arrest posted on Silly Goose’s Instagram showed Foster atop the van urging fans, “Nobody let me go to jail, don’t let me or any of my boys go to jail,” while police surrounded them.
In the days following his arrest, Foster told the Sun-Times, “This is the first time that I’ve ever been arrested. I’ve played like over 300 of these shows in the street nationwide over the past three or four years and every time the cops show up and ask us to leave or just give us a hard time.”
During the encounter, video captured Foster repeatedly asking the arresting officers, “What am I being arrested for?” as they handcuffed him. Foster noted that he was the only member of Silly Goose to be taken into custody while his bandmates remained unscathed.
As per the police report, Foster was arrested to prevent further disruptions at the gas station after the manager requested police assistance, stating that the crowd had grown too large.
While the band maintained that they had permission to perform at the gas station—a routine arrangement developed since 2023—the gas station manager denied having any agreement with them.
Foster explained that the deal involved paying a fee for the right to play, a tradition they believed had been respected over the years.
“He was cool with it from the beginning, like he agreed to take money and have us and then I guess he changed his mind,” Foster commented, wishing the manager the best despite the situation.
In light of his arrest, Foster has initiated a fundraiser seeking assistance with legal expenses and travel costs, aiming for a goal of $8,000. As of Wednesday afternoon, he had raised over $4,500.
Foster expressed a strong desire to clear the criminal trespassing charge from his record, considering the band’s plans for international performances in the future.
“The support has been awesome. We have a lot of really amazing people who support our band and support us,” he noted. “They’re happy to support this cause in particular because this is how we got our name.”
Performing at gas stations isn’t a new venture for Silly Goose, as they successfully engaged in similar pop-up performances at Lollapalooza last year, which garnered significant audience attention and helped them secure legitimate bookings and tours.
After their performance last year, Foster declared a goal for the band to headline Lollapalooza within five years, a dream they took a step closer to by performing at the event this Thursday.
This latest pop-up show, meant to promote their upcoming album “Keys to the City,” scheduled for release on October 17, was intended to foster community engagement.
However, following this negative experience, Foster mentioned, “We’re reaching a point now where we don’t have to play in the street. It’s not a necessity, it’s just something we decided to do because it’s fun.”
He concluded, “Next time we come back to Chicago, it’ll be in a proper venue.”
image source from：nbcchicago
