Orebolo closed out the first leg of its 2021–2022 winter tour on Saturday night with a show at Stowe, VT’s Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. The acoustic Goose offshoot, consisting of members Rick Mitarotonda (guitar/vocals), Peter Anspach (guitar/vocals), and Jeff Arevalo (upright bass/vocals) boogied through a variety of covers, as well as Goose and Orebolo originals.
Coming off the tour opener at Tarrytown Music Hall and a subsequent stop at Homer Center For The Arts, the trio opened with “Jive II”, making its first appearance of the short run of shows. Mitarotonda and company wasted no time getting into improv territory, as the two acoustic guitars danced for over 12 minutes while Arevalo held down the low end. The Anspach-sung “Monks Of Saigon”, which the group recently debuted in Homer, came next, before another Orebolo original, “It Burns Within”, followed.
Related: Goose Covers Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” For Giving Tuesday [Listen]
Returning back to the Goose catalog, the three-piece took its Vermont audience through a unique rendition of “Slow Ready”. This slower version of “So Ready” typically features cascading synth lines, delayed guitar, and reverberating vocals. Orebolo, however, traded the synth for an extra guitar and highlighted its vocal harmonies throughout the truncated delivery. Another Goose staple, the Anspach-penned “Yeti”, took on new life during the first set and led to a cover of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Atlantic City”. Following both parts of “Seekers On The Ridge”, Orebolo closed the first set with a Vasudo original, “Rockdale”. Vasudo is one of Mitarotonda’s earlier projects, which recently released its long-awaited debut LP, Call It Louis, ahead of Goose’s Fred The Festival.
Returning for set two, Arevalo’s bass led the group into “Creatures”. Vocal harmonies and fluttering guitar licks defined this cut, which eventually segued to a cover of Tears For Fears‘ “Mad World”. Another recently-debuted Orebolo original, “Lion Below”, came next ahead of “Tennessee Jed”. This Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia track pulled from the Grateful Dead catalog has found itself in many Goose setlists in the past, and like with the full band, this rendition carried several minutes of wild jam exploration.
Related: Goose Announces ‘Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie’ [Watch]
“Moonrise”, which saw a setlist spot for the first time in Tarrytown, then brought the second set to its midpoint. Up next came the first song the trio ever played together, a cover of Elvis‘ “His Latest Flame (Marie’s The Name)”. A fan request pushed the three-piece acoustic outfit into its first-ever telling of Goose’s “Hot Tea”. Rick explained to the crowd, “Jeff doesn’t know how to play this on bass but let’s do it.” Arevalo retorted, “I’m a cowboy,” before seamlessly integrating himself into the mix of dueling guitars.
Wrapping up, the group worked its way to a Goose rarity, “Elmeg The Wise”, before finishing with “Arrow”. Applause during a short encore break brought the band back out for one final song, a cover of Quirino Mendoza y Cortés‘ “Cielito Lindo”.
Listen to the entire Orebolo show at Stowe, VT’s Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center via the player below, and scroll down for a gallery of photos courtesy of the band’s Instagram.
Orebolo will return to the road in January, following Goose’s annual Goosemas celebration and its two-night New Year’s run in Chicago, IL (12/30–12/31). Head to the band’s website for tickets and additional tour information.
Orebolo – Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center – Stowe, VT – 12/4/21
[Audio: Mike D (VT)]
View this post on Instagram
Setlist: Orebolo | Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center | Stowe, VT | 12/4/21
Set One: Jive II, Monks Of Saigon, It Burns Within, Slow Ready, Yeti, Atlantic City {1}, Seekers On The Ridge pt 1 & pt 2, Rockdale
Set Two: Creatures > Mad World {2}, Lion Below,
Tennessee Jed {3} Moonrise, His Latest Flame (Marie’s The Name) {4}, Hot Tea {5}, Elmeg The Wise, Arrow
Encore: Cielito Lindo {6}
Coach’s Notes:
{1} Bruce Springsteen
{2} Tears For Fears
{3} The Grateful Dead
{4} Elvis, before the song Rich said “We really can’t go that long without playing Elvis”. After the song Jeb told the crowd that was the first song we played together”
{5} Before the song Rick asked the crowd what they wanted to hear, amongst the yelling he heard someone say Hot Tea. He then said , Jeff doesn’t know how to play this on bass but let’s do it. Jeb then said “I’m a cowboy” and they started the song.
{6} Quirino Mendoza y Cortés