Goose performs on the first of two nights at The Chrysalis in Merriweather Park the evening of Aug. 12, 2022. (Photo by Casey Vock)

It’s difficult to keep tabs on the progress and achievements of some of the busiest and most prolific bands out there.

But you’d have to be intentionally ignoring live music news to have missed any recent updates on Goose, a group that began in earnest in 2014 and has experienced a recent rapid rise in popularity, including through the pandemic years.

Some might call them a jam band, to others it’s an improvisational groove outfit, but whatever the case, Goose rolled into Columbia this past weekend as one of the most talked-about acts in the land and the perfect one to play two consecutive nights at the mystical Chrysalis Stage at Merriweather Park on Aug. 12 and 13.

Touring in support of the band’s fourth full-length studio album, Dripfield, Goose was still riding the buzz of a guest appearance by Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio at a late June show in New York City as well as a recent appearance at the Newport Folk Festival as part of a busy tour schedule. And it was the second time this year the band made its way to the DMV after selling out back-to-back nights at 9:30 Club back on March 1 and 2.

Stream Goose’s 2022 studio album, Dripfield, via Spotify:

Playing to a crowd that took up a good portion of the woodsy venue’s 10,000-person capacity, Goose last Friday night delivered a performance the likes of which Chrysalis Stage might not yet have hosted in its young history, a venue opened in 2017 only to have its early years hindered by the pandemic.

But fans of all ages filled the grassy slope of the park, packed close to the 60-foot-tall, bright-green tiled construction and all the way back up underneath the massive trees as the sun was setting and the five-piece outfit from Norwalk, Connecticut, took the stage for what became a long haul of nearly three hours’ worth of music and a mind-blowing light exhibition made all the more alluring cast against the surrounding brush canopies, a just barely-waning moon overhead and planes buzzing past for landing at nearby BWI.

“Goooooose,” calls came from all crannies and corners of the grounds, and many fans were quick to fill their hands with the band’s sought-after merchandise, including limited edition posters commemorating the weekend.

The festive and highly anticipated night one included a convincing first set, highlighted by the powerful opening trio of “Butterflies,” “Butter Rum,” and “Lead the Way” and, later in the set, a spirited cover of The Who’s “My Generation” that spoke to a band with tremendous momentum and the blessings of some of the most influential people in live music.

Kicked off with a magnificent, far-reaching take on “All I Need,” one that morphed in beguiling fashion over the course of 35 minutes, the second set was stunning and impressive proof that Goose is unquestionably deserving of its reputation as the next great touring improv rock band. This hard-working crew has clearly learned from previous generations to expand and polish its sound earlier in its career and has been quicker to forge valuable relationships with those who came before them, all the while carefully harvesting the band member’s own modern influences.

Watch the official music video for Goose’s 2022 release Hungersite via the band’s YouTube channel:

Producing a sparkling clean, seamless style of jamming built largely on lead guitarist Rick Mitarotonda’s precision, Goose was masterful in passing the torch around The Chrysalis stage. Each talented player was given the time and space to make their own unique impressions within the oftentimes complicated, treacherous, and absorbing compositions, with each song noteworthy in its own right as a canvas for improvisation.

Peter Anspach, the genial multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who joined Goose in 2017, was crucial in concocting a range of sounds, as he’d move from electric guitar to the keys and ultimately make his way with his rig out to boogie in front of the audience for one of the most unforgettable moments of the night.

Bassist Trevor Weekz, drummer Ben Atkind and percussionist Jeff Arevalo, who joined the band in 2020 just before Goose began playing some of the largest venues it’s seen, appeared seasoned and savvy beyond their years, sustaining the groove with no real gap in the music during Friday night’s climactic second set, and the band was arguably even sharper and more exact Saturday, too, as Parklife DC was in attendance for both shows.

Thanking the crowd to close out Saturday night, Anspach foreshadowed what many believe to be a reality in the near future for this bright and magnetic group.

“Thank you, guys, so much,” Peter said, his infectious smile visible from off in the sticks of the venue.

“We hope someday to play in that amphitheater that’s over there,” he gestured toward the crest of the hill. “Maybe you guys can help us and tell your friends about us.”

And if attendees didn’t turn right around to tell their friends about Goose and their entrancing live presentation, they’ll almost certainly catch wind of the news that broke in the days following the stop at Chrysalis Stage: a joint tour this November between Goose and none other than the Trey Anastasio Band.

Watch the announcement video created for the Goose and Trey Anastasio Band joint fall tour via the Goose YouTube channel:

Revealed via social media by way of a hilarious clip, the tour will see the guitar god take the stage with the young stars for a series of eight concerts, including a Nov. 17 date at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax.

Setlist

Set 1

Butterflies
Butter Rum
Lead the Way
The Whales
My Generation (The Who)
Jive I

Set 2

All I Need
The Old Man’s Boat
Creatures>
Shama Lama Ding Dong (Otis Day and the Knights)

Encore

Tumble

Here are images of Goose performing at The Chrysalis at Merriweather Park on Aug. 12, 2022. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Vock.

And one iPhone shot from Night 2, April 13.