Goose Debut Grateful Dead’s ‘Blues for Allah’ Suite During Goosemas Finale

Photo Credit: Stevo Rood

On Saturday, Dec. 15, Goose returned to the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, N.C., for the finale of their 11th annual installment of Goosemas, their holiday–adjacent musical celebration. The notorious December event picked up where the fun left off on night one, offering an opportunity to resume playful antics presented through the band’s chosen theme: Live Bingo. The format set up the five-piece for unrivaled improvisation, first-time plays, and an ensuing sense of surprise experienced by the joy-filled audience. 

Following a similar trajectory to night one, Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass),  Jeff Arevalo (vocals, percussion, drums) and Cotter Ellis (drums) resumed the roots of 2020’s Bingo Tour, shuffling material and allowing fate to call the shots. Like the evening prior, Goose started the occasion by reprising The Alan Parsons Project’s “Sirius,” which functioned as a debut during the band’s concert on Friday, Dec. 15, and flowed without pause on Saturday into the beloved original “Madhuvan,” and another highly prized Dripfield inclusion, “Borne.” 

Goose merged the song above with a debut of Paul Simon’s “Slip Slidin’ Away.” The first time cover was destiny’s decision, presented via bonus ball no. 5, preluding “One In, One Out” and the impetus of joy during set one: a 14-minute cosmic super search of informal improvisation [another bingo ball decision] complimented by the joy and absurdity of Mitarotonda and Anspachcrowd surfing the crowd on larger than life inflatable flamingoes while the rest of the band played on. 

“Rockdale” served as the final song of set one, allowing time to rest in preparation for ensuing moments of joy and spontaneity, resuming with a slow, melodic “All I Need.” The aforementioned song was left unfinished in place of a nonstop run of “Creatures,” “The Empress of Organos,” and the bonus ball no. 2 represented Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” which marked another debut. 

First-time plays continued with KC and the Sunshine Band’s disco anthem, “Get Down Tonight,” with 70s-clad host Lucky Lou on percussion. The second set stirred up an unfinished “Atlas Dogs” into a fast-then-forgotten “Echo of a Rose,” eventually capped after “Slow Ready,” a piece of “So Ready” and ultimate return to “Slow Ready.” 

The night’s best moment arrived during the encore. After an unfinished “Dripfield,” Goose merged into a jam section with DJ Marb Menthols on turntables before the bonus ball changed the course of the band’s live material with the first-time arrival and ensuing delivery of the three-piece Grateful Dead suite, the Blues for Allah presented, “Help on the Way,” “Slipknot!” and “Franklin’s Tower.” Ultimately, in a return to their own roots, the band segued into “The Empress Of Organos” for one final move of the night. 

Following Goosemas on Dec 13-14, livestream Goose for two nights in Austin, Texas, over New Year’s. nugs subscribers have exclusive access to both livestreams.

Scroll down to view last night’s setlist.

Goose 

North Charleston Coliseum – North Charleston, N.C.

December 14, 2024 

Set I: Sirius[1] > Madhuvan, Borne > Slip Slidin’ Away[2], One In, One Out -> Jam[3] -> Rockdale

Set II: All I Need[4] -> Creatures > The Empress Of Organos > Don’t Leave Me This Way[5], Get Down Tonight[6], Atlas Dogs[7] -> Echo of a Rose[8] > Slow Ready > So Ready -> Slow Ready

Enc.: Dripfield[7] > Jam[9], Help on the Way[10] -> Slipknot![10] > Franklin’s Tower[10] -> The Empress Of Organos

Coach’s Notes:

    [1] The Alan Parsons Project.

    [2] Paul Simon. FTP. Bonus Ball #5.

    [3] With D & B & Flamingoes and +14 Minute Jam bingo ball. Rick and Peter crowd surfed on inflatable flamingoes while the rest of the band played.

    [4] Slow, melodic version. Unfinished.

    [5] Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. FTP. Bonus Ball #2.

    [6] KC and the Sunshine Band. FTP. Bonus Ball #3. With Lucky Lou on percussion.

    [7] Unfinished.

    [8] Fast version. Unfinished.

    [9] M@rball and Cannons bingo ball. With DJ Marb Menthols on turntables.

    [10] Grateful Dead. FTP. Bonus Ball #1.

Setlist via elgoose.net.