The Connecticut based jam rock meets indie groove outfit known as Goose returned to the modern Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica for round two in "Show-hio." Despite a torrential downpour that occurred before the show began, the band lit up the iconic Cleveland waterfront nestled on the famous Erie Canal. Night two was certainly an extension of night one, and included a version of their original "Tumble" for the ages. They also slipped in several tasty covers for good measure.
The Jacobs Pavilion is located across the river from downtown Cleveland, which has a rich architectural history. Several prominent buildings serve as the backdrop for the venue, reminiscent of Pier 17 in New York City. This view included one of the crown jewels of Cleveland, also known as Terminal Tower, built in 1926 over the city's rail station, Cleveland Union Terminal. Other notable structures were the Sherwin-Williams Headquarters and Key Tower, which is the tallest building in Ohio.
The festivities began early as representatives from Jeni's Ice Cream handed out pints of their new Goose-themed flavor, Goose Tracks. This blackberry flavored ice cream with chocolate flakes was certainly a hit for those who arrived before the venue opened. The delectable dairy consumption was sadly cut short, as the skies unleashed a huge downpour of rain. Luckily, those who entered the venue at doors were able to stay dry and get some free ice cream. The rain stopped just in time for the show to begin, thankfully.
The band walked on stage with multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach thanking the crowd for braving the rain. The quartet then dove into "No Rain" by Blind Melon with no pun intended. The music wove into a nice texture jam early, though the song grew some serious legs via guitarist Rick Mitarotonda during the thirteen minute duration. Anspach contributed on guitar as well. On a side note, this jam was longer than average for "No Rain," which is currently eleven minutes and fifty nine seconds. The song was last played almost one year ago to the day at The Mann Center in Philadelphia, PA on June 28, 2024.
All evil tricks were quickly dispelled during their rendition of "Dr. Darkness." Like a freight train, Drummer Cotter Ellis led a steady build up into the fast paced "Flodown," which only complimented Mitarotonda's laser sharp guitar licks.
New tune "Give It Time" from their latest album Everything Must Go was up next. This flowed into a galvanized "Drive" that got the crowd fired up. The jam mellowed out, only to be rescued by Mitarotonda, and channeled into "Seekers on the Ridge Part 1." Ellis' skills on the kit shined brightly and were quite resonant during this intricate tune. The foursome was firing on all cylinders as they segued into "Seekers on the Ridge Part 2."
The band meandered back into "Drive," with bassist Trevor Weekz pulling everyone together. Anspach executed on the keys. Overall, they triumphantly concluded this set as a team, and took a well deserved break.
The band returned, and made all of our worries disappear during "Fish in the Sea" by Fat Freddy's Drop. This song felt particularly appropriate with all of the global instability. Anspach elevated on the synth with trance inspired moves as the band dropped into evil Goose territory. This vibe continued into a raging, raucous "Tumble" that turned the Jacobs Pavilion into a giant disco dance party. Weekz dispatched his fury on bass during this outstanding groove that was perhaps the stand-out jam of the run.
The mood subsided as the band flew into "Red Bird." The lights turned red inside the venue and on Terminal Tower concurrently, which was exciting. A melodic jam followed, along with an up beat, face melting build up. The band took another dark turn, led by Anspach on the synth, into "Amongster" by Polica. This tune was previously played by Goose side project Orebolo, but had never been played by the full band until now. The ominous, indie groove vibe was ever-present as they moved through this tune.
The band found their way into a nineteen minute "Pancakes," that lightened the mood considerably. The jam went in several directions, including a delicious layer of funk, before landing squarely back in "Pancakes," ending the set with vigor. The band stepped off stage briefly, and then returned for an energetic "So Ready" encore. Fans were so ready for more Goose after this epic Forest City throw down.
This lights out Goose summer tour sadly comes to a close this week with huge shows in Gilford, NH, Madison Square Garden, and New Haven, CT. Afterwards, they will make appearances at the Newport Folk Festival, Park City Song Summit, and the Harvest Music Festival. Their fall tour includes shows in Iowa City, IA, The Gorge in George, WA, Burlington, VT, Madison, WI, Sterling Heights, MI, Chicago, IL and more. Head on over to their tour page for more information.
Check out more photos from night two at the Jacobs Pavilion! Also, view our prior coverage of the Goose summer tour from Cleveland night one (review/photos), Fiddler's Green (review), and San Francisco (review/photos).
Band: Goose
Date: June 20, 2025
Location Cleveland, OH
Venue: Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Set One: No Rain[1], Dr. Darkness, Flodown, How It Ends > Drive > Seekers on the Ridge pt I > Seekers on the Ridge pt II > Drive
Set 2: Fish In The Sea[2], Tumble, Red Bird, Amongster[3], Pancakes
Encore: So Ready
Coach's Notes:
[1] Blind Melon.
[2] Fat Freddy’s Drop.
[3] Polica. FTP as Goose.
Set-list via elgoose.net
