Photo Credit: Dino Perrucci
On Sunday, April 7, Goose made history with the live debut of its new lineup, now featuring drummer Cotter Ellis. Through Wednesday, April 10, the band will present its second annual spring residency at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. For night one, the band exceeded long-escalating expectations with an energetic, exploratory performance that balanced fan favorites with deep cuts and hooky classics with wild jams, offering something for everyone in the sold-out crowd to enjoy.
Upon arrival at the theatre, fans were greeted with a limited run of commemorative buttons for this new chapter, consecrating the space as the site of a night to be remembered. Once all had filed in and Peter Anspach introduced the crowd to Ellis, a brooding, dusky chord condensed to a grippingly propulsive “Flodown,” an exceptionally strong start to the evening that brought the whole crowd to its feet. Once the band returned to the ground, it continued with a funky, tight “Rockdale” treatment, complete with an extended mid-section jam that let Ellis show off his prowess.
Next, Anspach traded his keys for a Stratocaster to trade guitar lines with frontman Rick Mitarotonda, a guitar battle that set off Drive, which was left unfinished and segued into both parts of “Seekers On the Ridge,” in sequence. Finally, the band closed out its explosive first set with two live debuts, first staging Vasudo original “Hot Love & the Lazy Poet,” followed by the all-new track “SALT,” which instantly spurred a stir among fans watching in Port Chester, N.Y.
After a brief set break, Goose kicked off the second frame of its first headline performance since December 2023 with The Who’s “Eminence Front,” followed by the Great Blue original “Pancakes.” After two further entries, the group closed out set two with an ambitious and mind-expanding meld of “This Old Sea” and Vasudo original “Factory Fiction.” Once the thrilling lighting arrangements had fallen and the final frame tapered to a close, the band lit the stage once more for an encore of Great Blue’s “Yeti.”
Goose returns to the stage for night two at The Capitol Theatre; for more information, visit thecapitoltheatre.com. While awaiting the band’s return, check out images from the show below, courtesy of Dino Perrucci.
Goose
The Capitol Theatre
4/8/24
Set I: Flodown, Rockdale*@, Drive%, Seekers On the Ridge Pt. I > Seekers On the Ridge Pt. II, Hot Love & the Lazy Poet*+, SALT+
Set II: Eminence Front^ > Pancakes$, Creatures, Everything Must Go, This Old Sea > Factory Fiction*
Encore: Yeti$
* Vasudo cover
@ Heartbreaker teases
% Unfinished
+ Live debut
^ The Who cover
$ Great Blue cover