25 Years of Perpetual Groove: Community, Touring, and What’s Next for an Iconic Fan-First Jam-Band Artwork

Making Noise

Behind every great song is a story — of risk, resilience, and reinvention. Making Noise dives into the lives of the artists building their own paths in today’s evolving music world. From late-night gigs to breakthrough moments, we explore what it really takes to create, connect, and make a living doing what you love.

These are real conversations with the musicians who aren’t waiting for permission — they’re making noise.

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Making Noise

25 Years of Perpetual Groove: Community, Touring, and What’s Next for an Iconic Fan-First Jam-Band

October 27, 2025 • Community Musician • Season 1 • Episode 1

In our debut episode of Making Noise, Matt McDonald of Perpetual Groove talks origins, the jam-band ethos, touring realities, fan community, tech experiments, and what’s ahead as PGroove celebrates 25 years.

If you’re an artist — or simply a fan of live music — this one’s for you.

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🎸 Perpetual Groove: https://pgroove.net
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Making Noise is a Community Musician production, sharing the stories behind the songs — the grit behind the glory and the heart behind the hustle.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 Intro — why “Making Noise” exists
00:24 Guest intro: Matt McDonald (Perpetual Groove)
00:47 Quick hello + setup
01:05 Origins: Naples → Army musician → Savannah open mic
02:18 First record & early momentum (2001–2003)
03:13 Napster era & changing industry
03:52 Streaming vs. CDs (what artists lost/gained)
05:00 The jam-band ethos: risk, improv, live community
06:04 Early spark: piano, feeling > notes
07:26 “Can I make this life sustainable?”
08:11 Home studios arrive; GarageBand moment
08:53 Inside the U.S. military music program
10:32 Deployments, discipline, and perspective
12:22 Early hustle: manager, design, momentum
13:34 Road life: 200+ shows, van → bus
15:16 Independence over major labels
16:32 Hiatuses, limits, coming back wiser
18:33 Touring now: costs, logistics, post-pandemic reality
19:19 From flyers to feeds: social media shift
20:13 DIY tactics: live show CDs, GPS hunts, Kickstarter
23:18 (Still) experimenting: QR/NFC ideas
25:15 Recording today: live tracking + home overdubs
26:43 Why community is the foundation
27:40 Fans naming the vibe: “trance arena rock,” “PGroove”
28:28 Intentional fan connection (then vs. now)
29:25 Onstage emotion & gratitude
30:16 Longevity lesson: make space for real feelings
32:07 Life now: balanced schedule, family, wellness
32:53 New fans, new generations, family shows
33:38 Streaming discovery vs. touring livelihood
34:57 What “professional musician” means
36:37 Money talk: monetization without losing the why
38:19 Advice to newer artists (sync, multiple hustles)
40:00 What’s next: 25 years of PGroove plans
41:21 Athens “Storytellers” concept + meet-ups
42:01 Where to follow Perpetual Groove
42:52 Catalog size, live recordings, merch experiments
43:21 Shoutout: Collectible Music Cards + posters
44:22 Wrap-up & thanks

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