Article and Photos by: Jolene Roderick

CHARLOTTE, NC — On a sweltering Sunday night, June 23rd, 2024, Goose brought their summer tour to the Skyla Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC. The heat didn’t deter the crowd, eager to experience the band’s new lineup featuring Cotter Ellis replacing Ben Atkind.

With the replacement of Ben Atkind by Cotter Ellis, fans have been unsure of what to expect from the new variation of the band. However, the reception has been beyond what anyone could have expected with the band selling out some of their largest shows yet on their summer tour. 

Any doubts about the lineup change were quickly dispelled as Goose launched into a high-energy jam opener of “Earthling or Alien?”, followed by fan favorites like “Lead Up.” The first set’s highlight was a mind-blowing, 19-minute-long “Borne,” preceded by an extended jam of “Turned Clouds” into “Yeti.”

The set closed with a rare cover of Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield,” played for the first time since March 24, 2023, and led into a face-melting 14-minute long Butter Rum to close out the first set. Those in attendance didn’t think there was any way that the second set could outdo the first, but we were about to eat our words.

The second set opened with a fast-paced “Echo of a Rose,” featuring a “Pancakes” tease, followed by an epic rendition of “Madhuvan.” Due to time constraints, the band had to shorten their planned multiple “Madhuvan” fades, but the surprise inclusion of “Secret Agent Man” more than compensated.

The night ended with a spectacular “Arcadia,” arguably one of the best versions to date. Cotter Ellis’s addition has ignited a fire in the band, leading to some of their strongest performances this summer tour. Charlotte eagerly awaits Goose’s return.

Fans in the area can catch Goose at their annual two-day Goosemas show on December 13th and 14th, 2024, at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC.