Photo Credit: Stevo Rood

This past weekend, Connecticut-bred improvisational masterminds Goose pulled into the Andrew J Brady Music Center in Cincinnati. During their time in the Midwest, the group, comprised of Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass), Jeff Arevalo (vocals, percussion, drums), and Cotter Ellis (drums), took their audience on explorative music-focused journeys over three nights, Nov. 8-10, packing their sets with covers, new approaches to classics, first-time plays and additional noteworthy moments that made for spectacle in The Buckeye State. 

Night one, Friday, Nov. 8, commenced with an indie-groove-laden “Atlas Dogs,” which came to a complete stop before the arrival of “Elizabeth.” Leisurely and with a melodic flair, they performed a partial rendition of “All I Need” cut short in lieu of  “One in, One Out.” Goose continued with original material, “Flodown,” “Silver Rising,” and “Big Modern,” which ultimately took them into a set break. On the other side of the anticipated mid-show downtime, they resumed on “Thatch” before delivering the Mitarotonda-penned “The Old Man’s Boat.” 

The second set was highlighted by the Fat Freddy’s Drop-originated “Fish in the Sea” and a first-time cover of Father John Misty’s Pure Comedy cut, “So I’m Growing Old On Magic Mountain.” Goose’s affinity for Misty has long been recorded, given their history of performing the former’s “I’m Writing a Novel” and their shared stage time at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 25, 2022. The night’s conclusion centered around classic “Turn on Your Love Light,” featuring the live debut of “Dracul.” Also, Mitaronda played his new DeLuis guitar, making for another concert first. 

The band’s initial return to the Cincinnati stage on Saturday, Nov. 9, was relatively standard, a thoughtful assemblage of material that allowed the musician to flex their prowess, greasing up for a memorable nonstop second set, “Drive” into Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” The latter merged into “Jeff Engborg,” with keen listeners observing Anspach’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra” tease. They picked up Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” next, letting the number run into what would become an incomplete “Into the Mystic.” “Hot Tea” represented the final song of Saturday’s second set, prior to the emergence of the night’s encore, “Everything Must Go,” with “Tumble” teases from Mitaronda. 

Goose shifted their approach during their final Ohio appearance on Sunday, Nov. 10, going acoustic during “Moonrise,” the live debut of the Mitaronda-scribed “Dim Lights,” and a thoughtful take on Springsteen’s “Atlantic City.” Notably, “Moonrise” and “Atlantic City” represented bust outs, last played on July 22, 2022. Their follow-up, “A Western Sun,” remained acoustic but received a mid-jam jump to electric by Mitaronda. Goose’s method continued during the follow-up, with Weekz remaining on acoustic bass during “Butter Rum.” 

Later on, during the band’s final full-length set, they positioned Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” between “Wysteria Lane” and “Slow Ready,” dipping into “Red Bird” and “Tumble” before the onset of Goose’s Ohio finale, a bust out of Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart,” previously played on April 23, 2023, and the last song for this stint in Cincinnati, “Factory Fiction.” 

With Goose’s Cincinnati weekend over, they will take this evening off before resuming live shows on Nov. 12-13 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. Tickets remain on sale.

Goose [Night I] 

Andrew J Brady Music Center – Cincinnati

Nov 8, 2024 

Set I: Atlas Dogs[1], Elizabeth, All I Need[2] -> One In, One Out, Flodown, Silver Rising, Big Modern!

Set II: Thatch, The Old Man’s Boat -> Fish In The Sea[3], Pancakes, So I’m Growing Old On Magic Mountain[4], Same Old Shenanigans

Enc.: Turn On Your Love Light[5]

Coach’s Notes:
    [1] Indie-Groove version.
    [2] Slow, melodic version. Unfinished.
    [3] Fat Freddy’s Drop.
    [4] Father John Misty. FTP.
    [5] Bobby Blue Bland.

Show Notes: The encore featured the live debut of “Dracul,” Rick’s new DeLuis guitar.

Goose [Night II] 

Andrew J Brady Music Center – Cincinnati

Nov 9, 2024 

Set I: Lead the Way, Doc Brown, Hot Love & The Lazy Poet, Draconian Meter Maid -> Lead Up, Feel it Now, Your Ocean > Arrow

Set II: Drive > Running Up That Hill[1] -> Jeff Engborg[2] -> Sinnerman[3] > Into the Myst[4] > Hot Tea

Enc.: Everything Must Go[5]

Coach’s Notes:
    [1] Kate Bush.
    [2] Unfinished. With Also Sprach Zarathustra tease from Peter.
    [3] Nina Simone.
    [4] Unfinished.
    [5] With Tumble teases from Rick.

Goose [Night III] 

Andrew J Brady Music Center – Cincinnati

Nov 9, 2024 

Set I: Moonrise[1], Dim Lights[2], Atlantic City[3], A Western Sun[4], Butter Rum[5], Borne > Spirit Of The Dark Horse, My Mind Has Been Consumed By Media, Rockdale

Set II: Wysteria Lane -> Psycho Killer[6], Slow Ready, Red Bird, Tumble

Enc.: Achy Breaky Heart[7], Factory Fiction

Coach’s Notes:
    [1] With Rick, Peter, and Trevor on acoustic.
    [2] FTP as Goose. With Rick, Peter, and Trevor on acoustic.
    [3] Bruce Springsteen. With Rick, Peter, and Trevor on acoustic.
    [4] With Rick and Trevor on acoustic and a mid-jam switch to electric by Rick.
    [5] With Trevor on acoustic.
    [6] Talking Heads.
    [7] Billy Ray Cyrus.

Show Notes: Moonrise and Atlantic City were played for the first time since July 22, 2022 (187 shows). Achy Breaky Heart was played for the first time since April 23, 2023 (122 shows).

All setlist via elgoose.net.