Playing in exponentially bigger rooms with each new visit in cities from coast to coast, the excitement surrounding Goose, an indie-jam band from Norwalk, CT, is unparalleled. Take New York City for example, where Goose rose from the Mercury Lounge (capacity 250) in October 2019 and the Bowery Ballroom (575) in January 2020 straight to a Rockefeller Center rooftop in December 2020 where they livestreamed Goosemas VII to over 50,000 viewers nationwide. {This year’s three-set Goosemas show will be played in front of nearly 10,000 fans at Mohegan Sun Arena in their home state of CT!}
Tethered neither to the cold reality that was a global pandemic nor to the standard linear rise of expectations that follow most bands, Goose opened their fall tour last night with the front end of back-to-back sold-out shows in front of 3,000 fans at Terminal 5. Suffice it to say that as long as booking and management teams continue to put ears in front of speakers, just plug these guys in and let ‘er rip and the rest will take care of itself.
Related: Goose Announces Two-Night 2021 New Year’s Run In Chicago
As the crowds get bigger, so, too, do expectations, and Goose has both met and exceeded the challenge every step of the way, starting not least of all with Goedde Sound & Light, easily one of the best in the business and already on par with industry giants even at this relatively early stage in the game. Then consider the production team under the direction of Bryan Murphy and Jon “Coach” Lombardi that directs and live streams every show to fans around the country, and team Goose is a force to be reckoned with. (Last night’s show streamed free in its entirety on the LiveXLive platform and the rest of the tour is available for purchase, here.)
Goose keeps showing us new tricks and as long as they continue to take risks both creatively and from a business standpoint, rooms and crowds will undoubtedly continue to grow. I simply cannot understate the excitement that is a live Goose show, raising the hair on my arms and checking every emotional box along the spectrum from the soft tears of a warm and gentle caress to utter euphoria.
Baby, it’s going down tonight…
The dense crowd was “So Ready”, if not a little antsy, and tore into the disco jam-infused dance track with reckless abandon. The third ever playing of The Band’s “Look Out Cleveland” followed before “Honey Bee” and a supremely blissed out “Indian River”. One of the more memorable versions of the Peter Anspach sung “The Whales” was next before an “All I Need” for the ages carried the set to the break.
things change but you don’t realize
you have all you need
This past January, Ezra Koenig enlisted Goose to create a 20 minute and 21 second version of the 1:38 Vampire Weekend track “2021”. Met with widespread fanfare and critical acclaim, the song has never been played live until opening last night’s second set. Sometimes words fail to live up to a moment, and this one was worth waiting for, even if it was left tantalizingly unfinished. Goose would continue to surprise fans with the setlist, now with the debut of “Old Man’s Boat”, heard for the first time ever in any format. Be sure to give this one a listen with its deliciously danceable groove and otherworldly second jam.
On the topic of second jams, “Rosewood Heart”, “Into The Myst”, and “Echo Of A Rose” all sought new territory before Goose would revisit the previously unfinished “2021” to close out a monster second set. After a short break, the band would return with its first ever floncore – an encore playing of the always raucous “Flodown”.
freshened up and headed to the scene
rowdiest shindig I ever seen
Every show is the best show since the last show until the next show. Mark my words, you’re going to hear them again tomorrow after Goose returns to T5 tonight to complete its sold-out New York City run.
15,329 steps.
Scroll down for a detailed setlist and check out the first 30-minutes from night one of Goose at Terminal 5 below. Additionally, enjoy a gallery of photos from the show, courtesy of photographer Tom Shackleford, at the end of the article.
Goose – “So Ready”, “Look Out Cleveland” – 10/8/21
Goose — Terminal 5 — New York, NY — 10/8/21
Goose will continue their mostly-sold-out fall tour tonight with the final show at Terminal 5 before heading out on a Halloween run at the end of the month. Head to the band’s website for tickets and more information.
