Goose returned to Boston, Mass. for the fifth time in their career and took flight in the form of two jam heavy sets at the Leader Bank Pavilion on September 14, 2023. This show was the second date on their fall tour, and the band certainly didn't sound like that had just emerged from a break. The improvisation switch was flipped into high gear early during this show, which included a collaborative cover with Producer and DJ LP Giobbi.
Located on the gorgeous South Boston waterfront, near the Seaport, the venue holds five thousand fans and does not have a bad seat in the house. Most seats are covered under the tensile structure that forms a canopy over the stage. The breeze from the Atlantic Ocean kept the temperatures relatively cool for this early fall show.
The show began around 7:30 pm, and kicked off with a pair of shorter tunes to get the crowd ready for what was to come, starting with "Doctor Darkness," along with "California Magic." There's nothing wrong with a little California magic in New England. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda showed his rock star capabilities in "Lead the Way," and included dual guitar action by multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach. This mood continued into "Lead Up."
The funk jam commenced when the band dove into "Earthling or Alien?" This twenty-three-minute, steamy version included Anspach on the clav and was led by bassist Trevor Weekz. Lighting Director Andrew Goedde and his team illuminated the bottom of the tensile structure with blissfully moving shapes and rays of light. The slow and steady funk jam made its way into a reflective moment before Mitarotonda's face melting guitar licks elevated the quintet into a high-energy ending. The first set closed out with another extended song, Vasudo's "Empress of Organos," as the crowd clapped and sang this vibrant tune in unison.
Set two resumed the absolute heater in progress, starting with a brand new cover, "All I Need (Goose Reimagined)" by LP Giobbi, which appears on her 2023 release Light Places. Both LP Giobbi and Goose recently collaborated by remixing each other's songs. This version of "All I Need" is not the same song as the Goose original, "All I Need." The result was a melodic dance-rock classic that did not disappoint. The live rendition was enhanced by Anspach's piano work and drummer Ben Atkind's fast-paced beats.
The band played a few notes of "Thatch," before Mitarotonda decided the intro wasn't zippy enough. The band took a step back and then dove into the second twenty-minute jam of the night with the psychedelic blues rock-fueled tune. The crowd was amped from the first note. This transformed into a slightly slower funk jam, and the improvisation went in a more mellow direction before transitioning back into high-octane, psychedelic rock to end the song.
"Everything Must Go" brought a racing sixteen-minute jam that manifested tasty interplay between Mitarotonda and Anspach. The peaks were high, and this jam rolled into a raging tension and release to conclude this tune. "Feel it Now," Anspach's dance hall-inspired tune that debuted at the Capitol Theater in March 2023, followed. The soft rock meets trance feel was enhanced by the percussive efforts of Jeff Arevalo on the congas.
"Dripfield" from their 2022 release of the same name, closed out this second set, with a deep and rich exploratory jam that saw all five band members in lockstep. The band stepped off stage and returned to very loud applause. Anspach thanked the crowd and noted that the band had developed a deep appreciation for their fans during the recent break from touring.
Goose then gifted one last tune to their fans in the form of a "Hot Tea" party, ironically taking place near the location where the Revolutionary War's Boston Tea Party occurred. Anspach layered in tasty notes from the synth as this delightful evening came to a close.
The Connecticut-based band is back in action on Wednesday, September 20 at Red Butte Garden Amphitheater in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tickets are sold out, and can be procured on the fan ticket trading site, cashortrade.org. Hop on over to Goose's tour page for more dates on their fall tour.
Check out more photos from the show!
Set One: Doctor Darkness, California Magic, Lead the Way, Lead Up, Earthling or Alien?, Empress of Organos
Set Two: All I Need (Goose Reimagined)1, Thatch, Everything Must Go, Feel It Now, Dripfield
Encore: Hot Tea
Notes: 1. LP Giobbi
