Goose finished the first leg of their fall tour with a sold out show at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo on Saturday, November 16 after moe.’s hometown show. Coming off an opening set for the Disco Biscuits at the Roxian Theatre in Pittsburgh, and a sold out show at The Summit in Columbus, Ohio, the Connecticut based quartet rolled into Buffalo for a late-night moe. after party. The two-set show ran past 2:30 a.m. and highlighted the band’s ability to dig deep into their funk and folk inspired jams.
Guitarist and vocalist Rick Mitarotonda guided the band into the first song of the night, a cover of The Wood Brothers’ “Atlas,” before they segued to “Arcadia.” From their 2016 release Moon Cabin, the extensive jam emphasized many of Goose’s best qualities – ever-danceable rhythms, layered melodies, and a dramatic apex. Following a “Let’s Go Buffalo” chant led by Pete Anspach (guitar/keys/vocals), they launched into the reggae-inspired “Indian River.” A slow building rhythm section illuminated a vocal improv component and carried the band to the set closer.
“Drive,” the fourth and final song of the first set was snappy and funk infused and took on a life of its own, clocking-in at well over 15 minutes. An anchored pocket was dominated by bassist Trevor Bass and Ben Atkind behind the kit, while Pete’s rhythm guitar supported Rick’s soaring leads.
Set two picked up where set one left off, with chants of “goose” blanketing the room. The crowd was immediately captivated by the trancey “Creatures.” Dark, echoing, and reverberating, “Creatures” produced a visceral movement within the crowd. A segue to “Shama Lama Ding Dong,” an elevating cover from 1978’s National Lampoon’s Animal House, clashed artistically with the darkness of “Creatures” and preceded “Slow Ready” – a slower synth-laden version of “So Ready.”
The segues continued with a rendition of A-ha’s “Take On Me,” before they closed their second set out with “Hot Tea.” Unable to leave the stage for an encore break, Pete took a moment to show his appreciation and gratitude for the fans. The encore started with a cover of “Short People,” off Randy Newman’s 1977 release Little Criminals, that came before their first ever Hot Tea Reprise – dubbed “Teaprise.”
Goose will continue their fall tour on December 5 when they embark on a four-night Colorado run starting with the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins, followed by an already sold out show at Cervantes Other Side in Denver, and finally two nights in Steamboat at the Old Town Pub on December 7 and 8. They will then make their way through St. Louis, Chicago, Covington, and Indianapolis, before their sixth annual Goosemas show at the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk, Connecticut. For more information on tour dates and to purchase tickets, head here.
And just announced this week, Goose will head to Tennessee in March when they tape an episode of Bluegrass Underground for PBS on March 27. The filming will take place at The Caverns of Pelham, TN. A very limited amount of single day and 3-Day Packages go on sale Friday, 11/22 at 11AM CST
Setlist – November 16, 2019
Set 1: Atlas {1} > Arcadia {2}, Indian River, Drive
Set 2: Creatures > Shama Lama Ding Dong {3} > Slow Ready > Take On Me {4}, Hot Tea
Encore: Short People {5} > Teaprise {6}
Notes:{1} The Wood Brothers. | {2} “Lets Go Buffalo” chant. |{3} Otis Day & The Knights. |{4} A-ha. |{5} Randy Newman. |{6} Hot Tea reprise, First time played
Gallery by Matt Shotwell
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