Exploding Connecticut Band "Goose" Enjoys Sold-Out Weekend as Tour Begins

Written by: Kel Kawas
Photography by: Christian Augustus and Shado Congalton
The Connecticut-based quartet Goose flew headstrong into a lengthy stretch of fall tour dates this past Friday and Saturday with their first sold-out weekend in the band’s history. With stops at Parish Public House in Albany, New York as well as Sonia in Boston, Massachusetts, Goose packed the dance floor, providing fans with endless grooves for two straight nights. 
On the first night of their fall tour, Goose was supported by their Connecticut brethren Eggy, proving once and for all that the egg does in fact come before the Goose. Michael Goodman (bass/vocals), Jake Brownstein (guitar/vocals), Dani Battat (keys/vocals) and Alex Bailey (drums/vocals) took to the stage at 9:00 p.m., as fans filed in to the intimate room. Their deeply textured set began with “Finding and Losing” followed by a “Shadow > Razi” segue before making their way back to “Shadow.” Next up was a cover debut of “Amoreena,” off Elton John’s 1970 album, Tumbleweed Connection, highlighted by a brisk tempo and lyrical allure. Fans then got a special treat as Goose guitarist and vocalist Rick Mitarotonda sat-in on “Here and Now.” As Eggy closed their set with “Burritos El Chavo 2,” “Bloomlight,” and “Zugzwang,” the floor was filled with hundreds of fans absorbing their cohesive melodies and ambitious improvisations.

Comprised of members Rick Mitarotonda, Peter Anspach (vocals/keyboard/guitar), Trevor Bass (bass), and Ben Atkind (drums), Goose took to the stage just before 10:30 p.m. to turn up the heat in the already-sultry room. They opened with a lengthy version of “Time To Flee,” a single that was released earlier this year, and after an eruption of applause, began “Lead the Way,” which had not been played since July 19. This then led straight into a masterful rendition of “Elizabeth,” which features Pete on vocals and contains a jam section in which both Rick and Pete would battle back-and-forth on lead guitar. Goose continued with two covers – “One More Day” by The Wood Brothers and a debut of “Inside Out,” off Spoon’s 2014 release They Want My Soul. They then ended their first set with the upbeat “Yeti.” A thumping rhythm section and echoing guitars accentuate vocal harmonies that lead into the melodically extensive jam  section.As the set ended, patrons knew they would need every bit of the 25-minute break to get ready for a fiery second installment.

Before the sweat could dry from the wood-beamed ceilings of Parish Public House, Goose was ready to begin their second set. Starting off with the snappy “Jive I,” they then performed a cover of The Wood Brothers’ “Green River” off the 1969 release with the same name. Next up was the folk-inspired “Flodown” which highlights a dynamic rhythm section along with raw guitar and keys licks. While it has been performed at a slower speed as of late, Goose then played a normal-speed version of their 2019 single “All I Need.” Cerebral vocals compliment the poignant instrumentation which displays boundless melodies within the jam section.
To finish of their second set, Goose played a phenomenal version of Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It Is,” which segued into their original “Jive Lee,” an expeditious instrumental that had the room moving and grooving for the final minutes of the show. After a quick break, they then closed out the night by encoring with The Isley Brothers’ hit “Shout,” which gave fans the opportunity to sing along with Rick and Pete. This show left such a good impression on fans and first-timers alike that many were seen the very next night at Sonia in Boston! 

Opening the night in Boston was Kendall Street Company, from Charlottesville, Virginia, whom Goose had opened-up for a few months back at The Camel in Richmond, Virginia. Drawing inspiration from a number of influences, Kendall Street Company is a six-piece band consisting of Louis Smith (guitar/vocals), Brian Roy (bass/vocals), Ryan Wood (drums/percussion), Ben Laderberg (guitar/vocals), Jake Vanaman (saxophone), and Andrew King (keyboards/vocals). The set showed off their wide-range of sounds to the hundreds of patrons who showed up early on a Saturday night in Beantown. 
When Goose took the stage at 10:40 p.m., they wasted no time bringing the heat. They dug deep into their covers catalogue, breaking out a skillful rendition of Wes Montgomery’s jazz instrumental masterpiece “Switchin’.” It quickly became clear that the entire band was locked-in and ready to deliver on the long-awaited sold-out show. “So Ready” was up next, containing a lengthy jam and segued into “Echo of a Rose,” a song furnished with stimulating and uplifting lyrics. Ben then led the band into “Drive,” a highly-danceable and fast paced track that showcases the band’s harmonizing capabilities. The room at Sonia was considerably more open than the night before, and this seemed to reflect in the bands playing as they closed set one with a monstrous take on their jam vehicle “Wysteria Lane.” As fans poured onto Brookline Street, faces were expressing awe and amazement at what they had just experienced. Little did they know, they were in for an even more memorable 90-minute second set. 
 
Set two kicked-off with a cover of “Moving Out,” by Billy Joel, which the band had debuted back in June at Pizza in the Park in Stamford, Connecticut. “Moving Out” segued perfectly into a cover debut of “Sleepwalk,” an instrumental written by Santo & Johnny. A thunderous applause bridged the gap to “Tumble.” Before the last note rang out cheers of “Goose!” could be heard throughout the venue until the first notes of “Creatures” began. This song is the epitome of a hypnotic bassline, which is provided in a focused manner by the one-and-only Trevor Bass. 

After segueing into a cover of “Don’t Do It,” by The Band, Goose closed out their set with a fan-favorite “Hot Tea.” Applause and “Goose” chants seemed to carry through the entire encore break, and soon after, Goose was back for a two-song encore that would go just past the 1:30 a.m. curfew. “White Lights” kicked-off the encore and was followed up by a cover of “One More Saturday Night,” by The Grateful Dead. By the time the lights came on, fans cheered the band, with some even yelling for another set. There is no doubt that many will be eagerly awaiting Goose’s return to Massachusetts, whenever that may be.  
If you missed out on the tour opener, have no fear! Goose has plenty left in the tank for the remainder of their fall tour which includes sold-out shows in Wilkes-Barre, PA, New York, NY, and Buffalo, NY, a nearly sold out show in Columbus, OH, and a four-night stretch in Colorado, among many other shows. Be sure to grab your tickets soon! For a list of shows and to purchase tickets, click here.