Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on December 16, 2025
Goose | Goosemas 2025 | Providence, RI | photos by Jamie Huenefeld/Killahwave
Goosemas returned in full theatrical form on December 12, 2025 to Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. This venue transformed into a surreal traveling carnival where music, spectacle, and improvisation blurred together. With elaborate staging, costumed characters, jazzy overtones and a first set steeped in animal imagery, Goose delivered a night that felt as carefully designed as it was wildly spontaneous.
The stage featured two Phantom Menagerie booths that might appear at a supernatural carnival, with a tree in between. The band walked onstage wearing carnival-themed costumes. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda wore a carnival-style red suit with steampunk sunglasses, multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach was dressed as a clown, bassist Trevor Weekz appeared in an organ-grinder-style outfit, and drummer Cotter Ellis was fittingly a jester.
As the show began, sounds from a time machine could be heard and lights coordinated by Lighting Director Andrew Goedde filled the room. Our host Barnaby Glimpse appeared on stage, whom many will remember from Goosemas 2024 as Lucky Lou. They dropped into an upbeat “Dramophone” by Caravan Palace, which carried an old-timey feel despite being written in 2012. Jazz musician Stuart Bogie joined on clarinet as animal puppets and costumed performers danced in the photo pit and onstage, including monkeys, a cardinal, donkeys, cats, and multiple big birds. Balloons dropped from the ceiling—some shaped like animals—while carnies handed out boxes of Goose-themed animal crackers.
After the Phantom Menagerie exited the stage, the band dropped into a well-executed segue into “Creatures.” This Goosemas staple now played at the annual event in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Bogie remained onstage, complementing the deep groove on saxophone as Goedde drenched the crowd from the oblong-shaped lighting rig that straddled the floor. As the jam mellowed, Bogie added accents that meshed seamlessly around the other four.
The eighteen-minute heater eventually found its way into “Atlas Dogs,” another frequent Goosemas tune that has appeared at four of the five events since its debut. Bogie continued on saxophone as Cotter delivered recognizably resonant drum beats. The music dipped and rose again as Bogie firmly cemented himself within the deliciously jazzy jam.
“Red Bird” followed as Bogie pivoted back to clarinet. The jazz interplay between Bogie and Mitarotonda began to feel reminiscent of the famed Branford Marsalis and Grateful Dead collaboration in 1990. The musicians flowed effortlessly together, as though this configuration were second nature, while “Red Bird” evolved into a darker jam perfectly complemented by a wicked lighting display.
That smooth harmonization transitioned into a galvanized “Silver Rising,” a werewolf tale that continued the animal theme of the first set. Bogie returned to saxophone, adding woodwind complements to the tune for the first time. The quartet then introduced a new blues-rock cover, “Bear” by Shouting Matches, channeling a Black Crowes–style swagger as the bear puppet returned to the photo pit for more bear-y cute dance moves. A tease of “Moby” followed before the band launched into the elusive tune. This version was sublime, played for only the second time in 2025 and last heard on February 13 in Grand Rapids, MI. Bogie elevated the instrumental on saxophone.
Ellis kicked up the drums as Anspach dropped into the familiar organ sequence from Pink Floyd’s “Pigs,” a first-time-played cover sung by both Mitarotonda and Ellis. Bogie’s saxophone pulled Goose out of their comfort zone and re-balanced the band on the fly. Where Pink Floyd used sax as a carefully rationed emotional accent, Bogie functioned here as a live-wire catalyst, and reshaped the jam rather than reinforcing the structure.
“Animal” followed, with Bogie on flute for the introduction before transitioning to saxophone, bending notes around the beat and pushing the jam away from the song’s typically metrical precision. Mitarotonda answered with a searing guitar sequence to close the set, which Barnaby Glimpse book-ended with spirited commentary.
The second set traded animals for motion, and swapped the Phantom Menagerie booths for a stagecoach onstage. A high-energy “So Ready” kicked things off without Bogie, who had already begun to feel like an honorary fifth member. Anspach shifted between guitar, clav, and organ as a ferocious drum buildup closed the tune.
As they moved into jam vehicle “Arrow,” Bogie returned on saxophone, notably reprising his role from the band’s June 24, 2022 performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY. Bogie and Mitarotonda harmonized and played off one another through the song’s core, with the sax adding narrative between peaks rather than simply fueling the chorus. Anspach bounced between keys and guitar while Weekz drove the jam on bass.
A dark, synthy turn followed, with Bogie’s eerie saxophone ushered in a menacing “Burn the Witch” by Radiohead. Anspach returned to guitar as Bogie delivered what sounded like a baritone sax accompaniment, while Goedde dialed up a wall of lights that seemed to circle the stage as the band pushed the banger to new heights.
Heavy hitter “Madhuvan” delivered another twenty-minute heater as Bogie stepped aside and the foursome ignited a raging jam, complete with a “Dueling Banjos” tease. The energy cooled as the band eased into “Dripfield,” with green, purple, and blue lights washing the stage. Bogie returned triumphantly on saxophone as the light rig took on a personality of its own, while Anspach’s clav and Mitarotonda’s guitar simmered through the extended peak. Ambient music signaled the end of the set as the band exited.
The quintet returned for the encore with “Jed Stone” from Chain Yer Dragons. If the first set belonged to the animals, “Jed Stone” belonged to the traveler moving quietly through the spectacle, offering a needed moment of calm. Bogie contributed subtly on saxophone and clarinet as Weekz continued to shine. Ellis departed before the remaining members played “Master & a Hound,” a first-time cover by Gregory Alan Isakov. Bogie and Weekz stepped away as Mitarotonda and Anspach delivered another debut with Neil Young’s “Sugar Mountain.” The emotional comedown reminded listeners that every carnival eventually packs up and moves on. The show ended with Mitarotonda alone under the stained-glass light. He quietly shut off the light before exiting.
Goose is back in action starting in March 2026 with an appearance at Jam in the Streets in Athens, GA on March 28. They stop next in Asheville, NC on April 10 and Birmingham, AL on April 11. They will then embark on an exciting run in the Sunshine State, starting with an appearance at the Florida Groove Music Festival on April 12. They head further South to Ft. Lauderdale on April 14-15. They head back on central Florida on April 17 to perform in Clearwater, and cap off this Florida run with two nights in St. Augustine on April 18-19. Afterwards, they have dates in New Orleans and an Texas run featuring shows in Houston, Austin and Irving. On May 5-7, they will kick off their second annual international festival Viva El Gonzo in San Juan Del Cabo, Mexico. Head on over to their tour page for more dates and details on these shows.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Goose
Date: December 12, 2025
Location: Providence, RI
Venue: Amica Mutual Pavilion
Set One: Dramophone[1] -> Creatures[2] -> Atlas Dogs[2] > Red Bird[2] > Silver Rising[2], Bear[3] -> Moby > Pigs (Three Different Ones)[4], Animal[2]
Set Two: So Ready, Arrow[5] -> Burn The Witch[6], Madhuvan[7] > Dripfield[2]
Encore: Jed Stone[2], Master & A Hound[8] > Sugar Mountain[9]
Coach’s Notes:
[1] Caravan Palace. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[2] With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[3] The Shouting Matches. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[4] Pink Floyd. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[5] Unfinished. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[6] Radiohead. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[7] With Dueling Banjos tease.
[8] Gregory Alan Isakov. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds and no Cotter.
[9] Neil Young. FTP. Rick & Peter duet that ended with Rick solo.
Setlist via elgoose.net
