Goose returned to The Met Philly on March 25, 2023, after the raging inferno they set off the night prior, and decided to add more fuel to the improvisational fire. They delivered two spirited covers, numerous teases, and of course plenty of extended, raucous jams for the sold out crowd in Philadelphia, PA.
The band kicked off night two with a short but sweet "Dr. Darkness." Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach picked up his guitar for the high energy "Yeti," along with guitarist Rick MItarotonda. He went into full rockstar mode during this jam and danced around the stage wielding his guitar with bliss. The dueling guitars' tension and release invigorated the crowd, and set the stage for the heat that was coming next: a twenty nine minute "Borne." This was not just any "Borne," though, as the tempo was considerably faster in this rendition. Normally, this tune is more mellow, but drummer Ben Atkind and percussionist Jeff Arevalo were both on their respective drum kits driving the beat like a rhythmic freight train. Mitarotonda dove into an explorative jam straight out of the 70's, unleashing "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" teases as the music progressed. Bassist Trevor Weekz masterfully wove the intensity of both drummers with Mitarotonda's fiery guitar build up. The music reached a glorious climax, before a melodic transition into The Band's "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show," last played June 14, 2022.
The music quickly shifted to the tropics, as the band flowed into the bubbly, island themed "Butter Rum." The call and response from the crowd was notably loud, as this was clearly not the first show for many in attendance. Another galvanized musical escalation ensued, along with on point light coordination care of Lighting Director Andrew Goedde and his team, and concluded with what felt like the end of the set. But this set was not over yet, as they quickly moved into "Seekers On The Ridge Pt.1." Divinely sung by Mitarotonda, this beautifully composed song hit the spot. Goose segued into "Seekers On The Ridge Pt. 2," and ended this savage set with a bang.
Goose returned for round two, and more shenanigans. "Same Old Shenanigans" to be exact, from their 2021 release Shenanigans Nite Club. Mitarotonda was in the pocket early, with Weekz also elevating the disco funk dance tune. The music progressed into a feel good jam that had everyone smiling and was lead by Anspach on the organ. Newer tune "Lead Up" was next, and recently debuted at the Capitol Theater two weeks prior. "So Ready" kicked the energy back up into the stratosphere, with Anspach layering in the clav.
The euphonious vintage tune "Rosewood Heart," started out as an upbeat lamb, and built into a roaring lion. Mitarotonda hit multiple apexes during this deep, emotional jam. The music eventually melded into a twenty two minute, set closing "Dripfield." This song is truly Goose at their best, and emanates from within their souls. They took the crowd on a wild journey that culminated with a several face melting moments, as Goedde and his team displayed lights that spell "G O O O S E" behind the band.
After stepping off stage for a moment, the quintet returned, with Anspach thanking the crowd and expressing love for the fans on behalf of the band. The band played one final tune, Bobby Blue Bland's "Turn On Your Love Light," which was a treat for those Grateful Dead fans in the crowd. They also put a cherry on top of this epic performance with a full band "Secret Agent Man" tease, before ending the show with dynamism.
We mentioned in our prior review for the March 24, 2023 Philly show that the adage "Never miss a Goose Philly show" is going strong. Goose has leveled up every time they play in this Mid-Atlantic metropolis, and has shown no sign of faltering, including this show. We can only hope that they return very soon for the next round.
Goose is on tour this spring across the USA. They will play a pair of shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN on March 30-31. Head on over to their tour page for more details about their Spring, Summer and Fall tours.
Check out more photos from the show!
Set One: Dr. Darkness, Yeti, Borne[1] -> The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show[2], Butter Rum, Seekers On The Ridge Pt. 1 > Seekers On The Ridge Pt. 2
Set Two: Same Old Shenanigans, Lead Up, So Ready, Rosewood Heart > Dripfield
Encore: Turn On Your Love Light[3]
Notes:
[1] Double time version. With W.S. Walcott Medicine Show teases from Rick.
[2] The Band.
[3] Bobby Blue Bland. With Secret Agent Man teases.
