It’s been a rainy summer in the mountains this year, there’s no doubt about that. Locals will tell you that it’s great for the fire situation (and they are not wrong) but it was a little rough on Tuesday night when Goose steered their meteoric rise toward the high country for a stop at the wildly beautiful Dillon Amphitheater.
As I made my way up from Denver, the rain – heavy at times – showed a few signs of breaking and I even saw a few shards of blue sky, but it was not to be. When I pulled into the parking lot of my buddy’s condo, the whole Dillon area was socked in and a light but steady rain was falling. Though the energy was high with our crew, it seemed clear this was going to be a wet night and we layered up accordingly.
By the time the boys opened the show with the slow burn of “Bob Don” and Peter made a joke about “summertime in Colorado,” the rain was light enough that it wasn’t soaking through to the skin, but that’s about the best that could be said. A fiery “Time To Flee” warmed us up a bit as Rick and company stretched it to almost 20 minutes providing an early highlight.
“Indian River” showcased an interesting new arrangement that reflected the direction some of the newer Goose songs have been heading. It surprised a few longtime fans in our crew (the tune was originally featured on the band’s 2016 release Moon Cabin), but I welcome these kinds of steps in a band’s career. A midset romp through a take on “S.O.S.” (Same Old Shenanigans) that bled into “(dawn)” and “The Labyrinth” showcased some more guitar heroics from Rick while Peter danced between the keys and his axe and Trevor, stoic as always, held down a rock solid low end.
As the daylight faded behind the mountains, the band dropped into “Hot Tea” and people from all over ran back to their spots to settle in for the reliable old-school jam vehicle – and Goose did not disappoint. The lengthy jam built to several patient peaks and left the crowd damp, but very satisfied.
I’ve seen the band several times since my first experience in December of 2019 and one thing that has really impressed me recently is how they have learned to lay off the gas a bit and let the jams develop and build naturally without going straight from 0 to 60. They have become much more confident with the slower and quieter sections of the show and that makes the peaks stand out that might higher. It’s been a ton of fun to watch!
The second frame opened with the coveted “Flodown” and spun some heads when the circus like riff emerged from a wild jam. “Drive” and “Western Sun” set the stage for my first “Moby” and I have to say I went a little nuts. I’ve loved this jam since I first heard it on Ted Tapes 2021 (Listen Here!) and it is in my regular rotation. Hard to believe that this tune originated as an improvised soundcheck jam.
Another song from Moon Cabin, “Into The Myst” felt very appropriate as the light, mist-like rain enveloped us all. The middle of the jam slowed way down as Trevor took an understated Bass solo but it wasn’t long before Peter took over on the Keys and things built up to a fever pitch again with Rick driving a wild peak.
The set closed with rhythmic clapping introducing the relatively new “Pancakes” and it was instantly clear why this song has become such a fan favorite of late. The tune showcases so much of what makes this band so much fun – from quirky lyrics to monster jams – and was a great choice to wrap the set. After a brief break, the boys returned with the relatively rare original reggae jam “Doobie Song” to cap a wet night – void of covers – in Dillon.
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