The indie-groove jam-rock artist Goose returned for round two at the ornate Louisville Palace Theatre on September 24, 2025, and did not disappoint. A five-song second set was highlighted by My Morning Jacket guitarist and frontman Jim James sitting in to play his solo tune, "State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.)." They also played a number of fan-favorite tunes that had not yet been played this tour, like "Rosewood Heart," "Turned Clouds," and "Dripfield."
The first set kicked off with the old-school favorite, "Jive II." The intro for the first song included multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach on the Hammond B3 organ. He switched to the clav during the chorus and transitioned to funk-friendly dance mode. The jam mellowed as guitarist Rick Mitarotonda hit early peaks, while Anspach juggled both the Fender Rhodes and B3 at once. They seamlessly dropped into "Atlas Dogs," as drummer Cotter Ellis found a resonant pattern on the toms.
This Vasudo tune flawlessly folded into "Earthling or Alien?" as bassist Trevor Weekz unleashed the slow-funk bassline. Mitarotonda dove into a face-melting jam sequence before Weekz took over as they locked into a thick groove. Anspach continued to add color on the Fender Rhodes. This twenty-minute tune felt more like a late-second-set centerpiece than a third-slot opener. Lighting Director Andrew Goedde heightened the mood by triggering copious smoke and a wall of light that moved across the stage front like a curtain. Mitarotonda arguably ushered the band into type-two jam territory for a few delicious minutes.
A crisp segue carried the quartet into the vintage "Turned Clouds" from their debut, Moon Cabin. Anspach returned to the B3, while Ellis slayed a dynamic drumbeat. Mitarotonda crushed more soaring guitar licks during this exceptional version. He even asked, "What do you guys think?" We can only wonder at the predicate.
The melodic "How It Ends," recently released on Everything Must Go, took the energy down for a much-needed breather. The jam picked up and evolved into an ambient section, as Anspach started the arpeggio synth loop for their original tune, "Slow Ready." He joined Mitarotonda on guitar as the band flowed into the jam of this disco-dance tune, right where they left off the prior night. The jam mellowed and gently closed a standout first set.
As the break set in, rumors began to churn that Jim James from My Morning Jacket was backstage. He is a Louisville native, so this possibility was not far-fetched. We noticed the crew moving gear around on stage and wondered if a sit-in was forthcoming.
The band returned to play jam vehicle "Arrow," from their 2022 album Dripfield. Anspach played the guitar as the band sunk into a nineteen-minute heater. As the jam intensified, Mitarotonda and Weekz swirled while Anspach colored on the Rhodes, all building to a flurry of guitar shredding. Ellis then dialed down the tempo as the band slipped into another Moon Cabin heavy-hitter, "Rosewood Heart." A blues-rock jam ensued during this seventeen-minute tune. The jam picked up speed while all four members were firing on all cylinders, as Mitarotonda took flight at this almost one-hundred-year-old venue.
The stage went dark with ominous purple lights as the band transitioned into "Tomorrow Never Knows" by the Beatles, last played in Phoenix, AZ, on June 4, 2025. Anspach switched to the synth, which added an ambient effect, as Ellis delivered potent, driving beats. As this evil jam evolved, Anspach switched to the Fender Rhodes as Weekz pushed the dark bassline.
At some point, Anspach triggered effects on the Nord that could only mean the band was moving into "Dripfield." This song was last played at their marathon performance at Madison Square Garden on June 28, 2025, and thus had not yet been played on the Fall Tour. Mitarotonda was at his finest as they navigated this indie-groove jam. Anspach rotated through his keyboard stack and contributed guitar at points. Goedde continued to be the elusive fifth band member, as the stage lights were a show on their own.
The band eased into a soft, euphonious moment as a tech walked on to set up a microphone. The stage went dark as James appeared with his guitar and plugged in next to Mitarotonda and Weekz. The band mood was quiet, and the crowd’s cheers loudly roared as James began to sing his tune "State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.)." During the electrifying jam, James and Mitarotonda faced and rocked toward each other, similar to how James performs with his well-known band, My Morning Jacket. As the song wrapped, the musicians left the stage with huge grins to end this stellar set.
Goose, with James, returned for an encore of "Don't Do It" by The Band. This memorable version included more dual-guitar blues-rock goodness from James and Mitarotonda.
After the show, James was quoted in the MMJ mailing list: "WOW. What a thrill to sit in with Goose last night at the Louisville Palace!!! I was so honored to hear that Goose had been playing my song, 'State Of The Art,' and was doubly honored that they invited me to join them onstage to play it! Then we had so much fun that we decided to do one more and did the classic 'Don't Do It.'"
"I was blown away by Goose's beautiful songs, soundscapes, and musicianship, and found myself quite emotional and swept away in their music. We are looking forward to rocking with them at Viva El Gonzo down in Mexico!" The collective Goose community is surely excited to hear that anticipation for Viva El Gonzo 2026 is already building amongst the artists on the bill.
Goose will close out their Fall Tour this week with a show in Columbus, OH on Oct. 30, two nights in Richmond, VA on Nov. 2–3, and a tour closer in Philadelphia, PA on Oct. 4. As we have said many times, never miss a Goose Philly show—especially a tour closer. They will perform at two festivals in October: Rise in Las Vegas and Hulaween in Suwanee, FL. They end the year with two nights in Providence, RI, for their annual Goosemas event. For those looking into 2026, Viva El Gonzo, their destination international festival, is scheduled for May 7–9 in San José del Cabo, Mexico. Visit this link for more details on this sure-to-be-legendary festival. Head over to their tour page for more details.
Check out more photos from the show. Also, view our prior coverage of the 2025 Goose Fall Tour in Chicago (review, photos) and Louisville Night One (review, photos).
Band: Goose
Date: September 24, 2025
Location: Louisville, KY
Venue: Louisville Palace Theater
Set One: Jive II, Atlas Dogs > Earthling or Alien? > Turned Clouds, How It Ends, Slow Ready[1]
Set Two: Arrow[2] > Rosewood Heart -> Tomorrow Never Knows[3] > Dripfield[2] > State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.)[4]
Encore: Don't Do It[5]
Coach's Notes:
[1] Jam only. Finished version from 9/23/25.
[2] Unfinished.
[3] The Beatles.
[4] Jim James. With Jim James on guitar and vocals.
[5] The Band. with Jim James on guitar and vocals.
