Out & About

Growing Number of Fans Flock to Jam Band Juggernaut Goose

PITTSBURGH - One of the fastest rising jam bands in the nation returned to the Pittsburgh area this past Thursday, electrifying an enthusiastic crowd at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center.

Goose last played to jam band fanatics in the greater Steel City region in the fall of 2022, opening for the Trey Anastasio Band - led by Phish’s frontman and guitarist. Earlier that same year, Goose played at Stage AE’s indoor venue. Before the pandemic, Goose played to Pittsburgh fans at the now (sadly) defunct Rex Theater on the South Side in 2019, and before that, the band was literally playing smaller club shows in area bars.

Those days seem far, far away today as Goose flew into town to headline the nearly 10,000-seat-capacity Petersen Events Center - a venue where established bands like Phish, Tool, The Dead and others have performed over the years.

"This is a massive place," keyboardist/guitarist Peter Anspach told the crowd. "We’re going to be filling it up in the future, for sure."

Thursday night’s crowd packed the floor of the Petersen Events Center, but only about half of the seats were filled for the weekday show, and the upper deck was closed. The crowd may have been somewhat lacking in numbers inside the much larger space, but they made up for it in overall energy. Thanks to the band’s infectious improvisational jams that at times pulsate much like an EDM show, Goose kept everyone from the die-hards in the front row to the furthest fans back in the seats gyrating to the beat throughout the night.

Consistent growth has – out of necessity – led Goose to migrate to bigger and bigger venues. While the band since forming in 2014 has earned its fans over the past decade the organic way - mostly by winning them over at high-energy live shows, their rapid ascent made them a target for criticism by some jam-band fans on the outside looking in. Many wondered how and why a band that many had never seen come up through the music festival circuit suddenly command headlining gigs at the nation’s biggest festivals.

A lot of doubting jam heads in recent years who previously questioned Goose’s legitimacy and even considered them to be a "Diet Phish" offering have gotten to eat a slice of humble pie. Several have found out in the matter of one show that Goose is for real, their musical chops are fantastic and their songs are really, really good.

One of the driving forces behind Goose’s role as a jam band juggernaut is frontman and lead guitarist Rick Mitarotonda - who also assumes lead vocals on the vast majority of the bands songs, with the mustachioed Anspach providing solid backing vocals and an occasional lead vocal.

Mitarotonda’s playing has a familiar style and voice, but it is one that is unique and unlike that of other top players in the genre. His searing leads are delivered with authentic passion that make him twist and grimace with contorted facial expressions that let you know those notes are coming from a deep-down, otherworldly place.

And Goose has a tendency to transport its listeners to that place - with almost every song.

Out of the gate, the band launched into The Whales with Anspach on guitar and lead vocals, followed by Mr. Action and an onslaught of relentless, jam-heavy selections.

The band’s dynamic sound is nailed together by world-class rhythm section consisting of bassist Trevor Weekz, percussionist Jeff Arevalo (milking it to the home crowd by sporting a Pitt T-shirt during the show) and new drummer Cotter Ellis (wearing of all things a Davy Crockett-style coon skin hat).

A killer light show and occasional burst of steam provided a visual backdrop to the live performance, which in the first set included a medley of 1980s movie soundtrack hits "Maniac" by Michael Sembello from the 1983 motion picture "Flashdance" (which was filmed in Pittsburgh) and "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins from the original 1986 "Top Gun" film. Mitarotonda’s voice blended seamlessly well into both of the cover songs.

The first set ended with the group’s popular cut "So Ready," a great track for anyone who is not familiar with Goose but may be curious to give them a listen.

The second set was a jam smorgasbord. Technically only five-songs, the second set took up a significant chunk of the show with "Madhuvan," "Travelers," "Elmug the Wise" and "Creatures" all featuring heaving jam segments. The band stuck the landing at the end of the second set with "Animal," followed by an encore with the newer tune, "SALT."

For die-hard Goose fans, Thursday night’s show in Pittsburgh was somewhat of an appetizer leading into a three-night stand this weekend in Cincinnati.

With the type of energy and chops that were on display at the mid-week show, fans in Cincy - as well as those who get the opportunity to catch Goose anytime in the future - are in for a treat.