The old saying "records are made to be broken" fortifies the notion that any achievement, no matter how great, can be exceeded. That is exactly what Goose did in terms of ticket sales at Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills, NY, on June 29, 2024, their relative home turf. The charming former tennis stadium, nestled deep within Queens, created the perfect environment to showcase their emerging genre of indie groove jam rock on an outdoor NYC stage and featured a pair of rarely played originals.
Forest Hills Stadium was the perfect next stop for this Connecticut quintet, as the stadium has been around for one hundred years and was designed to optimize both acoustics and views. Originally built for tennis tournaments, the stadium began welcoming musical guests in the 1960s. It was recently renovated, and as of the 2024 season, it is operating climate neutral.
Fresh off their scorching hot performance in Philadelphia, PA, the band expeditiously dove into a nineteen-minute "Hot Tea" opener for only the seventh time in their history. The fans knew they were in for a treat when this closer song kicked off the night. Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach was feeling it early with a bubbly synth jam. After returning to the song, the band forged into a stacked funk groove, led by bassist Trevor Weekz.
The newer tune "Lead Up" brought a slightly mellow vibe to the former US Open tennis stadium. The partly cloudy sky that was slowly turning overcast induced "Turned Clouds" from their first release, Moon Cabin. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda nailed the blues rock jam during this fun tune before diving into the high-energy Great Blue song "Yeti." Anspach was back on the guitar for this version and displayed a few rock star moves of his own as he ran around the stage with a huge smile. Drummer Cotter Ellis and percussionist Jeff Arevalo were a rhythmic force during the resultant jam that grew into a tasty, futuristic vibe.
Our favorite Goose original that debuted this year, "Hot Love & The Lazy Poet," was volleyed next. This succinct version included a spirited drum solo by Ellis. We look forward to watching this song grow into a formidable jam vehicle.
A big serve followed with "I Would Die 4 U" by Prince, the lone cover of the night. Played for only the fourth time ever, Mitarotonda went into face-melting mode during this high-flying jam. The band kept the energy high and dropped their final ace of the set with "So Ready."
The band returned for set two, or perhaps game two in tennis terms, and played their 2023 release Autumn Crossing in its entirety. The LP contains two songs that were played together for only the third time in Goose's career. Beginning with "Travelers," the band took the fans on a melodic ride, which included more synth texture coupled with racing guitar. This included a strong cross-court shot into "Elmeg the Wise," yet another bucket-list tune. This raucous, twenty-minute version delivered plenty of prog rock build-ups and intricate guitar work. We highly recommend a re-listen.
The blues rock-fueled "Thatch" attempted to pick up the pieces after "Elmeg." The band came together on this song and utilized dueling guitars. The first Dripfield tune of the night, "726," was double backhanded to the crowd, who enjoyed a few moments of less intensity. This raging set came to a close with a dark and colorful "Dripfield," also from Dripfield. Lighting director Andrew Goedde and his team seamlessly adjusted their lighting game to match the venue size, which was most evident during this vibrant tune.
The band stepped back on stage for the encore and played "Give It Time." And with that, it was game, set, match.
Goose will be back in action at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on September 1st. Tickets are available via this link. Visit their tour page for more details on the upcoming fall tour.
Check out more photos from Goose at the Forest Hills Stadium. Also, view our prior summer tour 2024 coverage: Fiddler's Green, Fox Night One, Fox Night Two, Fox Night Three, and the Mann Center.
Set One: Hot Tea, Lead Up, Turned Clouds, Yeti, Hot Love & The Lazy Poet, I Would Die 4 U1, So Ready
Set Two: Travelers > Elmeg The Wise, Thatch, 726 > Dripfield
Encore: Give It Time
Coach's Notes:
[1] Prince.
Set list via elgoose.net
