Night two in St. Augustine with Goose felt like a dream, as the band continued to play out of their minds in a mild tropical paradise. Most folks spent their day on the beach, at the pool, or enjoying the extremely fresh seafood, before lazily making the mile or two migration to the venue, the St. Augustine Amphitheater. This set list was a mix of new and old originals, along with several elevated covers, which put a bow on this epic Florida run.
The band emerged from back stage, thanked the crowd for their attendance, and promptly dropped into "Turbulance & The Night Rays." This Vasudo original was the perfect opener. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda was on point with vocals and guitar, and unleashed a few smiles. The crowd was ready to party, and went wild during the few moments between "Turbulence" and "Draconian Meter Maid." Drummer Cotter Ellis contributed vocals for his tune "Draconian Meter Maid." Played for the sixth time ever, this song has a number of tempo changes, along with some serious jam potential. This version did not disappoint, and featured a very full percussive force throughout.
The music slowly mellowed, before making a left turn into "Turned Clouds," from Goose's 2016 release, Moon Cabin. Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach and bassist Trevor Weekz fell into funk mode, while Mitarotonda drove the train home. Upbeat blue rock original, "Drive" was up next, which soared into a euphonious jam. The band developed a very tight grove that had many fans dancing with huge grins. They were loving this high energy first set, and especially the tight "Drive."
Without stopping, the band shifted gears into "Wild Night" by Van Morrison. This tune was ironically last played at a very different close beach proximity venue in Asbury Park, NJ on July 3, 2023: The Stone Pony Summer Stage. Mitarotonda sung his heart out on this version, and the fans erupted upon conclusion. New song "Feel It Now" proceeded, and brought a trance inspired jam. A layered effort continued to develop that saw bright moments for percussionist Jeff Arevalo.
The easygoing "A Western Sun" came next, and gave Anspach a moment to shine on the piano. This smooth tune slowly inched into "Rockdale," which dialed the funk back up. The band really came together during the jam, as Mitarotonda delivered electrified tension and release to end this set.
The band returned from set break, and began set two with a seventeen minute "Hungersite." This raging jam found it's way into the rarely played cover, Jim James's "State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.)" Lighting Director Andrew Goedde projected a myriad of colors onto the venue's ceiling, adding another sensory element to the music.
The blues rock charged "Thatch" was tapped next, and did not disappoint. Weekz provided a tasty bass line that the rest of the band tethered to, including Anspach on the clav and synth. Ellis and Arevalo had shining moments as the music transitioned. Mitarotonda went into machine-gun mode to usher this tune home.
The set was not over quite yet, as the band delved into a twenty two minute "Dripfield," from their 2022 release of the same name. A stacked jam ensued with more pronounced percussion and bass, as Weekz continued his thumping dominance. Mitarotonda utilized texturing guitar effects before returning to face melting mode. This gave way to another ambient section, as this beast continued for almost twenty three minutes of delight.
The band landed squarely back in "Dripfield," with prog rock inspired peaks and valleys and the crowd on their feet. They skillfully made way into an up tempo "Shama Lama Ding Dong" by Otis Day & The Knights, and ended the set on a high note. The band returned to play "Give it Time."
Goose continued to shine and unfurl memorable performances as they ended their incredible run in Florida. They are hosting their annual two night Goosemas event at the North Charleston Coliseum on December 13-14, and are playing a two night stint in Austin, TX for New Years. If that isn't enough to satisfy your avian craving, they are throwing a three day festival in Cabo, Mexico on May 8-10, 2025, titled Viva El Gonzo. Tickets and more information are available here. Head on over to their tour page for more dates near your location.
Check out more photos from the show! Also, view our prior coverage from the Goose 2024 Florida Fall tour in St. Petersburg, FL and St. Augustine, FL.
Band: Goose
Date: November 2, 2024
Venue: St. Augustine Amphitheater
Location: St. Augustine, FL
Set One: Turbulence & The Night Rays, Draconian Meter Maid > Turned Clouds, Drive -> Wild Night[1], Feel it Now, A Western Sun > Rockdale
Set Two: Hungersite > State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.)[2], Thatch, Dripfield[3] -> Shama Lama Ding Dong[4]
Encore: Give it Time
Coach's Notes:
[1] Van Morrison.
[2] Jim James.
[3] Unfinished.
[4] Otis Day & The Knights.
Show Notes: Wild Night was played for the first time since July 3, 2023 (98 shows).
Set list via elgoose.net
