Goose returned to the Stone Pony Summer Stage, located in the parking lot of the famed Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on July 4th, 2023. The township decided to host their annual display on July 3rd, which forced the band to do the only thing they know: deliver a killer show full of exploratory jams and light up Independence Day in place of the fireworks. This Connecticut-based quintet threw a pair of first-time played covers and a set list rarity into a soon-to-be legendary two-set Garden State heater.
The show began with a short but sweet "Atlas Dogs," followed by the Vasudo original "Turbulence & The Night Rays." Drummer Ben Atkind took a moment between songs to say Happy Birthday to the glowing Leslie Mac, who is the co-host of the Goose Chicks Podcast on Osiris, amongst other accolades. The band then played "Mr. Action," and this one was for Leslie Mac.
The meat of the set came next with a vibrant, singalong-inducing "Butter Rum." This was proceeded by "Tumble," which was the longest jam of the set. The band had a few tricks up their sleeves, and the first came in the form of "U.S. Blues" by the Grateful Dead cover. Goose's predecessor Vasudo played "U.S. Blues" three times during their tenure, but Goose had not played the song prior. The audience appeared to really enjoy this classic USA-themed Dead tune. The band took a short break afterward.
The tricks kept rolling as the band started off the second set with "Wild Summer Nights" by John Cafferty, known for his work with John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band. An eighteen-minute "Thatch" saw some deeper exploration by the band. Multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach teased "Secret Agent Man" on the keyboard. Lighting Director Andrew Goedde and his team flexed their muscle with a stellar lighting display during "Into the Myst." This version was a bit shorter than fans are used to, as it transitioned into "What's Up" by the 4 Non Blondes. This song was last played at the Joy Theater in New Orleans on October 7, 2022, and rounded out the exciting cover trio. "Myst" remained unfinished.
The show was not over quite yet, as Goose decided to end the set with a monster, nineteen-minute "Arrow." Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda was on another planet during the deep jam, which included a mix of blues and funk guitar. Upon conclusion of "Arrow," the band stepped offstage and returned to the crowd on their feet and cheering. The show ended with a dance-inducing "Slow Ready."
Goose is back in action at the Newport Folk Festival on July 29th. Hop on over to their tour page for more details on their fall tour.
For more coverage of Goose in Asbury Park, hop on over to our review from July 3rd. Also, check out more photos from this show!
Set 1: Atlas Dogs, Turbulence & The Night Rays, Mr. Action, Butter Rum, Tumble, U.S. Blues[1]
Set 2: Wild Summer Nights[2], Thatch[3], Hungersite, Into The Myst[4] > What's Up[5], Arrow
Encore: Slow Ready
Teases: "Secret Agent Man" tease in Thatch
Coach's Notes:
[1] Grateful Dead. FTP as Goose.
[2] John Cafferty. FTP.
[3] With Secret Agent Man tease from Peter.
[4] Unfinished.
[5] 4 Non Blondes.
