Storm Sound Presents: Goose Alive and Well 2023!
NOTE: This is, of course, a completely hypothetical release. No vinyl or otherwise will exist in real life - listen via the Nugs playlist and use your imagination 😁
It’s that time of year again! For those who may not know the history behind Alive And Well, check out Goose’s official curated compilation of tracks from their 2019 touring year that was released in the spring of 2020.
Unfortunately, the band has yet to release a follow-up, so I made my own versions from 2020, 2021, and 2022 - though without the official release and vinyl pressings 😉
With the 2024 touring season beginning in just a few weeks, now is the best time to look back at some of the best moments of 2023 Goose - the tracks selected are not just picked by strong improvisation, but songs and versions that defined the year as a whole. Keeping with the original theme, I put together a compilation that would theoretically fit in a 4LP box set! Read on below to find out what made it!
Listen via a nugs playlist here.
THANK YOU to Madisonhuvan for once again creating the incredible artwork for this hypothetical Alive and Well!
SIDE A
4/13 Mr. Action - Madison, WI (8:36) - Debuted at the tail-end of 2022, this song became a first-set staple in ‘23, with this Madison version arguably at the top of the pile. The energy is absolutely phenomenal!
10/6 Everything Must Go - Morrison, CO (16:47) - This jam left an immediate and massive impact on all present at the amazing Red Rocks N2 show. It’s dark, it’s aggressive, and it’s awesome. Look for even deeper EMGs this year!
SIDE B
3/8 All I Need - Port Chester, NY (20:54) - The second song played at the first headlining show of the year flows effortlessly through dark, rocking, and blissy sections to capture some of Goose’s most cohesive playing in 2023.
SIDE C
6/29 Lead Up - Scranton, PA (5:42) - My favourite of the three 2023 original debuts.
3/30 Rockdale - Nashville, TN (19:02) - Best Rockdale from a spring of jammed versions. Peter’s layered synths are incredible as they blaze through the peak.
SIDE D
9/14 Thatch - Boston, MA (20:52) - There is a better Thatch than this one, but the moody exploration early on that morphs into triumph is incredible.
SIDE E
6/22 Borne - Louisville, KY (23:21) - Best Borne of the year. An incredible jam that could not be left off this compilation.
SIDE F
11/18 Wysteria Lane - Bristol, UK (17:42) - Had to have a Europe entry here, and this rare dual-guitar jam hits a lovely and breezy theme in the second half.
4/28 Not Alone - San Francisco, CA (6:37) - Criminally underplayed ballad debut, acts as a breather at this point of the release.
SIDE G
4/21 Drive - Boise, ID (7:38) - Emblematic of the jamless versions of the song that were common in the first half of the year, this Boise one has a FIERCE solo from Rick.
9/26 Yeti - Oakland, CA (14:56) - One of the best “party vibe” jams the band has ever played, it’s sure to get you dancing at any moment - though it missed the caliber necessary for the JOTY bracket 😉
SIDE H
11/16 Drive - Manchester, UK (8:10) - Second jam of Drive from Manchester builds in energy before segueing into an impromptu ending of SOS! Huge energy moment that puts a smile on my face every time.
12/9 Arcadia - Hampton, VA (13:58) - The final song of the year and the final song with Spuds. An emotional moment in hindsight, but in the moment it was all about the celebration of the tenth Goosemas and the accomplishment of playing at the Mothership. A fitting conclusion to this compilation.