Goose performed before their largest crowd to date for their debut at the lush and organic Saratoga Performing Arts Center, also known as SPAC, in Saratoga Springs, NY on July 7, 2023. This venue is a couple of hour drive from their home state of Connecticut and surely represents their home territory. Over twelve thousand of their fans showed up for what proved to be an epic performance full of jam rock and improvisation.

“Welcome home, Terrapin Nation,” Phil Lesh proclaimed on July 9 to the large crowd before him on the expansive, lush lawn of McNears Beach Park on the shores of San Pablo Bay in San Rafael, Calif. Lesh, co-founder of the Grateful Dead and now 83, joined the so-called Terrapin All-Stars for the closing set of a first-ever, one-day Sunday Daydream festival, which began in the early morning with an aptly named Turtle Trot that included 5K, 10K, and kids races.

Goose returned to the Stone Pony Summer Stage, located in the parking lot of the famed Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on July 4th, 2023. The township decided to host their annual display on July 3rd, which forced the band to do the only thing they know: deliver a killer show full of exploratory jams and light up Independence Day in place of the fireworks.

Summerfest in Milwaukee is a Disneyland for the music lover. Celebrating its 55th anniversary, the lineup boasted impressive acts over 3 weekends on 7 lakeside stages. Attempting to avoid the Chicago traffic, scooting up to Milwaukee on Friday 6/30/23 was a breeze if I left south of Chicagoland at 1:30 pm. Darting in and out of construction zones and weekend warriors rushing to get out of the city, once parking was achieved, I was in through the pearly gates by 5 pm. Hallelujah! Let the choirs sing!

Boulder, Colorado's historic Chautauqua Auditorium, originally erected in 1898, has been a beacon of American culture, hosting a spectrum of performances from lectures to music. Its 125th anniversary, marked on July 8th, 2023, offered a vibrant collage of celebration elements, including gastronomy, local craft, microbrews, and of course, music.

Goose, the rising jam squad from Connecticut, descended into Asbury Park, NJ on July 3, 2023, for their first stint at the Stone Pony Summer Stage. This was not just any night, as the township of Asbury Park planned to set off a huge fireworks display on the beach behind the venue. Goose timed their second set to coordinate with the fireworks, and the rest was history as far as this band delivering a truly epic two-set show.

The Americana rock landscape has received a vibrant splash of color with the release of Kareeta's second record, "Freeway Junkie Queen." Southern California's very own, Kareeta, has crafted a rollicking sonic journey, released on July 7th, 2023. The album marks a substantial step forward from their debut, reflecting a rich evolution in the band's sound and lyrical prowess.

In the midst of their captivating In Between Thoughts… A New World tour, the acclaimed Mexican acoustic-rock duo Rodrigo y Gabriela found themselves serenading the verdant serenity of Longwood Gardens - an unexpected gem of a venue hidden in the over 1,000 acre botanical wonderland. Nestled amid this lush explosion of nature is the intimate Open Air Theatre, which, on a mid-week summer evening, became an extraordinary stage for a musical spectacle.

Under a sky lit by a "Buck" Supermoon and the shimmer of dancing drones, Dead and Company wrapped up their final tour performance at Folsom Field in Boulder. A beloved stop on their summer tours since 2016, Boulder, a Deadhead haven for almost six decades, witnessed an unforgettable show.

Dave Matthews Band once again graced the stage of Summerfest and the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, marking their return on an atmospherically smoggy, overcast, and humid evening. Despite being a mid-week concert, the expectation among ardent fans was a journey into less explored terrains of their discography, not an overemphasis on radio-friendly hits.