Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on 2026-07-11
Independence Day at the Albany Med Health System at SPAC, also known as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, was a celebration of two eras of the jam world sharing one stage. moe. opened the holiday bill by playing the venue for the first time in their career, and Goose answered with a headlining show that delivered copious improvisation. The night ran on marathon jams, a record-setting "Animal," a lesser played funk cover, and a star-spangled Grateful Dead singalong to close out the tour. By the venue's own estimate, somewhere between 7,000 and 11,000 fans filled the storied shed for July 4, 2026, which was a notable turnout for Goose at this historic amphitheater.
For moe., the evening marked the band's first performance at SPAC in a career stretching back to the late 1980s. Keyboardist Nate Wilson assembled the set-list, which provided a mix of vintage originals and fresh material. New tune "Yellow Tigers" kicked things off and segued into the old-school "Captain America," followed by "Bat Country." Guitarist Chuck Garvey's "Wind It Up," written in 2004, came next, with Wilson's "Three Eyed Serpent" slotting in behind it. Bassist Rob Derhak's solo pandemic-era tune "Ups and Downs" preceded a run of moe. originals dating back to the band's earliest days, starting with "Okayalright." Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach and guitarist Rick Mitarotonda of Goose joined the sextet for a lively "Happy Hour Hero." moe. closed its inaugural SPAC appearance with the timeless "Rebubula," a tune Goose fans heard often over the PA between sets at the band's Viva El Gonzo festival last May.
Goose's first set opened with Anspach wishing the crowd a happy Fourth of July and tipping his cap to the openers. Drummer Cotter Ellis marked the occasion in a festive star-spangled vest. The band wasted no time, diving straight into Shenanigans Nite Club's "Same Old Shenanigans." The nineteen-minute opener was no slouch for a tune that so often starts a set. Anspach pivoted to the Hammond B3 for the "(dawn)" section, lending the jam a bubbly lift, while bassist Trevor Weekz held firm and Mitarotonda went scorched-earth to bring the fiery opener home.
"Your Direction" followed, marking the third pairing with "Same Old Shenanigans" in recent memory. Mitarotonda was clearly relishing his new guitar on the Everything Must Go tune. "Seekers on the Ridge pt I" > "Seekers on the Ridge pt II" was short but no less potent. Mitarotonda was superbly precise through the intricate guitar work.
Without pause, the band moved into "All I Need," the slow and melodic reading, which grew into a bass-driven monster with Weekz in high gear and Mitarotonda in Jedi-mode before the version settled into a valley and closed, stretching past twenty minutes along the way. "Savenger" erupted and drove the energy back up. The new song from Big Modern! slotted neatly into their repertoire, blending indie groove with 80s synth-pop. The jam mellowed over steady beats from Ellis, then turned dark and atmospheric, without ever fully shedding its synth-pop sheen.
"Animal," also from Everything Must Go, followed and flowed into a dark, ripping goontz jam, that featured jungle beats from Weekz as he and Ellis dialed up the untz. This was Goose at their finest. If only they'd had lasers. Mitarotonda shredded like the ace he is before the jam found its way back into "Animal." At 27:39, this stood as the longest version the band has ever played, which was a fitting exclamation point on a first set from a group that only seems to get more cohesive.
"Dripfield" kicked off the second set, the title track from Dripfield. This brought an atmospheric, synthy jam clocking in north of twenty-four minutes before a transitional passage mellowed into a short "Amongster." This Poliça cover was paired with "Dripfield" for the first time. "Tumble" came next and the band dialed the goontz back up. Anspach moved to guitar, Weekz turned up the heat on bass, and Ellis was a machine behind the kit. From there they slid into "Don't Leave Me This Way," still locked in the pocket. The Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes cover had last appeared forty-three shows earlier, on March 28, 2026 in Athens, GA. Weekz was out of his mind and Anspach layered funk on the clavinet. For many, feel counts, and this one felt good along with ending the set.
The band stepped off stage and returned for an encore along with guitarist Al Schnier of moe. They played a cover of the Grateful Dead's "U.S. Blues," a natural Fourth of July pick and its first airing in thirty-eight shows, last played in Ft. Lauderdale on April 15, 2026. Ellis had changed into a festive red jacket, American-flag hat, and red speedo for the occasion. Schnier and Mitarotonda traded licks as the crowd savored every moment of the tour-closing blues-rock collaboration.
After a brief midsummer hiatus, Goose will return to the stage with a West Coast swing beginning at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego, CA (Aug. 13). The band will then head to The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA (Aug. 14), Frost Amphitheater in Stanford, CA (Aug. 15), Grand Sierra Resort Theatre in Reno, NV (Aug. 16), and the sold-out Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, BC (Aug. 18). The tour will continue through Seattle, WA, Bend, OR, Bonner, MT, Morrison, CO, Salt Lake City, UT, and Bellvue, CO. The summer schedule wraps up with a return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre and a lone date in Dillon, CO.
The fall itinerary begins with Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville, KY (Sept. 24-27). November will feature a two-night stand at The Midland Theatre in Kansas City, MO (Nov. 3-4), followed by three nights at Miller High Life Theatre in Milwaukee, WI (Nov. 6-8), two nights at The Truth in Nashville, TN (Nov. 10-11), two nights at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT (Nov. 13-14), a stop at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, ME (Nov. 15), John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA (Nov. 18), Citizens Live at The Wylie in Pittsburgh, PA (Nov. 19-20), and Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY (Nov. 21). Visit Goose's tour page for the complete itinerary and ticket information.
Check out more photos from Goose and the moe.! Also view our prior Goose 2026 Summer tour coverage from MSG night one (review/photos), MSG night two (photos/review), Central Park (review/photos), Charleston night one (review/photos), Charleston night two (review/photos), Raleigh night one (review/photos), Raleigh night two (review/photos), Merriweather (review/photos), Holmdel (review/photos),and SPAC night one (review/photos).
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Venue: Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Date: July 4, 2026
Band: moe.
Set: Yellow Tigers, Captain America, Bat Country, Wind It Up, Three Eyed Serpent, Ups And Downs, Okayalright, Happy Hour Hero [1], Rebubula
Notes:
[1] With Rick Mitarotonda on guitar and Peter Anspach on keys
Band: Goose
Set One: "Same Old Shenanigans," "Your Direction," "Seekers on the Ridge pt I" > "Seekers on the Ridge pt II," "All I Need," "Savenger," "Animal"[1]
Set Two: "Dripfield" > "Amongster"[2], "Tumble" > "Don't Leave Me This Way"[3]
Encore: "U.S. Blues"[4]
Notes:
[1] Longest version ever performed (27:39).
[2] "Amongster" is a Poliça cover
[3] "Don't Leave Me This Way" (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes) returned after a 43-show gap
[4] "U.S. Blues" (Grateful Dead) featured Al Schnier of moe. on guitar
