Jam bands have been an integral part of rock music discourse since the 1960s,when the psychedelic rock movement led to the formation of two major pioneering jam bands:The Allman Brothers Band, andThe Grateful Dead. Since their formation in 1965, The Grateful Dead have been one of the most legendary musical acts and brands of all time.
Though the Allman Brothers most definitely had a phenomenal career, the legacy of The Grateful Dead’slogoalone is enough to explain their iconic career, and thatno other jam band has quite reached their level of success.Their music and live performances have resonated with fans and other artists, inspiring countless jam bands who came after them.
One band that has been influenced by The Grateful Dead is Goose,a modern jam band from Connecticut who formed in 2014. Though they’ve been around for over a decade, Goose has blown up quite a bit in the last five years, with an extremely devoted fan base to compliment their fairly Grateful Dead-esque sound.
Eleven Years After Their Formation, Goose Is Finally Blowing Up
They Recently Played Madison Square Garden
Every artist’s dream venue is none other than Madison Square Garden, or MSG, an electric arena in the heart of Manhattan.In June, Goose achieved that dream, headlining their first show at the historic venue.Their headlining show came after they played a benefit concert at the garden that featured a handful of other jam bands (Relix).
Though they had already gained some traction at that point, this was a huge milestone that propelled the band forward and opened them up to a broader audience.
Their first time playing at MSG for the benefit concert,Goose’s set saw special guests and jam rock legends Dave Matthews, Susan Tedeschi, and Derek Trucks.Though they had already gained some traction at that point, this was a huge milestone that propelled the band forward and opened them up to a broader audience.
Just a few months after their first MSG appearance, Goose booked their first headlining show at the venue. Tickets sold out relatively quickly, and the band had to work with the venue to open up additional seating. The sold-out show was one for the history books;Goose played for over four hours, staying well beyond the venue’s curfew.
Goose’s Music Is Best Consumed Via Live Show Recordings
Just Like The Grateful Dead
Though The Grateful Dead did release 13 studio albums in total,the majority of their true fans consume their music via live albumsfrom some of their most legendary performances over the years. In fact, some of their fans would treat live recordings like trading cards, trading one show’s cassette tape for the cassette tape of another show.
Goose’s true fans, who had been listening for years prior to the band’s big MSG-shaped break, have consumed their music in a similar fashion. While they’ve only released four studio albums, and they’ve only officially released 16 live albums, being a 21st century jam band has done wonders for Goose—their fans have developed apps designed specifically to listen to them.
Recently, when I texted my close friend and resident Goose fan to let her know I’d listened to their new album, she informed me that almost none of the music on said album was new;it was just now available to listen to as a studio recording on a streaming service, rather than a live recording on a niche app.
Many Fans Follow The Band On Tour
When The Grateful Dead were in their prime, their fans, affectionately referred to as ‘Dead Heads,’ would follow them on tour from show to show. While many artists have a few fans who are that devoted, they’re typically a much smaller subset of ‘groupies.‘Dead Heads were abundant in number, and truly unmatched in dedication—until Goose.
I know people who run their lives based on when Goose is on tour. In roughly the last five years, Goose fans have started to garner a similar reputation to Dead Heads, following the band from city to city, watching them perform live multiple times in a given weekand never feeling like they’ve seen the same show twice.
As they enter what will likely be considered their prime years from now, Goose is redefining 21st century rock music.
As they enter what will likely be considered their prime years from now, Goose is redefining 21st century rock music. They have successfully brought back the jam rock movement; not that jam bands ever disappeared, but having performed alongside Dead and Company themselves,Goose is the first massive new jam band to emerge from the younger generations.
