Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on December 18, 2025
Goose continued their sure to be legendary Goosemas XII run in Providence, RI with a second night that was full of spectacle on December 13, 2025 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The stage echoed the previous evening’s second set, anchored by a stagecoach and a large white sphere that periodically glowed like a moon suspended in darkness. Where night one ended with guitarist Rick Mitarotonda alone turning off the light, night two began the same way before gradually opening into something communal. The show included no shortage of guests, first time played covers, and all the exciting twists and turns that we have come to expect from this annual event.
Mitarotonda stepped onstage accompanied by the Providence College Women’s Choir, a fitting bookend to the night before. Alone at first, he began “Wild Mountain Thyme,” letting the room settle before the choir’s voices filled the arena. This tune is a traditional Scottish/Irish folk song that has been covered by an extensive list of artist dating back to the 1950’s. One by one, the remaining band members joined, folding gently into the arrangement. The choir stayed onstage as Goose moved into “Give It Time” from Everything Must Go. Their voices lifted the chorus with warmth and depth before exiting to a well-earned ovation.
As the harmonies faded, drummer Cotter Ellis dropped into the familiar cadence that opens “Flodown,” a Goosemas regular that has made appearances at the event in 2024, 2022 and 2018. The intro alone surged with momentum as Ellis drove the energy while the band locked in quickly. Mitarotonda came alive early, carving into the jam with urgency as the third song of the night stretched into a roaring statement.
The music rolled seamlessly into “Echo of a Rose,” another vintage tune that made a repeat appearance during the holiday run. Peter Anspach pivoted to the clav, pushing the groove into funkier territory, while Trevor Weekz dove into a fluid, confident bass sequence alongside Mitarotonda. A tightly played “Into the Myst” followed, with Weekz leading the charge as all four members fired in sync. The upbeat jam bubbled and expanded before dissolving into a graceful transition.
That transition opened into “Strange Overtones,” a melodic and atmospheric cover written by Brian Eno & David Byrne. Ellis maintained a steady, hypnotic pulse as Anspach layered shimmering synth textures that evoked piano-like tones. The music briefly looped back on itself through an electronic-leaning passage before darkening in tone. From there, Goose slipped into heavy hitter “Wysteria Lane.” Weekz, the song’s author, shaped the jam with a vibrant and slappy bass-line as Mitarotonda soared into the peak.
The energy softened as the band eased into “(dawn),” a tune that is typically a section of the song “Same Old Shenanigans” and was played for only the twelfth time on it’s own. Anspach led the crowd into a clapping chant, and the arena walls resonated as thousands joined in rhythm. After exploring a range of textures and dynamics, the quartet pushed the jam toward a high-energy rock peak to bring the set to a close.
The second set began with a distinct change in the stage visuals. A fun house clown head loomed in the rear center stage alongside four vintage posters referencing “The Two-Headed Yeti,” “Spirit of the Dark Horse,” “The Man Who Fell from Venus,” and “The Man Who Belonged to the Moon.” The band emerged with three additional musicians, Dave Nelson on trombone, Jordan McLean on saxophone, and Stuart Bogie on saxophone, and formed a septet.
They opened with a first-time-played cover of The Band’s “Life Is a Carnival,” a natural fit for the expanded lineup. The horns accented the blues-rock structure with ease before the band slid into “Thatch,” marking its first performance with horn accompaniment. The jam morphed into a dangerous, syncopated groove, the horns applying rhythmic pressure in sharp bursts as Mitarotonda settled into a deep, focused pocket.
The horn section stayed on for “Big Modern!,” a newer tune that took on a late-night character with Bogie’s saxophone weaving through the chorus. The crowd responded visibly, fists pumping during the minor-key passages as the horns functioned like a percussive engine, driving momentum along with embellishment. Anspach’s keys and Weekz’s bass glued the ensemble together during the extended jam, while Lighting Director Andrew Goedde filled the room with sparkling starbursts and shifting rings of light.
“Hot Tea” followed, from their 2022 release Dripfield, and the band did not look back. The horns brought a slick, late-night television swagger, while McLean steered the groove toward New Orleans funk. Anspach returned to the clav as Ellis locked in behind the kit, and Goedde transformed the crowd into a moving matrix of light. As the jam intensified, the tongue of the fun house clown began glowing in rotating colors.
Midway through the piece, Weekz stepped inside the clown head and reemerged as his alter ego, DJ Marb Menthols. The music turned ominous and electronic as dancers appeared and applied glow-in-the-dark graffiti to the stage props. The arena shifted into a full psytrance and techno-leaning dance party—what fans affectionately call “the Goontz.” Goedde matched the genre shift beat for beat, and proved once again that the lighting was as improvisational as the music. Anspach even joined the fun, dancing briefly with a bird as costumed performers filled the stage.
Roughly ten minutes later, Weekz returned to his bass and the EDM pulse collapsed back into a fast, dark jam. The music softened, and eventually, the unmistakable guitar riff emerged of the elusive “Factory Fiction.” The reaction was immediate. Last played on June 28, 2025 at Madison Square Garden, the tune delivered an eighteen-minute journey that dipped into spacious territory before erupting. Ellis and Anspach shone in the quieter middle section, while Mitarotonda closed the set with a blistering, emotional peak.
During the break, the white globe glowed fully in the darkness as Barnaby Glimpse appeared near the soundboard, delivering a spirited monologue. The band returned with a reprise of “Dramophone” by Caravan Palace, confetti cannons firing as dancers, carnies, and oversized animal puppets flooded the stage once more. Balloons fell from the ceiling as silk dancers swung overhead, with the horn section rejoining for the celebration.
A seamless transition carried the joy into “Empress of Organos,” elevated for the first time with horns. Weekz and Anspach steered the groove as Mitarotonda and Ellis pushed the energy forward. The horns amplified the song’s sense of release, making for one of the most memorable versions to date. The choir rejoined the band for an extended vocal outro, as the horns and shared vocals carried the performance to its conclusion.
After the show, the crowd was asked to remain inside the venue while awaiting transportation, following a tragic mass shooting that had occurred earlier that day on the nearby Brown University campus. Nearby hotels and establishments were under lock-down, which was a sobering contrast to the joy inside the arena. Our hearts go out to the victims and families of those who lost their lives or were injured. We truly hope for an end to these senseless acts.
Goose returns 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 head for the Sunshine State, starting with an appearance at the Florida Groove Music Festival on April 12. Dates in Ft. Lauderdale, Clearwater, and St. Augustine follow. Afterwards, they have dates in New Orleans and a 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. On May 22, they will hop across the pond for their second Europe tour, with dates in the UK, Brussels, the Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, France and Germany. Head on over to their tour page for more dates and details on these shows.
Check out more photos from night two! Also, view our photos from night one.
Band: Goose
Date: December 13, 2025
Location: Providence, RI
Venue: Amica Mutual Pavilion
Set One: Wild Mountain Thyme[1], Give It Time[2], Flodown, Echo of a Rose[3], Into the Myst[4], Strange Overtones[5], Wysteria Lane > (dawn)
Set Two: Life Is A Carnival[6], Thatch[7], Big Modern![8], Hot Tea[9] > Jam[10], Factory Fiction
Encore: Dramophone[11] > The Empress Of Organos[12]
Coach’s Notes:
[1] Traditional. FTP. With Providence College Choir on vocals.
[2] With Providence College Choir on vocals.
[3] Fast version.
[4] Unfinished.
[5] Brian Eno & David Byrne. FTP.
[6] The Band. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Jordan McLean on trumpet.
[7] With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Jordan McLean on trumpet.
[8] Unfinished. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Jordan McLean on trumpet.
[9] Unfinished. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Jordan McLean on trumpet and Workin’ Day and Night teases.
[10] With DJ Marb Menthols on turntables.
[11] Caravan Palace. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Jordan McLean on trumpet and Cantina Band tease.
[12] With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, Jordan McLean on trumpet. Additional vocal outro featuring the Providence College Choir.
