Goose Delivers High-Energy Funk Set at Milwaukee's Miller High Life Theatre

Goose returned to the Miller High Life Theatre in Milwaukee on November 7, 2026, for the second of three scheduled performances.

After a high-energy opening night on Friday, the band played a fast-paced set that prioritized momentum over the deep, exploratory improvisation often found in their longer residencies.

According to a review by Ryan Storm, the sold-out crowd remained locked in throughout the night, though the performance favored a more straightforward, fun-forward approach. The evening kicked off with the second-ever performance of “Dustin Hoffman,” which established an immediate, funk-heavy tone. Guitarist Rick Mitarotonda and multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach synced their playing early, with Anspach’s patient piano work complementing Mitarotonda’s crisp, articulate riffs.

The band’s ability to pivot between styles remained a focal point of the first set. During the sixth performance of “Strange Overtones” for 2026, the group moved away from the song’s standard structure into a propulsive funk jam. Anspach utilized a subtle synth drone before transitioning to Rhodes, creating a repeated phrase that served as a springboard for bassist Trevor Weekz to lead a modulation into “Earthling or Alien?”

Many great versions of “Earthling” focus on spacey tones like this one, and where it lacks in length it more than delivers on some beautiful patient grooving.

The transition into “Earthling or Alien?” highlighted the band’s technical cohesion. Mitarotonda employed reverse-delay loops while drummer Cotter Ellis maintained a precise, razor-sharp pocket that kept the momentum from becoming overwhelming. Even as the band integrated new textures—including Anspach’s use of a marimba-piano patch—the rhythm section remained the anchor. The set eventually transitioned into “Spirit of the Dark Horse” before cooling down with “Madalena,” a song that provided a notable singalong moment for the Milwaukee audience.

The first set concluded with a powerful rendition of “Echo of a Rose.” Mitarotonda utilized sharp envelope filter tones to drive the song toward a peak, supported by Weekz’s descending bass lines. The band rounded out the frame with a reading of “Jed Stone,” ending the first half of the show on a high note.

The second set began with a choice that left some fans surprised: “Shama Lama Ding Dong.” While there was brief hope for an extended jam—given the band’s history of improvisational covers earlier this year—the group opted for a more direct approach before launching into “Thatch.”

The “Thatch” segment delivered the deep, greasy funk pocket that has become a hallmark of the song. Ellis and Weekz maintained a tight connection, eventually loosening the structure into a blissy, major-key space. This section provided the Type II improvisation that many in the room had been anticipating. The energy remained high as the band moved through “Dripfield” and closed the set with a forceful rendition of “Sinnerman.”

The encore featured the completion of the “Slow Ready” jam, followed by “SALT,” which returned to the rotation after a 17-show absence.

The band utilized the final minutes to experiment with dissonant tension-builds before reaching a final, high-intensity conclusion.

Goose is scheduled to wrap up their three-night residency at the Miller High Life Theatre tonight.

While fans may be hoping for a return to the more adventurous, deep-space jamming seen during the Friday performance, the Saturday show proved the band’s capacity to maintain a high-energy, crowd-pleasing pace when the room demands it.