Goose Answered a Weather Delay with a Compact, Potent Night in Raleigh

The threat of thunderstorms hung over the amphitheater long before a single note rang out, and by the time Goose finally stepped onto the stage at Red Hat Amphitheater, the plan had already changed. Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach thanked the crowd for its patience through the weather delay and confirmed what many in Raleigh had suspected: the band would play a single long set rather than its customary two.

That structure became the defining story of the night. Running from roughly 8:45 to 11:15 PM, the show landed as a short outlier against the two full sets and three hours or more the band usually builds toward. Nine songs and a two song encore left fewer slots to fill, and Goose responded by loading covers up front and pouring its energy into one towering jam vehicle.

The band opened with a twenty minute heater in the form of "Same Old Shenanigans," off 2021's Shenanigans Nite Club. Anspach quickly jumped in and decorated the tune on synth, lending it a bubbly feel, and the group soared through its major chords. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda launched into an intricate blues rock jam early and was firing on all cylinders. As one of the band's staples in heavy rotation across the 2026 run, "Same Old Shenanigans" was no surprise as an opener, but its length set an immediate tone.

"Your Direction," from 2025's Everything Must Go, followed with a smooth, pop-like feel. Mitarotonda and bassist Trevor Weekz dug in early, and while the jam stayed short, it carried real meaning before the band pivoted into an infrequently played cover.

That cover was "Bloodbuzz Ohio," originally by The National, which is a genuine rarity in the Goose catalog. The song had been played only about a dozen times, and has appeared on roughly 1.4% of shows, or about once every twenty-three nights. The third slot placement was atypical. Last aired in Houston, Texas on April 23, 2026, the version found the band channeling its indie groove roots, with drummer Cotter Ellis laying down deep, resonant beats. At eleven minutes, it stood as the longest version on record. Mitarotonda's guitar work took on a distinctly prog rock vibe.

The newer material arrived next. "Savenger," from the recent release BIG MODERN!, felt refreshing, riding an eighties synth pop vibe through a mellow but uplifting jam. The mood softened further as the band segued into "POP," another BIG MODERN! cut that was written by Anspach. The synth heavy tune was short but sweet, and left a taste of hope for a more substantial jam down the line.

An eighteen minute "Dustin Hoffman," off Everything Must Go, followed, and it was all in motion now. As the band delved into the funky, melodic tune, Ellis crushed the drums through the buildup while Weekz once again served as the driver through a slow simmer jam. Mitarotonda slowly emerged to match him, and reached tasty peaks with licks that leaned toward prog rock. Like the openers, "Dustin Hoffman" was a reliable rotation piece, the kind of anchor the band could depend on in a compressed set.

Vintage tune "Turned Clouds," from 2016's Moon Cabin, brought the crowd back to earth. Anspach used the Hammond B3 organ while Mitarotonda slayed the joyous blues rock chords.

"The Empress Of Organos," off 2025's Chain Yer Dragon, came next and quickly became the centerpiece of the evening. Anspach got the crowd clapping, Weekz took his usual solo, and Ellis, who was steady behind the kit in attire reminiscent of Woody from Toy Story and Elton John-esque eyewear, kept the beat while layering in the drum pad for extra texture. The tune clocked in at nearly twenty-three minutes, remarkably long for such a lively number, and the jam turned psychedelic disco as the band sank its teeth in. Lighting director Andrew Goedde complemented the passage perfectly. About midway through, the vibe shifted into a dark, fast paced, bass fueled jam, also known as the goonz, as Goedde draped a multicolor animal print behind the band. That evil jam was the clear highlight of the show and well worth a re-listen. Fittingly, fans left calling the night's "Empress to Empress" a Jam of the Year contender because a properly jammed Empress remains uncommon, and this instance was the longest single piece of music of the night.

The band dropped the energy and slid into "Rosewood Heart," a Vasudo tune that appeared on 2016's Moon Cabin. Mitarotonda and Weekz moved in lockstep through the melody, and as the jam softened, Weekz took the helm and slowly began to build. Mitarotonda soared with tension and release as the group closed the main set with a raging twenty minute version, well past the tune's average of roughly sixteen minutes.

After stepping offstage, the band returned with Anspach thanking those who hung out in the parking garages surrounding the venue. The encore opened with "Shama Lama Ding Dong," the Otis Day & The Knights cover, which Mitarotonda laced with a "Secret Agent Man" tease before the band left it unfinished and rolled back into "The Empress Of Organos" to close the night with a bang. That reprise completed a striking structural wrinkle with the two Empresses bracketed "Rosewood Heart," the encore break, and a cover all at once. It read as a variant of a known Goose signature, which is the sprawling Empress of Organos sandwich wrapped around a "Shama Lama Ding Dong" filling, though this time stretched across the set and encore boundary in a show cut short by weather.

Goose will ring in Independence Day weekend with a two-night run at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY (July 3-4). The Disco Biscuits join the celebration on July 3 and moe. takes the stage on July 4. Following a short summer pause, the band will resume touring with appearances at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego, CA (Aug. 13), 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 Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, BC (Aug. 18). The tour will then wind through Seattle, WA, Bend, OR, Bonner, MT, Morrison, CO, Salt Lake City, UT, Bellvue, CO, a second visit to Morrison, CO, and Dillon, CO before wrapping up the summer leg in early September. Visit Goose's tour page for additional dates, ticket information, and the latest tour updates.

Check out more photos from the show! 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), and Raleigh night one (review/photos).

Band: Goose
Location: Raleigh, NC
Venue: Red Hat Amphitheater
Date: June 27, 2026

Set: Same Old Shenanigans, Your Direction > Bloodbuzz Ohio [1], Savenger, POP, Dustin Hoffman, Turned Clouds, The Empress Of Organos > Rosewood Heart
Encore: Shama Lama Ding Dong [2] > The Empress Of Organos
Soundcheck: Not Alone, Good Times // End Times

Notes:
[1] The National.
[2] Otis Day & The Knights. Unfinished. With Secret Agent Man tease from Rick.