The end of the year, along with Goosemas, is upon us once again. It’s hard to believe how fast 2024 flew—and flew it did. Goose delivered the first night of the bingo-themed Goosemas XI without a hitch at the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday, December 13th, much to the delight of the fans. The show included the mystery of the bingo balls, which featured a couple of first-time-played covers.
Every Goosemas event has been structured slightly differently, which only elevates the fan experience. This year, the band handed out pre-filled bingo cards to those who requested them and selected balls inscribed with songs by the band’s staff. In contrast to the 2022 show in Broomfield, CO—where the audience wrote their requests on the balls and the band then selected them—these are the only Goosemas shows where songs were chosen at random. The 2023 show in Hampton, VA, featured a theme that introduced numerous new covers, and the 2022 Mohegan show (rescheduled from 2021 because of COVID) brought out several new tunes that have since become today’s heavy hitters.
The show began with the stage illuminated by a larger-than-life bingo backdrop. An MC named Lucky Lou, sporting an Elvis-inspired outfit, walked on stage to start the event. The band emerged dressed like musicians from the ’70s, including bassist Trevor Weekz as Rick James, complete with a permed hairstyle. They opened with “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project while the MC selected the first ball. This first-time-played song took some folks back to the ’90s, until a ball displayed “Yeti” on the large LED screen next to the stage. The band went deep early with a twelve-minute jam.
“Butter Rum” was the next ball selected by Lucky Lou, who did a lap around the stage holding it up for everyone to see before tossing it into the crowd. This bubbly island tune morphed into a disco-funk jam, complete with multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach on the clav, before returning to “Butter Rum.” After it concluded, Anspach took a moment to thank the crowd for making the trip to Charleston.
Lucky Lou selected the next ball: “Arcadia.” This well-known Moon Cabin jam vehicle evolved into a tasty back-and-forth between Anspach and guitarist Rick Mitarotonda, before Mitarotonda went into full beast mode. Drummer Cotter Ellis and percussionist Jeff Arevalo held down the beats as the jam continued to unfold. Once the song ended, the balls were held as The King—played by Goose Merchandise Manager Naveed Quarterman—arrived at the side of the stage and assumed his position in the dunk tank. After several attempts, and perhaps a bit of manual coaxing, The King was finally submerged. Rumor had it he would reappear next at the merch table.
“Turbulence & The Night Rays” was plucked from the bingo machine by Lucky Lou. Weekz’s bass line wove together the raging jam that followed. “Silver Rising” emerged as the last bingo ball for the set, and the band fired on all cylinders as they brought the music home, ending this exciting first set of Goosemas.
The band returned for round two, and “Hot Love & the Lazy Poet” bubbled up in the bingo machine. We were excited to see this 2024 debut, as we’ve mentioned how much we love this tune. Ellis and Arevalo treated the audience to a nice drum solo during the jam. “Give It Time” popped up next—another 2024 debut, written by the tandem of Mitarotonda and Matt Cambell. The song began mellow and then shifted into a faster pace, driven by stellar drums and percussion..
“Mr. Action” was chosen next, followed by “Hungersite,” a tune that debuted at Goosemas IX at Mohegan Sun in 2022. A lengthy jam ensued, with Weekz continuing to crush on bass. Mitarotonda built a raging guitar jam that brought smiles to many faces. This led to more excellence on bass and keys as the train continued to build speed into “Flodown,” which was selected during the jam
Lucky Lou picked “726,” which gave the crowd a much-needed chill moment. This was followed by the selection of “Bonus Ball 6,” prompting singer Nicole D’Elisa to join the band on stage for their first rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” This emerging artist delivered fiery vocals that contributed to a memorable version of the electrified ’70s classic. As this special cover wrapped, the dunk tank was unleashed once again. This time, social media celebrity and El Goose Facebook group admin Bruce Robinson took a turn in the tank on the side stage. After a few tries, he met the same fate as The King in the first set.
“Into the Myst” followed, turning into an eighteen-minute exploration that ventured in many directions. The new tune “Big Modern!” also took fans on a prolonged journey, though at a much more up-tempo pace. The band returned for an encore that went long, starting with “SOS” (aka “Same Old Shenanigans”). Weekz continued to dominate during this Shenanigan’s Nite Club tune.
“Seekers” was selected as the last ball of the evening from the large bingo machine behind the stage. This led into “Seekers on the Ridge Pt. 1” and then “Seekers on the Ridge Pt. 2,” a beautiful tandem that featured sweet guitar work by Mitarotonda, sending the fans home reeling.
Goose is back in action on December 30-31 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Tickets are available at this link. They are also heading down to Mexico for Viva El Gonzo in May 2025. Head on over to their tour page for details about all of their upcoming events.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Goose
Location: North Charleston, SC
Venue: North Charleston Coliseum
Date: December 13, 2024
Set One: Sirius[1], Yeti, Butter Rum, Arcadia, Turbulence & The Night Rays, Silver Rising
Set Two: Hot Love & The Lazy Poet, Give it Time, Mr. Action, Hungersite -> Flodown, 726, Kashmir.[2], Into the Myst[3] > Big Modern!
Encore: Same Old Shenanigans, Seekers on the Ridge pt I > Seekers on the Ridge pt II > (dawn)
Coach's Notes:
[1] The Alan Parsons Project. FTP.
[2] Led Zeppelin. FTP. Bonus Ball #6. With Nicole D’Elisa on vocals.
[3] Unfinished.
Set list via elgoose.net
