Goose gifted fans with lots of extended improv and a debut cover on a chilly crystal clear night at Red Rocks.
Walking onstage for the band’s fall tour closer around 8:45 p.m this past Friday, Rick Mitarotonda wished his mom a happy birthday and Goose was off – comfortably grooving into crowd-favorite “Echo of a Rose.”
“Echo of a Rose” set the feel-good tone and kickstarted a half-hour trio of surprisingly different songs highlighting the band’s range.
The 80+ minute first set sandwiched a gotta-love-it cover of Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” with upbeat jammed-out originals. Each next song sounded new and departed from the likes of the one before, the band handling the turns tightly and running with the changes. It’s clean, locked-in fun.
Click here to browse our full gallery from Goose’s Oct. 6 show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
During the Prince cover, lighting designer Andrew Goedde took advantage of the groove and flashed patterns on the rocks behind the silhouetted band. The faster arrangement of the 1984 Prince classic whipped fans into a dance party.
Goose, with Mitarotonda leading the way on guitar, is bassist Trevor Weekz, guitarist and keyboardist Peter Anspach, drummer Ben Atkind and percussionist Jeff Arevalo. Arevalo, a friend and collaborator, joined the lineup in 2020 as the band re-emerged from live-streams.
Lots of Friday’s songs felt extended, and at the end of a long first set even the percussion section looked surprised when Mitarotonda called for another song after “All I Need.” Anspach took his cue during the “Yeti” that came next, running a lap downstage in front of fans who’d waited all afternoon to dance this close to their favorite band.
Annapolis-based Galen Bernick has seen Goose from Connecticut to Los Angeles, catching up with the quintet whenever he can.
Goose treats every show like a new one, he said.
“I have no expectations, but even if I did they’d all be met,” Bernick said just before the band came onstage Friday night.
Goose is fundraising for breast cancer research and support this month on its Fall Tour. Atkind spread the word about options available online during Friday’s show, and the band wore pink at a show earlier this October.
All profits from sales of the Goose pink logo shirt benefit the American Cancer Society and their nationwide Rock The Pink Campaign, the band said online. Check it out here.
Goose begins a European tour this November after a festival set at Hulaween on Oct. 27. See tour dates and ticketing info here.
After Midnight 
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