Goose Delivers Rarities & Debut At Austin New Year’s Eve Celebration

Goose wrapped up their big 2024 with a New Year’s Eve concert at Austin’s Moody Center. The show was the second of two “Formal Affair” performances and the band dressed to impress.

The Connecticut-based quintet treated fans to a two-set performance featuring plenty of favorites. Goose also threw in a few rarities and a cover debut over the course of the evening.

Goose opened with a “Pancakes” that contained a massive peak. The atmospheric “Everything Must Go” filled the two-slot ahead of an unfinished “Drive” that gave way to the first “The Labyrinth” since June.

Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda handled lead vocals on the ensuing “I Only Have Eyes For You.” The beautiful ballad originally written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin was a Goose debut. The five-piece went with the doo-wop arrangement created by The Flamingos for their 1959 hit. Fan favorites “Slow Ready” and “Tumble” were tacked on to end the first set.

Goose broke out a cover of Tevin Campbell’s “I2I” at the beginning of the second set. The band hadn’t performed the song from the 1995 film A Goofy Movie since June 15, 2019 — a span of 382 shows. “I2I” was given the jam treatment and featured stellar improvisation. “Hungersite” followed and bled into the conclusion of a “Big Modern!” started the previous night.

The end of “Big Modern!” flowed into the start of “Flowdown,” but instead of playing the song proper, the band slowed the groove and launched into Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” Goose used the cover they had debuted earlier in the month at Goosemas to countdown into 2025. Balloons fell as the quintet continued performing the classic song.

A “Hot Tea” filled with soaring improvisation kept the festivities going. The rollicking “Thatch” punctuated the second set, complete with more impressive exploration. “Thatch” was ultimately left unfinished. Goose returned for a crowd-pleasing “Factory Fiction” encore.

Listen to the official soundboard audio of Goose’s New Year’s Eve show in Austin below via nugs.net. Additionally, nugs.net subscribers can view an on-demand video replay of the concert.

Goose starts a brief winter tour on February 6 with the first of three shows at the Miller High Life Theatre in Milwaukee. Dates in Toronto and Grand Rapids follow.

Setlist (via ElGoose.net)

Set One: Pancakes, Everything Must Go, Drive[1] -> The Labyrinth, I Only Have Eyes For You[2], Slow Ready, Tumble

Set Two: I2I[3], Hungersite -> Big Modern![4] > Flodown[5] -> Don’t Leave Me This Way[6], Hot Tea, Thatch[1]

Encore: Factory Fiction

• [1] Unfinished.
• [2] The Flamingos. FTP.
• [3] Tevin Campbell.
• [4] Partial completion of version from 12/30/24.
• [5] Intro jam only.
• [6] Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Partial version.

Show Notes: The Labyrinth was played for the first time since June 20, 2024 (51 shows). I2I was played for the first time since June 15, 2019 (382 shows).