Related Music (Beta) question-dark Versions - Different performances of the song by the same artist Compilations - Other albums which feature this performance of the song Covers - Performances of a song with the same name by different artists Song Title Versions Compilations Covers Intro Alpha Omega [banter-the deal] Hand of Death Running Away With What Freud Said Tallahassee [banter-diskothiQ] Going to Cleveland [banter-Sunset Tree genesis] Dance Music [banter-old song] Rescue Breathing [banter- more ruminations on beginnings] [You or Your Memory leadup] You or Your Memory [banter- should have known] The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton [banter- shooting wads early back in the day, crowd interaction] [banter- playing new stuff in old sets, the modern climate, req to not record] [banter] Wild Sage New Star Song Slow West Vultures [banter- you're in maya background] You're in Maya Onions Sax Rohmer #1 [banter- what I get, last song] Alpha Incipiens [encore break] [banter-the Mountain Goats return, another req to not record] This Year [banter-someone yelling random inanities] Golden Boy [banter- looking for one more in C] Attention All Pickpockets [just the last bit of clapping]

Notes

It's 3:40AM on a Sunday and I'm finishing up another Mountain Goats livetape upload..







This set is the first of three shows John played at the Swedish American Hall in early 2020. Three of the best shows I've ever seen. I was there the last time he played at the venue- before I was really taping. I didn't realize it until just now upon writing this, but it was actually the first show I ever recorded- how appropriate. I sat an ipod touch beneath my seat and recorded the set. Came out terrible. Thankfully Kyle Barbour was also recording- his was actually worthy of release- https://archive.org/details/tmg2016-02-27/







Anyway, I mention this because in 2016, John had mentioned that he had intended to do a themed set, wherein he played one song from every release he'd ever done. He wasn't able to prepare it, though, as a virus had spread through his home shortly before the sets and caused priorities to shift.







This time, however, he was clearly prepared, and it was a joy to hear. He had a theme for each night, and night 1's theme was "Beginnings". He played in a tshirt. He played sitting down. He talked with the audience far more than is usual as of late. He took requests. He played songs no one had ever heard (which weren't included here at his request). And he played a series of songs that were all in their own way about beginnings.







The band's upcoming tour has been (not fully, officially, but almost certainly) postponed as of writing this due to the COVID-19 outbreak across the world. It has been just over a month since these shows, when it wasn't even on my radar as far as being a concern. It sucks when things change so dramatically and suddenly for the worse. I wish anyone reading this health, both mentally and physically, during these trying times. And I hope you enjoy.







extranote: Suffered some technical issues for Wild Sage - Alpha Incipiens. Loud droning noise in the right channel. Lowered the AUD capture and EQ'd the buzz frequencies out as much as possible for these ones, in case anyone is wondering why they sound a bit different.