Goose Celebrates Knicks’ Championship, Debuts ‘BIG MODERN!’ Cuts & Jams With Stuart Bogie At MSG

Goose returned to Madison Square Garden this weekend for concerts at the “World’s Greatest Arena” on Friday and Saturday night. Each show featured live debuts of material from the quartet’s new album, BIG MODERN!, and extended collaborations with woodwind specialist Stuart Bogie.

The two-night run at MSG will inevitably be remember for what happened on Saturday night, when 51-year-old fan Paul Kueker died after falling from an elevated position during setbreak. The band later issued a statement saying it was “deeply saddened and heartbroken,” extending condolences to those affected and thanking emergency and venue staff for their response. Goose began their Sunday night show at nearby Central Park SummerStage with a tribute to Kueker.

In the shadow of those events, the performances assume a different kind of significance with Goose’s expansive arrangements and dynamic shifts feeling especially resonant given what unfolded offstage. There was also a celebratory tone before the incident as the band had just released their best studio album yet, BIG MODERN!, and were playing at the home of the newly-crowned NBA champion New York Knicks.

Goose acknowleged the Knicks’ victory by taking the stage on Friday while the team’s anthem “Go New York Go” and clips of their big wins were played over the house PA. Additionally, multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach sported a vintage Knicks jacket.

On BIG MODERN!, Goose moves effortlessly from heartland piano ballads to orchestral jazz flourishes and ’80s-infused synth rock in a way that mirrors sonic shifts at their live shows. The 15-track album, the band’s third LP in 14 months, captures a band at its creative zenith, while offering commentary on these uncertain times.

BIG MODERN! was at the heart of Goose’s setlists on both Friday and Saturday nights. At the first show, the four-piece debuted the LP’s “POP” and “Savenger” early in the opening set and delivered an otherworldly 15-minute “Good2B” in the middle of the closing stanza. Night two was bookended by the album’s “MEDIA” and “SALT,” with a massive “BIG MODERN!” sandwich encompassing live premieres of “Good Times // End Times” and “(((postplace)))” as the bulk of Saturday’s second set.

What was particularly impressive was to think back to the start of Goose's September 2024 Tour in Holmdel, New Jersey less than two years prior. On that memorable night, in front of one of their largest crowds to date, the quartet shocked fans with the +38-minute debut of “BIG MODERN!” to start the second set. The song marked a huge progression in the band’s songwriting and left many concertgoers’ jaws agape at PNC Bank Arts Center.

Fast forward to this past Saturday night, when Goose lit into “BIG MODERN!” at MSG. Looking around, there were many fans singing along with every lyric, showing both the community is picking up what Goose is laying down and how passionate their fanbase continues to be. The dark, eerie improvisation almost seemed like a response to the tragic incident at setbreak, despite the band not learning about Kueker’s death until after the show.

Goose found their way from “BIG MODERN!” into “Good Times // End Times,” a standout song off the new album performed live for the first time. The apocalyptic lyrics resonated extra hard on Saturday, such as “Everyone’s asking // How did it happen?” and “There’s no tomorrow // For your hometown hero.”

Other highlights from Goose’s second visit to MSG in as many years featured Stuart Bogie. The Brooklyn-based musician is a longtime friend and collaborator of Goose and their chemistry was on display at portions of both shows.

Bogie added to the majority of the band’s second set on Saturday, playing various woodwind instruments on a run connecting “Into The Myst,” “Good2B” and “Elmeg The Wise,” along with a standalone “The Empress Of Organos.” Stuart was back in the mix for “MEDIA,” “Hot Tea,” “Wysteria Lane” and an enthralling cover of Radiohead’s “Burn The Witch” during Sunday’s first set and returned to make tasteful contributions to a take on the Fat Freddy’s Drop number “Fish In The Sea” in set two.

Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda continues to evolve with each passing tour. Mitarotonda’s shredding is so crucial to the band’s jams and he’s also learned how to take his foot off the gas when necessary. Drummer Cotter Ellis powered the improv with power and fury, while bassist Trevor Weekz kept the jams moving forward. Peter Anspach swapped between guitar and keyboards, always adding an extra dimension to the songs.

After wrapping their weekend in NYC, Goose now heads to the Carolinas for two-night stands in North Charleston and Raleigh. Watch livestreams of most summer shows, including replays of both MSG concerts, with a nugs subscription.

Goose just added three shows in Colorado to their already extensive summer tour. A show at Mishawaka Amphitheatre on August 31 will be followed by concerts at Red Rocks on September 1 and Dillon Amphitheater on September 2. The band already had two sold-out shows at Red Rocks on the books.

A presale lottery for the newly added shows is currently underway through Wednesday, June 24 at 10 p.m. MT. Winners will be notified on Monday, June 29.

Photos by Evan Brown

Setlists (via ElGoose.net)

Friday, June 19

Set One: Thatch, Borne -> POP[1], Savenger[1], Peach, Seekers on the Ridge pt I > Seekers on the Ridge pt II, Echo of a Rose[2]

Set Two: Pancakes, Into the Myst[3] -> Good2B[4] -> Elmeg The Wise[4], The Empress Of Organos[4]

Encore: State Of The Art (A.E.I.O.U.)

Coach’s Notes:

• [1] FTP.
• [2] Fast version.
• [3] Unfinished. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
• [4] With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.

Show Notes: Before the first set, the PA played some highlights from the recent New York Knicks NBA Finals championship and “Go New York Go.”

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Saturday, June 20

Set One: MEDIA[1], Hot Tea[1], Rockdale, Wysteria Lane[1] > Burn The Witch[2], Slow Ready

Set Two: Arrow[3] > Fish In The Sea [4], Big Modern! > Good Times // End Times[5] > (((postplace)))[5] -> Big Modern!

Encore: SALT

Coach’s Notes:

• [1] With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
• [2] Radiohead. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
• [3] Unfinished.
• [4] Fat Freddy’s Drop. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
• [5] FTP.