Providence, RI. December 12th and 13th, 2025: The jam band scene is purposefully filled with surprises. The bands want to audience to feel something new. Goosemas 2025 was no different. Goose revealed a theme of a lost boy named Barnaby via YouTube days before the show. Barnaby was lost to his mother in Loverings Hollow on the eve of December the 12th, 1734. 100 years later, on December 12, 1834, Rick, Peter, Trevor, and Cotter disappeared and were not seen again until this weekend at Goosemas in Providence, RI.
Like I said, fans did not know what to expect. What happened was pure Goose. A throwdown for the ages. While some things remained the same; surprises were in store for attendees. The Goosemas tradition of first-time-played covers continued, but the balloons suspended at the arena ceiling dropped during the opening two songs. What? Balloons drop in the encore! What is this lollygagging gobbledy-goo!!?? Barnaby help us!
The theme for the weekend coalesced into this: Barnaby Glimpses a Show Upon Time: A Phantom Menagerie. Night 1, as most observers witnessed, was a dark Goose smorgasbord. Highlights included an epic “Arrow” and a super “Madhuvan” > “Dripfield”. All three songs were in the second set, and it was blistering.
Night 2 was a bright Goose extravaganza. There was a positivity flowing through the music all evening. Highlights from night 2 were a pretty fun “Thatch” augmented as so may songs were this weekend by the horn section that Goose has been featuring throughout the year. Also standing out was this night’s “Hot Tea”. The Goontz was in full effect, and it flowed seamlessly into a featured jam by none other than DJ Marb Menthol. Dance party in full swing!
While the show was in Providence, RI (not in New York), many of us New Yorkers were in attendance, seeking news of Barnaby and his whereabouts. Seeing for ourselves if we could find A Show Upon Time. Enjoy the photos (below the setlists) that I shot while seeking news of our poor lost boy! Barnaby?!?!
Night 1 setlist: (from elgoose.net)
Set 1: Dramophone[1] -> Creatures[2] ->Atlas Dogs[2] > Red Bird[2] > Silver Rising[2], Bear[3] -> Moby > Pigs (Three Different Ones)[4], Animal[2]
Set 2: So Ready, Arrow[5] -> Burn The Witch[6], Madhuvan[7] > Dripfield[2]
Encore: Jed Stone[2], Master & A Hound[8] > Sugar Mountain[9]
Coach’s Notes:
[1] Caravan Palace. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[2] With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[3] Shouting Matches. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[4] Pink Floyd. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[5] Unfinished. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[6] Radiohead. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds.
[7] With Dueling Banjos tease.
[8] Gregory Alan Isakov. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on woodwinds and no Cotter.
[9] Neil Young. FTP. Rick & Peter duet that ended with Rick solo.
Night 2 setlist: (from elgoose.net)
Set 1: Wild Mountain Thyme[1], Give It Time[2], Flodown, Echo of a Rose[3], Into the Myst[4], Strange Overtones[5], Wysteria Lane > (dawn)
Set 2: Life Is A Carnival[6], Thatch[7], Big Modern![8], Hot Tea[8] > Jam[9], Factory Fiction
Encore: Dramophone[10] > The Empress Of Organos[7], The Empress Of Organos Reprise[11]
Coach’s Notes:
[1] Traditional. FTP. With Providence College Choir on vocals.
[2] With Providence College Choir on vocals.
[3] Fast version.
[4] Unfinished.
[5] Brian Eno & David Byrne. FTP.
[6] The Band. FTP. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Andrew McGovern on trumpet.
[7] With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Andrew McGovern on trumpet.
[8] Unfinished. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Andrew McGovern on trumpet.
[9] With DJ Marb Menthols on turntables.
[10] Caravan Palace. With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, and Andrew McGovern on trumpet.
[11] With Stuart Bogie on saxophone, Dave Nelson on trombone, Andrew McGovern on trumpet, and the Providence College Choir on vocals.
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