Goose returned to Detroit, MI for the first time in five years, and treated the Motor City to a honk-filled throwdown at the Masonic Temple on September 16, 2023. The two-set show included fun covers and plenty of tasty originals. Masonic Temple provided a stunning backdrop for this rising jam quintet.
The Detroit Masonic Temple was completed in 1926 and is the largest of all the Masonic Temples. The building incorporated the artistic conceptions of the sculptor, Corrado Parducci, in the building lobby, who in turn drew elements from the interior of a castle he visited in Palermo, Sicily. The complex includes eight lodge rooms, two ballrooms, three theaters, a shrine room, a chapel, and sixteen bowling lanes. Who knew we could have wasted time vying for a perfect three-hundred bowling score prior to the show?
The Connecticut-based bird bank kicked off this iconic show with banter and laughs before launching into "Turbulence & The Night Rays," the Vasudo original that has been gaining steam in their repertoire. The slower, melodic "Whales" followed, and quickly built up into a short but sweet heater, led by guitarist Rick Mitarotonda.
The band wasted no time, and delivered the fall's first "Wysteria Lane." This twenty-four-minute, old-school original started out with a fiery rock and blues jam. The music went deep, as did the synth, and care of multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach. The stellar keyboard sequence smoothly ushered the band into the first cover of the night, "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant. Drummer Ben Atkind maintained a steady cadence as Mitarotonda unfurled mind-melting tension and release.
The newer tune "Red Bird" ended this high-energy set with a seventeen-minute jam that cleansed everyone's souls. Anspach playfully announced they would return for another set of music, and that percussionist Jeff Arevalo was already celebrating.
The band delivered more than they promised by opening the second set with a high-flying "Yeti." Both Anspach and Mitarotonda contributed on guitar during this Great Blue tune. A quartet of tunes from their 2022 release Dripfield was up next, starting with a mellow "Borne." A skilled transition followed into "Hungersite," which got dark and turned into a wild funk jam, with notable stylings by bassist Trevor Weekz.
Anspach fired up the familiar riff on the keys for the Clash's "Rock the Casbah," and the band jumped into this beloved tune. Arevalo supplied his singing skills, as the crowd loved this well-known classic rock song. "726" brought a much-needed chill moment, and included a nice solo by Weekz. Once again, this softer tune heated up vibrantly and ended the song with what can only be described as raging synergy.
"Arrow," the final Dripfield tune and the end of the second set, did not disappoint. This reliable jam vehicle clocked in at twenty-eight minutes and included plenty of face-melting funk. We highly recommend a re-listen or perhaps a first-timer for this well-developed version. The band quickly stepped off the stage and returned for one more tune: "Silver Rising."
This band is on a mission to bring musical bliss to our lives and succeeded quite well in Detriot. They are up next in Missoula, MT at the Kettlehouse Amphiteatre. Hop on over to their tour page for more dates near your location
Check out more photos from the show!
Set One: Turbulence & The Night Rays, The Whales, Wysteria Lane > Electric Avenue1, Red Bird
Set Two: Yeti, Borne > Hungersite, Rock the Casbah2, 726, Arrow
Encore: Silver Rising
Notes:
1. Eddy Grant
2. The Clash
