Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on 2026-07-09
Goose opened a two-night stand at Albany Med Health System at SPAC, also known as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, on Friday July 3, 2026, with a very memorable show that raged hard and brought plenty of the goontz. A rain delay pushed the second set back roughly thirty minutes. A borrowed laser rig from The Disco Biscuits turned multiple jams inside out. Bassist Marc Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits joined the band on stage for one of the best versions of "So Ready" the band has ever performed.
The Disco Biscuits performed for the second time in their career at SPAC, with the first opening for Phil Lesh and Friends and RatDog on July 22, 2001. They brought a set of jamtronica complete with lasers, starting with "Twisted in the Road," from their rock opera Revolution in Motion. "Story of the World" followed, which segued into "Tricycle" and back into "Story of the World." "Three Wishes" hopped in next. This tune was played for the third time in six weeks after a nine-year hiatus. "Risky Business" remained unfinished before a hot segue into the vintage "I-Man." For the first time in their career, that tune flowed into the rare "Sabre Dance," last played at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, TN on April 12, 2024. Overall, they dropped a solid set that had those who arrived early dancing pretty hard.
Tonight's Goose show included the debut of guitarist Rick Mitarotonda's newest guitar, The Lemurian Scepter, named for a rare and highly prized type of quartz crystal. The instrument is a continuation of the Empress guitar he had been using. It has a curly koa top, back and sides with an Eastern maple neck, all custom made by DeLuis Guitars.
The first set kicked off with "Echo of a Rose," from Chain Yer Dragon, and became psychedelic quite quickly. Bassist Trevor Weekz came out hot, matching the ongoing heat wave. This sixteen-minute version featured an excellent use of the cymbals and snare drums by Cotter Ellis. The tune rarely lands in the lead-off spot, which it has occupied on roughly nine percent of its plays, and it ran forty-four percent longer than its own average.
The Constitution State quartet followed with a seventeen-minute "Dustin Hoffman," off Everything Must Go, and dialed up the funk considerably. Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach switched to the clavinet on the first notes. Mitarotonda reached some tasty peaks early. A melodic bass jam ensued with Anspach decorating on the keys. Mitarotonda brought the jam home strong.
An atmospheric transition found the band in "Strange Overtones," the Brian Eno and David Byrne cover, which was last played in Melkweg, Netherlands on May 27, 2026. New tune "POP," from the recent release BIG MODERN!, followed.
A smooth transition led into "Borne," from Dripfield. The band used the Disco Biscuits' lasers during the dark "Borne" jam. This one was bass-driven by Weekz and delved into goontz territory early. Hopefully they will buy lasers for Andrew Goedde to use occasionally, because the addition was elevating to say the least. This was one of the best "Borne" jams they have done, complete with evil, minor chords. Weekz continued to unfurl EDM-style bass. It spilled into "MEDIA," another BIG MODERN! cut, and the pairing had never happened before in the band's history. At fourteen minutes, this was the third-longest "MEDIA" ever played and really hit hard. The vibe remained dark and goontzy, complemented by those delicious lasers.
The room cooled off with "Jed Stone," the second-longest version the band has ever performed. "The Empress Of Organos," also from Chain Yer Dragon, followed. The crowd was loving it, and the energy was electric. Anspach had a nice piano-effect solo. A bass-driven, murky jam emerged, almost back in the goontz. They were not messing around tonight. Mitarotonda brought the music back to earth over eighteen minutes, which closed the first set and was the longest single stretch of the night at that point.
Rain delayed the set break. Perhaps this raging "Empress" summoned the storm. Folks were asked to shelter in place. There were a couple of nearby lightning strikes, but the weather passed quickly and the delay was lifted about thirty minutes later. Goedde tested the lasers during the break, foreshadowing the second set.
"Thatch," from Dripfield, kicked off set two and the lasers were armed subtly. The jam went dark quickly. A slow burn built over an EDM bass line during this twenty minute version. This eventually pivoted to a more pop-meets-blues-rock feel that manifested as "Good2B." That tune created an upbeat synth-pop passage that earned its billing as the feel-good song of summer 2026. Mitarotonda fell into a sweet pocket.
An interesting pivot moved into "Good Times // End Times," another new one from BIG MODERN! The fans certainly got lost in this palindrome. The lasers delightfully returned albeit delicately. The bass line stayed edgy as the band dug in. A noodley segue with atmospheric layers delivered them into a short and mellow "(((postplace)))."
As the band moved into a funky "So Ready," the oldest tune of the night by a wide margin and the lone selection from Moon Cabin, they announced that they didn't have time for an encore break and instead would play straight through. The jam quickly turned dark and goontz-y. Ellis layered in the drum pad as Brownstein entered the stage. Weekz morphed into his alter ego DJ Marb Menthols on turntables. There was a distinctive change in the bass line, with the result being very dark jungle beats similar to the Disco Biscuits. This continued as they made their way back into "So Ready." Seventeen minutes and forty-four percent above its own average, this was one of the best versions of "So Ready" they have ever performed. This tune was a fitting close to a night that provided nearly three hours of incredible music. If only the show could have gone on forever. One can only wish.
After a brief midsummer break, Goose will embark on a West Coast swing beginning at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego, CA (Aug. 13). The band will then visit 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 journey will continue through Seattle, WA, Bend, OR, Bonner, MT, Morrison, CO, Salt Lake City, UT, Bellvue, CO, a return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and Dillon, CO before the calendar turns to fall. The autumn schedule begins with Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville, KY (Sept. 24-27), followed by a November run featuring a two-night stand at The Midland Theatre in Kansas City, MO (Nov. 3-4), Miller High Life Theatre in Milwaukee, WI (Nov. 6), John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA (Nov. 18), and Citizens Live at The Wylie in Pittsburgh, PA (Nov. 19). Visit Goose's tour page for the complete itinerary and ticket information.
Check out more photos from Goose and the Disco Biscuits! 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), and Holmdel (review/photos).
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Venue: Albany Med Health System at SPAC
Date: July 3, 2026
Band: The Disco Biscuits
Set: Twisted in the Road, Story of the World > Tricycle > Story of the World, Three Wishes, Risky Business [1] > I-Man [1] > Sabre Dance [2]
Notes:
[1] Unfinished.
[2] Last played April 12, 2024 (163 shows).
Band: Goose
Set One: Echo of a Rose [1], Dustin Hoffman, Strange Overtones [2], POP, Borne > MEDIA, Jed Stone, The Empress Of Organos
Set Two: Thatch [3] > Good2B, Good Times // End Times > (((postplace))), So Ready [4]
Notes:
[1] Fast version.
[2] David Byrne & Brian Eno.
[3] Unfinished.
[4] With Marc Brownstein on bass and DJ Marb Menthols on turntables.
