Goose celebrated their first Halloween in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 31, 2024, with a crowd of around five thousand fans and a chilling Stranger Things theme. This all took place adjacent to the St. Pete Pier, nestled within Tampa Bay. The band was as thrilled to be in Florida as the fans were to see them on their home turf. They unveiled a number of new, first-time-played tunes intermixed with their signature indie groove originals.
The band based their theme on the soundtrack of the Netflix original series Stranger Things, which combines elements of horror, drama, science fiction, mystery, and coming-of-age genres. This popular show blends investigative drama with supernatural elements, portrayed through horror and childlike sensibilities, while offering nostalgic throwbacks to 1980s pop culture. The soundtrack includes many pop and rock tunes from that era.
Fans in the Sunshine State were out in full force on this warm Wednesday evening, dressed as everything from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to a "slave to the traffic light." The band quietly emerged on stage, each dressed as a character from Stranger Things to perform selections from the soundtrack: multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach as Dustin Henderson, guitarist Rick Mitarotonda as Steve Harrington, bassist Trevor Weekz as Billy Hargrove, percussionist Jeff Arevalo as Sheriff Jim Hopper, and drummer Cotter Ellis as Eleven.
The music kicked off with the downright creepy Stranger Things theme song, which transitioned into the melodically dark "Dr. Darkness," warding off any further trickery. Anspach then grabbed his guitar for an amped-up "Yeti," as the crowd reveled in his stage presence. By now, the sun had set, and a gorgeous blue hour backdrop enveloped the sky behind the stage and venue. Both Mitarotonda and Anspach came together on guitar, while the rhythmic force of Ellis and Arevalo drove the tempo for the longest jam of the first set.
The band followed up with "Silver Rising," another original featuring eerie lyrics like "feel the rush, taste the blood." Mitarotonda went into machine-gun mode before the song mellowed out. At its conclusion, Anspach took a few moments to thank the crowd and admire the many awesome costumes.
Another darker original, "Wysteria Lane," hopped into the set list next. The trance-inspired jam that followed roared back into the Stranger Things theme song, with Weekz layering in an ominous bass line as lighting director Andrew Goedde released a stage smoke drop. The music then moved into the famously chilling Talking Heads tune, "Psycho Killer." Ellis contributed his vocals to this well-known cover, which Goose last played on November 23, 2016. This was one of many notable jam sandwiches on this spooky night.
The tempo increased as the quintet dropped into the 80s hit "Maniac" by Michael Sembello. Mitarotonda sang this tune, which led into a textured jam that returned to the Stranger Things theme, evolving into more satisfying tension and release.
Without stopping, the band took a left turn into the jam vehicle "Madhuvan," with everyone firing on all cylinders. Before entering the heart of the jam, the band shifted into another ominous, trance-inspired sequence, which served as a transition into the popular 60s instrumental "Wipeout" by Bob Berryhill. This tune resonated well with Florida’s surf culture, despite the lack of substantial waves in the Gulf of Mexico surrounding St. Pete. Mitarotonda took fans into the stratosphere as he ripped through the familiar chords.
The first set wasn’t quite done yet, as the band put on a clinic during their return to "Madhuvan." Weekz's bass thumps led this tight groove back into the great beyond, as Anspach began playing "You May Be Right" on the keys, with Mitarotonda joining in briefly. They also slipped in a "Pure Imagination" tease before roaring back into "Madhuvan" and ending the set with an emphatic, albeit spine-chilling, bang. Goose instructed the fans to "stay strange out there" as they took a short break.
The band returned with more thrilling surprises, including the debut of "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive. The dirt field magically transformed into a disco dance party as fans embraced the vibe. Mitarotonda sang the song as if it were written for him, leaving us hopeful that they’ll play it more often. Anspach dominated the synth, while Weekz kept the funky bass elevated during the resulting jam, which morphed into a sixteen-minute "Arrow."
The Connecticut-based band flowed into a tight groove, with Weekz front and center. These are the juicy moments that fans return for time and again. A burst of energy gave way to another hair-raising transition into "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush. The band then dove back into a darker jam, reminiscent of "Arrow," building on it as the tempo continued to rise. This was yet another jam absolutely worth a listen as they artfully transitioned back into "Arrow."
An emotional "Creatures" was up next. The band was in the zone, and the fans were loving the spooky take on their originals. "Oh, this moment is the only thing you'll know." The band descended into a thick, funk-laden jam as both Arevalo and Ellis nailed the percussion and drums throughout the transitions. The music slowed as the song wound down, only to launch into "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, which ended the second set. By this point, Goose was playing out of their minds, and the crowd loved every second.
The band walked off stage briefly and returned with more of the sinister Stranger Things theme. They then transitioned into the light and bubbly "Empress of Organos," perhaps indicating they were leaving the hostile alternate dimension known as the "Upside Down," featured in the series. This transition included more delicious bass delights courtesy of Mr. Weekz. The tune ended on a very upbeat and powerful note.
Goose delivered another epic Halloween performance with fresh covers and inspired musicianship at the St. Pete Pier. They are currently wrapping up a three night stand at the Andrew J. O'Brady Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tickets for Sunday, November 10th are available via this link. They are headlining a two night stand in Charleston, SC on December 13-14th for their annual Goosemas celebration at the North Charleston Coliseum that we can't wait to attend. Tickets are available here. Head on over to their tour page for more dates in your region.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Goose
Date: October 31, 2024
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Venue: St. Pete Pier
Set 1: Stranger Things[1] > Dr. Darkness, Yeti, Silver Rising, Wysteria Lane[2] -> Psycho Killer[3], Maniac[4] > Madhuvan > Wipeout[5] > Madhuvan[6]
Set 2: You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)[7] > Arrow > Running Up That Hill[8] -> Arrow, Creatures, Everybody Wants To Rule The World[9]
Encore: Stranger Things[10], The Empress Of Organos
Coach's Notes:
[1] S U R V I V E. FTP.
[2] With Stranger Things Theme teases.
[3] Talking Heads.
[4] Michael Sembello. FTP. With Stranger Things Theme teases.
[5] Bob Berryhill. FTP.
[6] With You May Be Right and Pure Imagination teases.
[7] Dead or Alive. FTP.
[8] Kate Bush. FTP.
[9] Tears For Fears. FTP.
[10] S U R V I V E.
Set list via elgoose.net
