Goose Stock Continues to Soar in Perry, NY; Debut Fleet Foxes’ Cover

Following a stellar pair of hometown shows last weekend in New Haven, high flying Connecticut improv rockers GOOSE took the show on the road for a raucous midweek two-night party in beautiful Perry, New York.

With the venue site located more than 30 miles from the interstate, fans traveling to the ‘off the beaten path’ town found themselves navigating through a maze of scenic landscapes and lush, fertile farmland– a stark contrast to the densely populated city of New Haven. There was plenty of time to take in the view and clear your mind before arriving at the Silver Lake Twin Drive-In Theater.

With mask requirements now lifted in New York state, the Goose faithful were in high spirits hours before the show began on Wednesday evening. For the first time in more than a year, they were able to move around freely, hug old friends, shake hands with new ones, or if so inclined, take a rip off the massive hand-rolled godfather that circled the venue most of the night. As gates opened, fans clamored to the merch tent, hoping to scoop the limited edition “pinball” themed poster designed by artist Paul Kreizenbeck; within minutes, they were gone. As the pre-show music played Dr. John’s ‘Such a Night’ and the anticipation for Goose to take the stage reached a fever pitch, you couldn’t help but feel the communal synergy in the air. The weather was perfect, the vibe was perfect, and everything about being at this particular venue just felt Fam AF.

“If you take a tumble
If you take a spill
There is a lesson to learn
And a cup to refill
And if you stumble
If your balance you lose
A road lies ahead, so tie up your shoes”

After a customary pre-show huddle and inspired pep talk from “Coach” Jon Lombardi, the members of Goose, Rick Mitarotonda, Peter Anspach, Trevor Weekz, Ben Atkind, and Jeff Arevalo took the stage shortly after 8pm. In the opening slot, a unique ‘slow’ take on one of the bands most beloved and optimistic songs “Tumble.” Whether or not the boys planned on playing ‘Doobie Song” next is unknown, but with the enormous super-sized spliff that was being passed around, it became almost mandatory. It was in the three hole where things really started going places, as Goose dusted off their first cover of the night, the always appreciated Grateful Dead classic “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo.” A glance around the venue saw even the oldest heads in the crowd starting to cut loose and more significantly, starting to believe.

(Photo: Zak Radick)

“Returning from thе future
With phosphorescent glow
Knowledge is the pathway
To each and every soul”

With the evening sky now turning pink before our eyes, the band would turn to the catchy-yet-contemplative “Wysteria Lane” and then in perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening, a debut cover that saw lead guitarist and vocalist Rick Mitarotonda pour a piece of his soul out in an absolute hair-on-the-back of-your-neck raising rendition of the 2008 Fleet Foxes B-side “Innocent Son.” For those who were familiar, it was everything. After a bit of a stunned silence from the crowd, Goose launched into one of their most technical, original compositions to date, the sprawling prog rock epic “The Labyrinth,” playing it live for the only the second time. While this certainly could have been a set closer, it was the fan favorite “Hot Tea,” complete with an “Eclectic Avenue” tease that brought us to the halfway point.

After a brief intermission, Goose returned for round two by teasing “Barracuda.” While they played the full Heart classic during soundcheck, it was not to be this time, as the band opted to give Eclectic Avenue the full send treatment, complete with a full band vocal jam.

“Oh this moment is the only thing you know…”

The always sought after “Creatures” was the perfect chaser to compliment the dank rendition of Elective Avenue. With the clear, crisp evening providing an ideal canvas for lighting director Andrew Goedde to showcase his ever-evolving skills, it was during the “Creatures” dance-party jam where he perhaps shined brightest on the evening. Next up was “This Old Sea,” a song that had been on the shelf for 5 years before last year’s Bingo Tour. Just when it seemed the shows energy had reached it’s apex, Goose dropped into the one of the crunchiest grooves yet, a fully funked-out version of Jive II that saw the entire place cutting loose one final time. With curfew rapidly approaching, multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach announced the band didn’t have time to walk off the stage, so they’d be jamming right through the encore, thus closing out their soaring two-night run in Perry, New York with a high octane rendition of “Jive Lee.” A fantastic, well-rounded show from start to finish.

Thus far, Goose summer tour has been nothing short of phenomenal. The band, the fans, the art, the vibe and above all – the music. As the band continues to progress, take more chances and explore their musical boundaries, it’s easy to understand why there’s been so much steady “torch” talk lately. Perhaps it’s the optimism of coming out of the pandemic and being able to see live music with our friends again, but it just feels like something really special is happening within this community. The “IT” factor. Goose has it.

(Photo: Zak Radick)