Goose Seeks A Western Sun Over The Rocky Mountains On Night One In Dillon [Video]

On the shore of Lake Dillon sits the Dillon Amphitheater, a spectacular lakeside venue overlooking the majestic Rocky Mountains in Dillon, CO, where Goose kicked off a three-night run through The Centennial State on Tuesday. Mother Nature, though she tried her best with rain and unseasonably cold temperatures, could do little to contain either the excitement of the Goose faithful or the breathtaking views in 360 degrees.

With a relaxed crowd and an easy atmosphere most befitting of Colorado’s laid-back reputation, Goose took the stage around 6:45 p.m. MT in front of an estimated capacity crowd of 3,656 with many more streaming along on nugs.net. Opening with a straight-ahead tear through “Bob Don”, Goose then turned its attention to “Time To Flee” as the band stretched just the second song of the night beyond the 20-minute mark, improvising and exploring the Rocky Mountain backdrop while an inflatable alligator bounced around the pit in front of the musicians.

Goose – “Bob Don” – 8/16/22

“Indian River” followed, all eerie and melodic before a trio of cuts from 2021’s Shenanigans Nite Club. The band kept the album pairing of “SOS” > “Dawn” intact before a rare reading of one of Goose’s most complex passages, “The Labyrinth.” Played for just the sixth time ever and first in a 44-show gap, this stunning arrangement was flawless while remaining true to its compositional structure.

“Hot Tea” will always be the most fun song in the catalog and this was no exception, the crowd celebrating a little extra as the evening’s light rain softened to a fine mist and Peter Anspach added a touch of brightness on the keys that accompanied lighting director Andrew Goedde’s swirling rainbows.

It’s a new life creeping out
Oh and I feel it all in my hands
In a rising sun

Though the clouds did their best to camouflage the sunset over the sweeping Rocky Mountains, they did little to conceal a cathartic opening set highlighted by 20-minute versions of both “Time To Flee” and “Hot Tea” along with an ultra-rare “The Labyrinth”.

With a monster drum fill from Ben Atkind and a fan-held confetti cannon escorting a pop of color in the lights, the second set got underway with “Flodown”, a Flopener that raucously bordered on rowdy in the best kind of way. As “Drive” started to go off the rails, the duo of Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach captivated with their dueling guitars. As a friend noted, “The transition from Peter’s lead to Rick’s is so seamless and unselfish. Just a totally natural segue with no ego that’s so f*cking awesome to watch.”

“Western Sun” followed, an appropriate choice for the venue if not for the lack of Vitamin D, offering everything from the heavy emotion of its lyrical tale to dark improvisation and wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am rock along its 20-minute course. This is a version worth revisiting for sure, even before considering the seamless transition into Ted Tapes favorite “Moby” with its teeth-rattling bass lines.

As Rick channeled a Bill Frisell-ian vibe with some jazzy guitar runs, “Into The Myst” had a decidedly lower and slower feel than usual. Something tells me we’re going to be seeing a lot more of this in the near future and I’m here for it. Yes, please.

“Pancakes” furthered the band’s penchant for improvisation in dark corners, Goose quickly exploring new and glorious spaces that left me to wonder how the band left here and got there so quickly. Some songs are just launching pads for jams, I guess, and “Pancakes” has delivered hand over fist since it debuted earlier this year.

A short break was followed by a jubilant “Doobie Song” encore and just like that night one of Goose’s three-night jaunt through Colorado was complete. Goose continues a back-to-back tonight before heading to a sold-out Red Rocks Amphitheatre tomorrow. Further upcoming tour information can be found here.

Setlist: Goose | Dillon Amphitheater | Dillon, CO | 8/16/22

Set 1: Bob Don, Time To Flee, Indian River, SOS > Dawn, Labyrinth [1], Hot Tea

Set 2: Flodown, Drive, Western > Moby, Into The Myst, Pancakes

Encore: Doobie Song

[1] LTP 1/30/22 (44 shows)

Next Show: 8.17.22 • Dillon Amphitheater • Dillion, CO