Goose was back on the road for their summer tour and unleashed plenty of raging jams on the first night of their three-night stand at the iconic Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA, on June 20, 2024. They undoubtedly brought their A-game for their first appearance at this truly stunning venue. The show included several lesser-played covers, including a monster "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" by the Grateful Dead that will certainly stand up for itself over time.
The ornate Fox Theatre was named one of the top twenty "Best Big Rooms in America" by Rolling Stone Magazine because of its picturesque Egyptian decor and mosque-style structure that was originally built for the Shriners in 1928. The building was almost bulldozed in the 1970s. However, a group of dedicated fans' coordinated efforts stopped the impending destruction and helped transform the icon into the premier event space that it is today. The 4,665-capacity venue is also considerably smaller than other venues on this tour.
Set one kicked off with the Great Blue tune "Butterflies," sung by multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach. The smooth blues guitar jam got the crowd's juices flowing early. A short but sweet "California Magic" followed, featuring a few moments of shredding by guitarist Rick Mitarotonda.
A slow and melodic "All I Need" brought twenty minutes of ambient bliss that really exemplified bassist Trevor Weekz as he pulled the other instruments together. The tempo increased gradually as the quintet worked through this deep jam. A skilled segue sailed the band into Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright," last played on June 30, 2023, in Garrettsville, Ohio. Goose continued to channel Kenny Loggins and played their way into "Make the Move." They changed the lyrics from "Should we make the move" to "Marta, make the move" in honor of their longtime production manager Marta Goedde's birthday.
The deliciously funky "Jive I," from their 2016 release Moon Cabin, was up next. Percussionist Jeff Arevalo was all over the gong during this dance-inducing tune, while Weekz delivered those tasty bass bombs. The slower, euphonious cousin, "Jive II," also from Moon Cabin, followed "Jive I" for only the third time in the Goose show catalog. Anspach dove into the keys during the jam, which gave way to some tasty tension and release via Mitarotonda. "It's that simple love that follows us to our graves."
However, the band was not done quite yet and dove headfirst into the clav-driven "Jive Lee." Weekz wowed the crowd with a stellar bass solo early on in this fast-paced instrumental tune that one can't help dancing to. All five members brought the face-melting tune together and ended the set with vigor. Incidentally, this was only the second time ever that all three "Jive" tunes were played in ascending order. The last time this occurred was on November 13, 2021, in Dallas, Texas.
The band returned for round two and began the set with "The Labyrinth." Played for only the ninth time ever, this tune was last seen at the Capitol Theatre on April 9, 2024. This intricate song saw a nice build-up and felt like the perfect song to play at the medieval-themed venue. The music became trance-inspired as the Connecticut-based quintet switched into "So Ready," from their 2021 release, Shenanigans Nite Club. New drummer Cotter Ellis shined as he drove this racing sequence.
The crowd may or may not have been ready for the twenty-six-minute "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" by the Grateful Dead that was up next. This is another rare cover that shows up about once a tour, and the Peach State crowd were the lucky recipients. This song was also not your father's "Mississippi Half-Step," as the high-energy version contained a premiere jam with some type two moments that will hold up over time. Did we mention "Mississippi Half-Step" went unfinished?
The euphonious "The Old Man's Boat" brought the emotions down for a much-needed break, as Mitarotonda's stellar vocals took over. The set ended on a vibrant note with the bubbly "Empress of Organos." We've got the love and rhythm, indeed. This eighteen-minute tune included a stunning light display coupled with well-placed smoke falling from the lighting rig, all courtesy of lighting director Andrew Goedde and his team at Goedde Sound and Light.
The band returned for one final tune, the reggae-themed "Doobie Song," which sent the fans home happy.
Goose is on tour and taking the jam music scene by storm. They are up next on Tuesday, June 25 at Thomson's Point in Maine. Hop on over to this link for tickets and the rest of their sure-to-be legendary 2024 summer tour.
Check out more photos from the show!
Set One: Butterflies, California Magic, All I Need[1] > I'm Alright[2] > Make The Move[3], Jive I, Jive II > Jive Lee
Set Two: The Labyrinth > So Ready, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo[4], The Old Man's Boat[5], The Empress Of Organos
Encore: Doobie Song
Coach's Notes:
[1] Slow, melodic version. Unfinished.
[2] Kenny Loggins.
[3] Kenny Loggins. Lyrics changed to “Marta, make the move.”
[4] Grateful Dead. Unfinished.
[5] Unfinished.
Set List via elgoose.net
