The el Goose Times: Volume Four

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VOL 4 WINTER/SPRING 2022

VOL. 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2022

Artwork by Ky Cousin

Table of Contents

About the Front Cover Artwork:

Pages 2-5 Pages 6-7 Page 8 Page 9

Same Old Shenanigans: Interview with Will Thresher (Writer & Director, Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie)

el Goose Chicks: Interview with Sam King (Tour Manager, Goose) Depths of Space: Winter 2022 Leg One Recap Hot Tea in Rick’s Kitchen: Recipe #3 w/ Bonnie Lombardi - Mary’s Vegan Flodown Buckwheat Flapjacks Pages 10-11 Classifieds & Ted the Goose Cartoon: Ted & the Time Machine Page 12 The Voice Beneath the Quill: Madhuvan

Same Old

Ky Cousin: “This is my own spin on the shenanigans vortex - the same story over different timelines. Each mandala is the same but different colors and edits, and everything was made using photos from the album, live show stills, and a picture of Doey Joey.”

Camaraderie & the Shenanigans that Followed The el Goose Times interview with

with

Jon Caruso

Will Thresher (Writer & Director, Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie)

Camaraderie Goose fans, new and old, are drawn to the band’s eccentric style and electric performances, flowing from “the kind of chemistry only possible among small-town and long-time friends” – as the About section of Goose’s website explains. In this volume of The el Goose Times, we wanted to take a deep dive into the creative genesis of Goose and speak with a long-time collaborator, tracing back to their formation in Wilton: Will Thresher. An extremely humble and talented artist, Will was a key figure in establishing Goose’s creative identity in their infancy.

In addition to being the Writer and Director of Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie (Goose’s first full-length movie), Will was the Manager of Vasudo and a huge contributor in early Goose creative such as the Moon Cabin album cover and the original G logo (with the wing). With the release of their new movie, it felt like the perfect time to reflect upon the band’s astronomical growth by speaking with their long-time friend and collaborator, which history traces all the way back to Wilton High School: Let’s discuss your history with the band – how long have you known Rick and Trevor? I believe you went to Wilton High School with them, if I recall correctly. Did Vasudo follow shortly thereafter?

In high school, we knew each other but we didn’t really hang out, besides maybe some exchanges at parties - Trevor was a year ahead of me and Rick was a year behind. I knew of Trevor because he used to come into my science class for his own AP work or something, and there was a rumor he was some genius-level scientist. That may have just been in my own head, but that’s how I remember T. I met Rick through friends over games of Smash [ed. Super Smash Brothers] at Rick’s house. Rick was a Gamecube disciple, and I was an N64 purist. Needless to say, it was a rocky start that needed years of forging mutual respect in the ruins of Hyrule to build healthy roots.

Pictured Above: Vasudo recording “The French Tapes”| Photo Credit - Jennifer O'Connell Reid

Vasudo came about after high school.

Rick knew I did graphic design, so he reached out to me to do some things and it grew out of that. Most of the typical managerial duties we all did together, but during that time I did the creative, lights, photo/video (Chris Quinn was a big part of that too), recorded and released the live shows/setlists, booked some of the shows and promoted. I think what helped us the most in the beginning was we just went for it. We called venues and basically talked them into letting us play. Once they got in front of people, the music did the rest. We had booked a tour from CT to Colorado without really being able to afford it, but we found a way. We lived together for a short period of time to maximize our time/money (the grocery store at the end of our street baked muffins you could smell from our house…sometimes, sweet delicious butter rum muffins). It was a neverending good time. Being in the practice room and listening to a lot of these songs take shape that people still love today and watching them improve day after day was something that made a huge impact on me. I wanted to match that energy. Vasudo wasn’t around for that long, but we pushed it really hard and ended up playing our last official show at StageOne at Fairfield Theater Company – which, for a band that was conceived a little over a year prior, was an awesome accomplishment in my mind.

After Vasudo took a hiatus, did Rick and Trevor approach you with their ideas for Goose when they were developing their initial creative identity and style? A lot of Goose fans might not know how much of an influence you’ve had – can you breakdown what you have done throughout the band’s life so far? What are some of your favorites you’ve done for Goose?

Pictured Above: Vasudo Poster; Mystery House gig | Photo Credit - Will Thresher

The transition from Vasudo to Goose for me was very natural - I got the call and we were back in it. I was doing what I did for Vasudo, but now we were trying to figure out what Goose would be. It’s funny [ed. in retrospect] because we are so far past my original time at Goose that it would be a disservice to their team - who have really made Goose what they are today (to say any of my influence remains). It really doesn’t - they’ve come so far. Peter, the wizard himself, wasn't even in Goose when I left, to give you an idea of time.

However, some of my favorite things I did was the original G logo with the wing; I drew the cabin/tree/moon inside the Moon Cabin album and the title is my handwriting. I had a hand in organizing and handling decoration for Goosemas - which came from a “Very Vasudo Christmas”. I also did Quality News 3 during Bingo Tour with Chris Reid for Goose. In addition, I brought in Jonny Lovering, who does a lot of their artwork still (and has a top tier name) - I love that people get to see his work because he’s a really great and talented human being. I also wrote and produced the Goosemas Battle of the Bands video and now Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie. It's hard to top SNC [ed. Shenanigans Nite Club] as the answer, but I will say making the Battle of the Bands video was so fun and careless - zero stress or expectations.

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Since you’ve been involved from the very beginning (even dating back to the Vasudo days), what has it been like seeing them grow to where they are now?

To this day, I randomly get hit with waves of happiness over it. I have an immense sense of pride. Anyone involved or supporting had no doubt in their minds. They have raw unique talent and are always pushing to improve. It was always a question of when, never if.

I bawled my eyes out at the Wall Street Theater Goosemas show – I had not been to Goosemas since Factory Underground and it was the culmination of everything these guys worked so hard for. Everything we ever dreamed about doing was finally happening and it was just the beginning of what they’re doing now. I met their crew for the first time, all these incredibly talented people, in it, making these things happen.

Passionate about being there. The best way I can describe that experience is an overwhelming sigh of relief. That was always the goal - to build a crew of creative people - and that’s what they did. To see it all come to fruition and know these people I care about are in good hands was incredibly emotional and fulfilling for me. I couldn’t be happier for them. They deserve it.

Shenanigans Congratulations on the release of your movie with Goose, Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie – we loved it! Would you say that this movie is a culmination of your relationship with the band, thus far? Judging from the Q&A, it seemed like it was a very collaborative process.

Thank you! The Battle of the Bands video was the result of Rick challenging me to write/shoot instead of procrastinating, so I wrote something in 15 minutes and we shot it in a day or two. The trailer with Terry Alfredo, Frankie Bosco and Franz Petit Lupen was the result of Rick calling me and saying something along the lines of, “Trevor and I are getting perms and mopeds, just bring your camera and we’ll like… figure it out.” It was on that day I got a gimbal [ed. a handheld mechanical stabilizer]! If you’ve used one of those, I’m sure you can imagine my nightmare as a first-time user.

Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie was conceived out of that same spirit, but it grew larger, so I would put emphasis on “thus far”. Once we really got into this production, we loved the process of it, and were constantly discussing ways to improve in the future. We love to make things together we had time, and there’s no better time than now - so we went for it, but this was definitely the early, scrappy beginnings of something we’d like to take to a higher level. Creative, fun, educational chaos.

In terms of the collaborative process, I'd say that’s always been our strong suit as a group and their strong suit in general. All ideas are heard and talked about. Even if they aren’t applied, the process always creates better results. There were many times on set when dialogue would be tweaked or completely re-written. Rick rewrote most of his lines, which gave way more life to the character of Mick and Chris was instrumental in creating the Australian scene. It was very collaborative in that sense.

Everyone had a lot of responsibilities and took them on without hesitation. Among the many things he did, Bryan Murphy spent days in a tiny bathroom with poor ventilation recording foley. Taken out of context, it’s some of the weirdest shit to be doing alone in a tiny bathroom. Imagine someone walking in on you standing in a pan of gravel, patting a windbreaker with a stick taped to a spoon while lightly blowing into a kazoo. He has a lot of patience and never complained. He, Rick Mitarotonda, Peter Anspach and Tre Cassetta quite literally carried this over the finish line. Without them, it wouldn’t have been completed. Trevor’s house was HQ and a lot of the sets and he never questioned anything. Chris Reid and Jeff Arevalo built a whole bar in his garage! Along with Carina Immer, who was responsible for wardrobe/makeup and a lot of random things on set, all of them helped tremendously during production.

Pictured Above: First script reading of Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie Photo Credit - Bryan Murphy

Our actors worked long hours and for almost everyone being new to acting, they all took it on seriously. There’s nothing cooler than seeing people perform something you wrote. It tweaks a deep part of your heart and opens up your mind to how people perceive your writing. On top of that, nearly everyone took a turn running sound, or breaking down/setting up sets or helping in some way. Everyone was always looking for a way to help. It’s a great environment to work in.

How much were you responsible for, outside of directing the movie? I’m under the impression you were involved in almost every aspect of production – which is seriously impressive from my perspective, as I studied film and video production in college and know how intense the process can be. Walk us through the process of the movie, from it’s initial conception to postproduction.

We had a small team due to the pandemic and a tight budget, so I had to wear a bunch of hats - the whole crew did. Making something like this is a marathon of problem solving, which coincidentally is very similar to my experience being on the road. Same sort of energy and I fucking love it.

We wanted to make a movie in the same spirit as the Battle of the Bands video but I ended up writing about 75 pages. I had the album as a single track, played it on repeat Pictured (from Left to Right): Tre Cassetta, Will Thresher for days and started writing. I love writing and storytelling and had a few ideas and even partial scripts but the idea was to start completely from scratch using the album to & Bryan Murphy discussing a scene before shooting. conjure up a story.

Photo Credit - Peter Anspach My original intention was you would press play on the album/movie at the same time and the album would be used as a backing track that would be brought in and out of the film, but by adding/editing scenes and wanting to use music elsewhere/add music outside of the album, that idea got lost. (It still kinda works sometimes). Outside of writing/directing, I sourced/created the props with the exception of the old device which I cocreated with an LED artist and super cool dude named Jason Coon (evilgeniuslabs.org). He created the “core” and helped with the aesthetic of the old device. There are 4-5 versions of the old device depending on what we needed on camera including a foam one to hit Joe in the face with. A funny story about the devices, I had to re-create all of them for re-shoots after we misplaced them. Then had to re-create them again after a truck drove over the new ones while their paint was drying. Once the third batch was all finished and polished, looking great... we found the originals we misplaced. Each one took about 10 hours to make (5 hours of 3d printing, 5 hours of paint/details) so all you can do at that point is laugh and be happy you have extras.

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On the post side, I edited with Bryan Murphy and Rick Mitarotonda, did some of the foley (that was mostly Bryan/Peter but I got my nugget crunches in there) and all of the visual effects. There are 40+ VFX shots. I’m a big nerd for special/visual effects, I’ve always watched movies from the perspective of how is this made, so I’ve always been fascinated with this side of film-making. I loved every second of it. Even if most of those seconds are waiting for things to render. I even got to create miniatures for Joe/Mitch’s final stand-off which was a lot of fun. I was very new at it, this was my first time doing it on live footage besides a few social media videos. My goal was CW’s Supergirl level of VFX, or at least 90’s B-Movie and although I have a lot to learn I think for a few of the shots I got there, so I’m a happy guy. It’s a lot of fun to do. The best part about this whole experience to me is what you learn. If you’re interested in something, go for it. You’ll learn a lot more by trying and failing.

When will we see Part Two to Shenanigans Nite Club? Will Part One be released officially at some point next year? Many, like myself, would love to revisit the movie!

Part One will be released to stream/purchase but I don’t have a date yet! Where’s the rip?? There is an outline for Part Two that was written with Part One’s script, but no shooting date planned. The unofficial plan is to do a completely new story in between Parts One and Two unrelated to Shenanigans Nite Club. Time travel is expensive and complicated.

Thank you so much for your time, Will! You’re an absolute legend and we sincerely admire how much you’ve done for the band!

Thank you for reaching out, this was really fun for me. I’m a long time EGT’er, excited to see what more awesome things you do!

Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery

Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie

Pictured Above: Chris Reid (Mitch), Trevor Weekz (Stranginator) going over blueprints for the bar with Jeff Arevalo (Joe) in the background | Photo Credit - Will Thresher

Pictured Above: Some of the props created for Shenanigans Nite Club: The Movie | Photo Credit - Will Thresher

Pictured Above: The original “Time Travel” device showing the LED array and some of the internals | Photo Credit - Will Thresher Page Four

Pictured Above: Chris, Chris Judge (Rod) and Rick prepping for Scene 25 in Mitch’s hideout | Photo Credit - Bryan Murphy

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Pictured Above: Trevor Weekz posing on blue screen for Scene 4. | Photo Credit - Bryan Murphy

Pictured Above: Peter Anspach holding a boom mic, running sound | Photo Credit - Jeff Arevalo

Pictured Above: Peter Anspach (Strange Man), Bonnie Lombardi (Mary) and Jon Lombardi (Mr. Peters) on the 1960’s set | Photo Credit - Bryan Murphy

Pictured Above: Bryan Murphy filming Trevor Weekz and Chris Reid during the final fight scene.

Photo Credit - Bryan Murphy

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Pictured Above: Bryan Murphy and Tre Cassetta filming Rod’s introduction scene | Photo Credit - Will Thresher

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Page Five

with Lisa Governa & Paige Caruso

The Queen is King el Goose Chicks Interview with

Sam King (Tour Manager, Goose)

It’s late January 2022 and Sam King, Goose tour manager and tour de force, finds herself thousands of miles from home, responsible for corralling, organizing, and sustaining our favorite 5 piece jam band and their entire crew on the road for nearly three weeks. How did she get here? Turns out, she was responsible for carefully plotting that journey too.

“I’d say the most important part of my job is actually leading up to the tour. I’m advancing all of the shows and taking care of all the travel needs, mapping out our plan so the whole tour is set up before we actually hit the road. Of course things change, but the more I can handle in advance before things are getting thrown at me day of show, the better the run goes.”

Okay, but truly, who is this mysterious matron saint of Goose, thriving behind the scenes, serving up delicious yam experiences for salivating fans across the country to feast upon? This nature-loving adventurer wants to go everywhere, feel everything, and see everyone she wants herself. She’s had a passion for orchestrating events since childhood.

“Ever since I can remember I’ve been into planning; as a little kid I would organize the neighborhood to perform plays and organize game nights with my family, now I love to plan international trips and weekend getaways. And of course I love going to concerts… I managed to combine my passions of travel, planning, and music into a career and I get to work in an industry I love every day!”

Like the rest of the gaggle, Sam cut her teeth with grit and good old fashioned hard work. This remarkable lady started her own business while simultaneously working and going to school.

“I was really fortunate to go to USC in LA for college where I was in the epicenter of networking and opportunities. I took every chance I could to get experiences in the industry, working in management, events and touring. I joined the concerts committee at my school, switched into the music industry program, just anything that could give me more knowledge about music. I would cold email people I respected in the industry and ask them if I could buy them coffee and ask about their life, I still do this today. I’ve always loved learning and hustling - the more people I met the more doors opened up.”

Sam quickly and successfully made a name for herself, and began stacking her impressive resume coordinating tours for Nitro Circus, Skrillex and Jon Anderson of Yes.

Pictured Above: Sam smiling in front of Belly Up, Aspen Photo Credit: Chris Quinn

“I started working events my sophomore year of college and was immediately hooked. I got experience from the production and hospitality side first, and then moved into artist management and touring. I started really touring my junior year of college, working with this awesome artist (Justin Caruso) who opened for a lot of big names in EDM, and I would try to learn as much as I could from everyone we worked with. When I was home I kept working events, helped promote shows, and assisted different tour managers. I stayed in touch with people I worked with which led to more opportunities. Almost every job I’ve gotten in my career has been word of mouth and knowing the right people at the right time.”

Despite a global pandemic, stonks were up for King Touring LLC. In May of 2020, her networking skills paid off, and the universe brought Sam and Goose together through a connection she established with another incredible female Talent Manager. After talking with the band and crew, it didn’t take long to realize it would be a great partnership.

“Everyone in this band and crew is so passionate about what they do and try to be better every single day. It’s an incredible group of people all with perfectly complimenting talents that are supportive and help each other grow.”

Sam has been dedicated to providing top notch events for the band, crew, and fans ever since: “On the road I’m coordinating all of our travel, making sure everything we need for the show is happening, and solving any problems that come up with our team. I work with the promoter and venue for each show to make sure they’re happy, keep track of expenses, and settle the show at the end of the night. My most important priority is keeping everyone happy, well fed, and doing everything I can to make their lives easier.”

COVID added a layer of complexity to this already challenging feat. Sam and the Goose team were determined to pull off epic shows while protecting the safety of the community no matter what the personal cost.

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“COVID has definitely made it tough on the road, but I feel fortunate to have been able to keep touring during covid when a lot of other shows were getting cancelled. A really special part of being on the road is traveling to all these cities and seeing friends you wouldn’t otherwise see. We’ve been in a COVID bubble since last summer and haven’t been able to have these experiences. Going into every tour we talk about how we want to handle the COVID protocols, and everyone is willing to make sacrifices in order to keep the shows going. We do everything we can to stay healthy in a difficult environment, because we know what’s at stake.”

Alas, after nearly 2 years of shows and zero COVID cancellations, it was our beloved Mecca, Goosemas, that fell victim to the whim of the virus. While the rest of us wallowed in the heartbreak of the postponement, the logistics queen answered with a heroic call to action, rescheduling quickly and maintaining a positive outlook on the situation. “I think we’re pretty lucky that we only had one show to reschedule, and with a big event like Goosemas it took rescheduling all of our travel, gear rentals, hotels, and now prepping for the event a second time. Now we’ve had additional time to prep and we’re all so excited for this show.”

As part of a full and well rounded itinerary, Sam ensures everyone can enjoy their rare days off and still make it to the next show. Prioritizing and planning recreational activities the band and crew want to explore on their travels is essential to their well being.

“This past run we had some really incredible off days. The beauty of touring in a bus is you have the power to route it how you’d like, as long as you’re within driving limits and getting to your shows. The guys wanted to go to Mt. Shasta and ski Mt. Bachelor, so we had epic hiking and ski days together.”

Pictured Above: Sam backstage at Fred the Festival 2021 | Photo Credit - Adam Berta

Sam takes care of the people who take care of us. Being well fed while living on the road is a challenge, but Sam knows providing exceptional hospitality to the band and crew is crucial to their performance. Imagine if Peter didn’t have a vegan option or Ben didn’t get his potato fix or the chicken satay was dry. Being hangry or not feeling well in general is not conducive to executing a high level production. It harshes the groove, man! Thankfully, Sam caters to everyone’s needs and keeps the vibes high.

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“In terms of food we all eat really healthy! I try to find great local spots. We eat a lot of asian food because they can accommodate multiple dietary restrictions, and we try to have Taco Tuesdays! Our rider is pretty straightforward. We’re fueled by Yerba Mates & Matcha and often get ingredients for Jeff to make his famous homemade guacamole.”

To the average human, this job sounds overwhelming and stressful, but Sam King, Goose, and the crew are intensely driven by one common goal: to give us the best night of our lives.

“I think everyone who tours has a lot of passion. You’re not sleeping, have no personal space, and miss a lot of things at home, but you have an amazing family on the road and work together to pull off these great events and look out into the crowd and see you’re genuinely impacting peoples lives every night.”

Sam’s mission is clear:

”…to constantly be growing as a person and in my career and this group encourages and inspires me to do that. And the fans like you make it all possible, it’s your smiling faces in the crowd that we look out to every night and are reminded what we all do this for.”

Somehow, amidst executing all of these details for winter tour, Sam King took the time out of her busy schedule to chat with us. We are beyond grateful for not only her precious time, but also her immense dedication to Goose and our community.

THANK YOU Sam, who against all odds, in a global pandemic, found a way to coordinate and deliver life changing and life saving performances to Goose fans across the country at a time we all needed it most. You are truly the QUEEN of the road!

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Page Seven

with Ryan Storm

Winter 2022 Leg One Recap

So I’m DEFINITELY never complaining about a second set American Woman again.

Goose started their 2022 touring season with a 14-date tour, spanning from Arizona to Pennsylvania, that included a musical palette just as wide-ranging.

Beginning in Tempe on January 26th, the quintet delivered a solid show dominated by the Elizabeth > Tumble pairing in the second set. Elizabeth’s return to jam vehicle status after a tame 2021 came with a gorgeous jam with hints of Phish’s Slave to the Traffic Light before Tumble brought forth the first hints at the (Dr.) darkness-tinged jam styles that would emerge throughout the rest of the tour – disintegrating completely into a malicious space highlighted by Peter’s bent delay guitar and boasting an impressive 24-minute run-time full of perfectly-synced guitar.

Goose kicked off the California leg of the tour in San Diego, debuting the fantastic Great Blue tune Pancakes in a spectacular fashion, showcasing the song’s jam potential and catchy lyrics. Other highlights from the show included an expansive take on Madhuvan and the first of many Rosewood Hearts to cross the 20-minute mark this tour. In Los Angeles, the highly-anticipated live debut of recent single Borne offered an ethereal synth/guitar build - along with the first Atlas Dogs appearance, a slick Arrow sandwich, and an energetic Loose Ends before the band headed up the coast to San Francisco. A high-energy first set boasting the first fantastic Dragonfly of the tour, as well as an incredibly psychedelic Yeti -> Tomorrow Never Knows -> Yeti gave way to a second set with the debut of singalong Red Bird (shout-out to those #StraightBirdn), the ever-expanding Fifth of Beethoven, and a sprawling Empress complete with Jive II and Don’t Do It teases. The second night of San Francisco may have contained a cool “technical difficulties jam” from The Labyrinth into Writing A Novel and a HUGE Elmeg the Wise, but the real defining moment came in the first set’s Wysteria Lane. The lone version played on this leg of the tour, the San Francisco Wysteria dove deep into an evil jam space only barely hinted at previously. Spurred on by Spuds’ heavy tom work, Rick and Peter kicked on some grimy effects and headed straight for the deepest and darkest jam played by Goose to date before dissolving into dissonant noise in a similar fashion to the Tempe Tumble.

It’s a really inspiring jam that demonstrates the band’s continued commitment to taking risks and developing their jamming further.

Groundhog Day in Bend, Oregon came complete with the second-ever (and third, and kind of a fourth) rendition of instrumental cover Tribute to Gold in a show absolutely dominated by the Madhuvan > No Rain segment in the first set. While Madhuvan showcased an incredibly patient build that stayed within the song’s boundaries and No Rain ventured on a spacier excursion, both demonstrated the impeccable connection that dual-guitar Goose has. Peter’s rhythm work has been especially notable this tour, driving jams in a way that he hasn’t done in the past. Talking about Portland really means talking about the Echo of a Rose. Split across most of 2/3’s first set, this combined 30-minute jam wastes no time during its second half and heads straight for a blistering peak before dissolving into a dissonant space. Keeping it dark, Trevor stepped up into a lead role and brought forth a deep and rumbling groove as Rick trilled and Peter activated his siren-synth loop. After adding filthy and dark jam to the pantheon, the band turned up the heat for the second set, delivering a fantastic 20-minute Rosewood Heart and the debut of Indian River’s new pairing with the Welcome to Delta jam (last seen 5/9/21). February 4th’s show featured a reverse of Tempe’s SOS > Slow Ready pairing in the first set before a churning Earthling or Alien? (this song just keeps getting jammier!) and the first extended jam treatment of the recent debut, Atlas Dogs. I would also be remiss if I didn’t call attention to the big Arrow in the second set, yet another version stretching past 20 minutes with Peter really riding his wah pedal (and don’t miss the Flodown with its cool Bob Don-esque jam!). The final West Coast show of the tour took place in Seattle on February 5th and opened with an atypical first-set pairing of Your Ocean and Hot Tea after a standard Butter Rum opener. Wasting no more time, the band jumped into the second outing of Borne and crafted a groove akin to Deodato’s Also Sprach Zarathustra, highlighting Peter’s smooth Vintage Vibe work. Another scorching second set followed with a standout pairing of The Old Man’s Boat and Great Blue debut Jeff Engborg (complete with the first Mini Mall Rap since Bingo Tour) before a blistering Empress closed out the set and the always-reliable Don’t Do It served as the encore.

The best show of the tour (so far) would come in Bozeman, Montana, on a Monday night when no stream was available for those of us at home. Watching the setlist roll in with no reference to music, I was excited at the prospect of what I saw. Delivering a fantastic combination of The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show and Silver Rising in the first set ahead of a 26-minute All I Need, that almost felt like a throwback to the 2019 behemoths. An unrelenting set with a 30-minute Crosseyed and Painless > Dragonfly was closed by another dive into the evil murk with the unlikeliest of vehicles, the gorgeous ballad This Old Sea. Taking a turn away from the gorgeous Type I jam around the 12-minute mark, the groove got thicker and dirtier as Peter’s staccato Vintage Vibe hits were soon joined by the siren-synth loop. Spuds, Jeff, and Trevor locked in on a funk groove as Peter drove the darkness forward with electric piano and then heavy sustained organ. The jam rose to a rolling boil before slotting nicely back into a major-key segment to end the set. While it may not be as purposeful and unrelenting as the 1/30 Wysteria, the Bozeman This Old Sea will come to define a different style of evil jam as Goose continues to evolve.

The band closed out the first leg of the winter tour with a four-night run through the Midwest. Beginning in Minneapolis with a huge Drive opener, the band moved through a cover of Tom Waits’ Gun Street Girl (instead of the obvious Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis play) in the first set and debuted a new, more up-tempo arrangement to Spirit of the Dark Horse, breaking its long gap (last played 10/16/21) with a huge jam. Eschewing the peak-driven jams of the older arrangement, this Dark Horse dove into a long and spacey exploration, highlighted by Trevor’s incredible bass playing. The band then closed out the show with high-energy readings of Mississippi Half Step, Time to Flee, and White Lights. In Madison, WI, Goose dropped the hammer with the two longest jams of the tour in Rosewood Heart and Arrow, each stretching to over 27 minutes. While neither strayed too far from the song’s foundation, both have some great examples of full-band interplay – and don’t miss the second-set closing Arcadia, complete with a filthy Trevor bass solo and several fantastic tensionrelease builds.

Goose’s long-awaited return to Kentucky for their first headlining gig in the state since 12/13/19 was greeted with an incredible show and the finest of the tour (in my opinion). Blasting out of the gate with a fierce Jive II, the band moved through Indian River (complete with Delta jam) before a broken guitar string led to the second “technical difficulties” jam of tour. Hitting a spooky and haunting tone, Peter’s staccato piano and the sparse playing from the rhythm section encouraged Rick to play with his reverse tape delay settings for a couple of minutes before appropriately starting up Dr. Darkness. In the second set, they laid down another gorgeous jam before blasting through a fantastic Creatures and Flodown. The latter, unfinished, melted nicely into a heartfelt Peggy-O before a MASSIVE Factory Fiction closed the set. Instead of the typical balls-to-the-walls screaming jams the song normally gets to, the Louisville FF remained in an incredibly patient jam with hypnotic guitar from Rick before smoothly returning to the song proper and explosively closing the set. The Kentucky crowd was sent home in style with Jive Lee and the end of Flodown as the band headed on to the final stop of the leg in Pittsburgh. Announcing a free webcast less than half an hour before showtime was more than welcome to those of us at home and Goose delivered a fantastic and energetic show for both those in attendance and watching at home. A gentle Silver Rising kicked things off before a laid-back and extended take on Butter Rum (with Spuds vocals!) bled into Turned Clouds. Extended jamming dominated the second half of the first set with Red Bird crossing the 20-minute mark for the first time with a delightful and energetic jam. Tumble melted faces with a molten lava jam as it tends to do and the band went off into setbreak. Returning for the second frame, Goose casually started into Rockdale, giving this Vasudo-penned song its usual dose of gnarly funk and big peak before Seekers on the Ridge kept the energy going.

After taking a second to shout out my “request”, Jeff led the band through a blistering cover of American Woman. Empress and Slow Ready closed the set out, the former containing a sweet jam on Tumblé and the latter introducing a new short spacey jam before the synth loops kicked off the dance-y typical Slow Ready jam. Encoring with Praise You (what a fantastic cover for them!), Peter took a few minutes to shout out the band’s amazing crew before wrapping up the show and leg on a high note.

Goose’s next concert will be their largest to date and their first-ever in an arena before the second leg of the winter tour. The band continues to deliver their tried-and-true impressive groove-based and peak-based jams on a nightly basis while also frequently experimenting with new arrangements and darker jams.

As huge as 2021 was for Goose, 2022 is going to be even bigger and I count myself incredibly lucky to be along for the ride with the band and most importantly, all of you. I’m also pretty excited to finally see them live, so this might be the last review with no attendance bias in it ;)

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VOL. 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2022

with Rick Gallego & very special guest Bonnie Lombardi

Recipe #3: Mary’s Vegan Flodown Buckwheat Flapjacks Dry Ingredients: 1 ½ cups buckwheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients: 1 ½ cups unsweetened oat milk (or any unsweetened plant milk) 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (or 1/3 of a lemon) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (or any neutral oil or apple sauce) 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave (I used a blend.)

Directions:

Pictured Above: Bonnie presenting vegan-friendly Flodown flapjacks!

Photo Credit: Bonnie Lombardi

1.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and make sure your cups of flour are completely level. Stir and mix well.

2.

Add wet ingredients to the bowl with the flour mixture.

3.

Stir until just combined. Do NOT over mix. A few lumps are fine. Over mixing will not result in the desired outcome.

4.

Let batter rest for 7 minutes and 26 seconds.

5.

Meanwhile, heat pan or griddle to medium heat and coat with vegan butter, neutral oil, or spray.

6.

In sparse ¼ cup portions, ladle batter onto pan or griddle. Use the back of a spoon if necessary to make a nice looking pancake shape.

7.

Cook for a few minutes until tiny bubbles appear and the edges are just getting dry. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

Should make about 8 pancakes. Serve with vegan butter, your favorite syrups (that REAL REAL) seasonal berries and fruit, nut butters (like creamy almond), dairy free coconut yogurt, etc.

Note: If you want to include blueberries, gently fold them into the batter after the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.

Bonus Q&A with Bonnie Lombardi: What is your favorite vegan Snack?

Bonnie: Chips & Salsa

Why is a vegan lifestyle important to you?

Bonnie: A vegan lifestyle is important to me because it exists in alignment with my moral values and ethics now. I could no longer play an active part in the systemic exploitation of sentient beings when I learned about the horrors of animal agriculture. Animals don’t deserve to be born into a world of suffering, only to die in fear and agony. Bear in mind 99% of animals consumed come from highly unregulated factory farms. My only regret is that I didn’t open my mind and heart sooner. We can access every essential nutrient needed through a properly planned whole foods plant based diet. I encourage everyone to live as plant based as they possibly can. Nine billion people doing their best to live as vegan as they can is more impactful than nine million perfect ones.

VOL. 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2022

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Page Nine

Advertise with the EGT today! Contact: elgoosetimes@gmail.com

Page Ten

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VOL. 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2022

presents

VOL. 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2022

Ted and the Time Machine

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Page Eleven

Madhuvan

with Andrew DaRosa

“Madhuvan” is unlike any other Goose song. I’m not speaking about its composition or lyrical content. I am referring to its essence.

At its foundation, “Madhuvan,” has its roots in Hinduism, specifically when talking about Krishna or Krishna Consciousness. According to an interview of Rick Mitarotonda with a writer from the International Society of Krishna Consciousness News in April 2021, Madhuvan is revealed to be a name for Krishna and that in the religion, simply saying the name of God is a form of worship. Rick first got into Krishna Consciousness after moving to Colorado in 2014, according to the article. After experiencing loss in his life, Rick went down a spiritual journey that allowed him to explore Krishna Consciousness and open doors for him in order to better understand his own path in life.

Those themes of Krishna Consciousness are evident in the bridge on “Indian River,” with the lyrics “avināśi tu/tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṃ tatam/ vināśam avyayasyāsya na kaścit/kartum arhati,” which comes from a passage in the Bhagavad Gita that translates to “that which pervades the entire body, know it to be indestructible. Nothing can destroy the imperishable soul.”

That beautiful passage serves as a pathway into the inspiration of Krishna Consciousness in much of Rick’s writing, and “Madhuvan” is no exception.

First premiering at Norwalk’s Factory Underground Studio on Dec. 12, 2014, according to elgoose.net, “Madhuvan” has stayed a staple in Goose’s live catalog despite only receiving a studio version on 2021’s “Shenanigans Night Club.” Known for its driving verses and almost train-like rhythm, “Madhuvan” excels at being a reliable jam vehicle for the group, as evident with the versions of the song listed below. However, after you crack through the spectacle of the instrumentation, listeners are left with lyrics that are deeply profound and touch upon Rick’s devotion to Krishna Consciousness.

The song makes reference to Bhagavatam and Dhruva, which respectively are a sacred text and individual in Hinduism. Rick made note in the previous interview that he found himself inspired by the story of Dhruva that was told to him, which eventually made its way into the lyrical content of “Madhuvan.”

“So I remember one of the devotees ended up telling me that story of Dhruva, and it was sort of, you know, a personal connection to the story. He told me the story and it really stuck with me,” Rick told the interviewer. “And it morphed into a metaphor for that song that I was working on.”

Outside of the religious context, Rick discusses the distractions and profound mysticism of existence as we try to seek out a deeper meaning to our lives.

“If I had it all/What life would leave me satisfied/All of this gold/All of this gold/It don't weigh enough to make this life whole,” Rick says in the chorus, reiterating that even if he had everything in this world, whether it be fame or riches, none of it would leave him spiritually fulfilled.

However, no matter which way you attain spiritual fulfillment, “Madhuvan” serves as a song to center oneself to the important things in life and not to lose what gives one’s life meaning beyond the physical distractions of this life.

Here are 5 versions of “Madhuvan” that are simply a cut above the rest. Do you feel like we left a version out that truly stood out? Let us know.

April 20, 2019

Dec. 14, 2019

Sept. 16, 2020

June 19, 2021

The Acoustic Bridgeport, CT

The Mousetrap Indianapolis, IN

South Farms Morris, CT

Legend Valley Thornville, OH

Mother goose! This version of “Madhuvan” came straight out of the atmosphere and destroyed South Farms. Whether it’s the “The Other One” homage during the first few minutes of the jam, Ben’s incredible precision that never tires a millisecond or Rick’s frenetic instrumentation as the jam ceremoniously descends back into the song’s structure, this version is the one you show your friends if they question how well Goose can play.

The first and only “Madhuvan” sandwich on our list has to go to this gem. As the jam begins to spiral into uncharted waters, the sweeping sounds of El Goose Times’ favorite “Moby” greets listeners with open arms. After the trip through a superb “Moby,” we are launched back into a back-andforth space opera that builds into one of the most-deserved peaks in “Madhuvan” history.

The most perfect funk As the jam comes out of the version of this tune also gates from this version, anyone happens to be the first time it can tell that this is going to be a was played in that style. truly special version. As the Though not quite as band seems poised to peak in sprawling as other versions of the jam around the 16 minute this list, you simply can’t ask mark, the band takes a sharp more out of this version. The turn into this wonderfully-weird swaggering pliability of Rick’s cosmic funk zone that sees playing here is on full display, Rick and Peter have some great backed by a ferocious Trevor, sonic chemistry before leaving who is making the bass sing that pocket behind for a as he phrases each note with frenzied end to the song. just as much personality as the last.

Jon Caruso TEDitor-in-Chief Lisa Governa Goose Chicks TEDitor & Classifieds Queen

Editorial Staff Page Twelve

Paige Caruso Idea Entrepreneur & Rick Gallego Goose Chicks Ambassador Resident Chef de Cuisine Marc Komito Contributing Writer & Resident Dance Teacher

Andrew DaRosa Feature TEDitor

Joe Joseph Creative Guru

Coming from arguably one of the best shows off of last year’s fall tour comes one of arguably the better jams to emerge from the run. This version is incredibly patient in its approach, aiming to be a true testament to the sum of its parts. However, as the song approaches the 18 minute mark, that patience unravels to reveal a calculated frenzy that leads into a psychedelic space reminiscent of something you’d find on an album like “Axis: Bold As Love.”

(satellite) Team

Rus So OG Fan & Historian

Ryan Storm Music Maestro

Nov. 11, 2021 Scoot Inn Austin, TX

Jerry Nash Jr. el Goose Spirit Coach Jack Quinn Number One Newsie

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Ky Cousin After-Party Advisor & Mozzarella Consultant Brian Weber (aka JiveGoose) Music Analyst & Sage Marc Chiavon Meme Master Special Thanks to Greg Knight & Dave DiCianni

VOL. 4 - WINTER/SPRING 2022