Goose Brings Continuity, Driving Creativity To First Of Five Shows At The Capitol Theatre [Photos/Videos]

Goose arrived in Port Chester, NY on Wednesday night to kick off a highly anticipated five-night run at The Capitol Theatre running throughout the weekend.

The five-night, five-show stretch at the historic “rock palace”—the band’s first hard-ticket shows of 2023—sold out quickly back in November of 2022 as Goose was notching appearances on prestigious late-night talk shows and touring arenas with Trey Anastasio Band. The Connecticut-native quintet had never before played The Cap (guest spots with Grateful Dead members notwithstanding), and this auspicious residency at the comparatively cozy theater (less than 2,000 capacity) promised a certain air of “can’t miss” mystique.

Continuity is a reliable source of intrigue at lengthy residencies like this one. Ten sets in five days will begin to blend together. Trends will begin to emerge in unexpected places. The band and crowd alike will get more comfortable. Unforeseen storylines will grow inevitably and organically from there. Untold threads will tie these five shows together. That makes night one, that floating first chapter, an elusive one to consider in the morning light.

Rick Mitarotonda (guitar, vocals), Peter Anspach (keys, guitar, vocals), Trevor Weekz (bass), Ben Atkind (drums), and Jeff Arevalo (percussion) already had continuity on their minds when they took the stage for night one of five at The Cap on Wednesday: The group launched the show with a layered, pounding electronic vamp seemingly unattached to any particular song. After several minutes of percolation, the band slid into the closing refrain of Eddy Grant‘s “Electric Avenue”, and a wave of realization moved through the crowd as attendees realized that they had just witnessed the conclusion of the “Electric Avenue” jam that had been cut short at the band’s Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival set last weekend.

After the smooth slide from Florida festival to chilly New York theater, Goose got down to the business at hand with reliable jam vehicle “All I Need”. This measured, melodic rendition felt like the band easing into its surroundings, and LD Andrew Goedde used the song’s patient development to test out the many unique elements of his light rig, from pastel sheets cast by angular LED strips to a layered sprawl of colors on high. Nearly 20 minutes into the second song of the night, the band finally shifted gears into hazy blues for a compact but assertive “Dr. Darkness”, an early highlight despite its standard rendering.

Goose – Jam > “Electric Avenue” (ending), “All I Need” [Pro-Shot] – 3/8/23

The Peter Anspach-led tune that fluttered in next, “Butterflies”, continued its promising live metamorphosis, while a peppy “Jive II” gave him a chance to flex his chops on keys. The band members kept the echoes of “Jive II” in their minds during the “Earthling or Alien?” that followed by way of some well-placed teases (continuity, after all), thundering bass and percussion, and impressive interplay between Rick and Peter. While this “Earthling” had all the heat of a set-closer, the band opted for one more: a musically thrilling and situationally apt “So Ready”.

During setbreak, The Capitol Theatre’s domed ceiling came to life with liquid light projection. Those psychedelic projections continued to adorn The Cap in spurts throughout set two, adding a layer of retro sensibility to the ambiance. The “Wysteria Lane” leaned into the watercolor visuals, painting the air with long, smooth brushstrokes, each member of the band melding into the greater whole to test out a more atmospheric pathway to the great beyond.

Goose – “Wysteria Lane” [Pro-Shot] – 3/8/23

An inflatable banana bounded over the audience as Goose moved into “Doobie Song”, which got a few solid tokes in before the band grabbed the keys to the story of the night, “Drive”. This near-30-minute gas-guzzler wove in and out of side roads and freeways, gunning it for the scenic route but faithfully returning to the song’s structure on multiple occasions (continuity, y’all). Some well-placed “Loose Ends” teases only added to the scenery flying past the car window. If you’re looking for one top highlight to come away with from night one, look no further than “Drive”.

With time to spare before a midnight cutoff time, the band moved into an unusually placed late-set “Yeti” and a flowing “Your Ocean” closer. A creative stab of the fork into “Pancakes” served as the night one encore.

On night one, the first pancake in the five-stack (hat tip Dave Schools), Goose eased in with a solid opening argument. While the performance produced more than a few moments of inspiration, I’d wager that the familiar sentiment of “how will they top that tonight?” isn’t haunting many Goose fans in Port Chester on Thursday. The band can and will raise the bar throughout the run, and with four more nights on deck, the question isn’t “if” or “when,” but rather, “how high?” We’re looking forward to revisiting this show once the Goose Cap run is said and done. It’s a long drive from night one to night five. Here’s to enjoying the ride.

Goose returns to The Capitol Theatre on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to continue the band’s sold-out residency. Fans at home can tune in to nightly livestreams of the remaining Goose Capitol Theatre shows via FANS.Live here. For a complete list of upcoming Goose tour dates, head here.

Below, check out the full setlist from Goose night one of five at The Capitol Theatre and view galleries of photos from the show via Andrew Blackstein and Chris Quinn.

Setlist [via elgoose.net]: Goose | The Capitol Theatre | Port Chester, NY |

Set One: Jam -> Electric Avenue[1], All I Need[2] > Dr. Darkness, Butterflies, Jive II, Earthling or Alien?[3], So Ready

Set 2: Wysteria Lane > Doobie Song, Drive[4], Yeti, Your Ocean

Encore: Pancakes

Teases:
“Jive II” tease in Earthling or Alien?
“Loose Ends” tease in Drive

Coach’s Notes:
[1] Eddy Grant. Ending only, finishing the version from 3/3/23 Okeechobee.
[2] Slow, melodic version.
[3] With Jive II teases from Trevor.
[4] With Loose Ends teases.

While much of Goose’s upcoming spring tour schedule is sold out, some tickets remain for the band’s two-night headlining appearance at Daze Between New Orleans in New Orleans, LA on May 2nd and 3rd. Named for the “Daze Between” the two weekends of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival when the Fair Grounds go quiet but the city stays alive with festive energy, the two-day Daze Between New Orleans festival will feature two sets of Goose each night in addition to performances by Tank and the Bangas, Lawrence, Neal Francis, David Shaw, George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners, Eggy, Melt, Honey Island Swamp Band, J & The Causeways, and The Quickening. A portion of proceeds from the Daze Between New Orleans will benefit New Orleans nonprofit organizations via Rex Foundation. Find ticketing information via the festival website.