A Rock Show is No Joke: Umphrey’s McGee returns to First Avenue

“I’m just being a representative of the Midwest.”

Brendan Bayliss sings that lyric in the Umphrey’s McGee’s tune, “Slacker”. Yet when it comes to playing shows in the Midwest, Umphrey’s McGee has never slacked. Instead they continuously bring multi-day runs to the heart of their fan base and the fans show up big, oftentimes from all parts of the country. In their fourth year at the best rock club in the Midwest, the prog-rocking powerhouse brought it larger than ever with the inclusion of their newly innovative and wonderfully orchestrated Stew Art series (S2).

In the Stew Art series (named after “Jimmy Stewart” which is what the band calls their improvisational jams), a very limited amount of fans not only get to direct the music the band plays, but there is a question & answer and meet & greet session. I was fortunate to have taken part in this and it was a fantastic experience that I’ll never forget.

On Friday, March 12th, a capacity crowd welcomed the Chicago band with high spirits as Umphrey’s McGee returned to Minneapolis for night one of their three night run at First Avenue. The first set was a good primer for things to come. The second set rocked. And their were still two days left.

Friday, March 15th, 2010 setlist:
Set I:  Spires, “Jimmy Stewart” > Linear > Mulche’s Odyssey, Much Obliged > Hajimemashite > Glory > Hajimemashite, Hurt Bird Bath

Set II:  Professor Wormbog > Booth Love*, Cemetery Walk II > Making Flippy Floppy**, Gulf Stream > Miss Tinkle’s Overture > Masoka Tango > Miss Tinkle’s Overture
Encore:
Got Your Milk (Right Here), Waiting Room

Notes:
* with Get Up, Stand Up jam
** with Can’t You Hear Me Knocking jam

Saturday afternoon I was one of fifty people to take part in the Minneapolis edition of the Stew Art series (S2) which the band started last fall in select cities. When we entered First Avenue, the shadowy club was dimly lit and a large projector screen stood upon stands on the main floor. Pizza and refreshments were provided and half an hour later things got started.

The idea behind Stew Art is to give the fans ultimate control over what the band plays. Fans text message ideas to the sound guru, Kevin Browning, who then displays them on the screen for the band to read. The band makes up the music on the spot and plays a few minutes before molding directly into the next idea which is highlighted. Entering (S2), I was a bit skeptical about this process, but Umphrey’s McGee quickly put those thoughts to rest. The precision of how they play while directing each other is nothing short of amazing. The band’s Midwestern humor has always been evident to me, and on this day hilarity oftentimes ensued from the ideas the fans sent in. Imagine for a moment the band playing as Revenge of the Nerds, or guitarist Jake Cinninger making up words to “Divisions” as he sang like Johnny Cash. That’s how things ended, and when it was over, it took a long while before I could wipe the smile off my face.

After a little over an hour of music, the band then stepped onto the floor to talk and sign autographs. It was a nice experience to talk to the band and their crew. Guitarist, Jake Cinninger, summed up the musical energy the band brings to every show. With a goofy smile on his face he illustrated to me how moments of their live shows peak, “It goes to you, it goes to me, it goes to you, it goes to me, it goes to you, it goes to me…..” The band’s openness and sincere appreciation of their fans is something to be admired.

Those who attended the Stew Art got to stay in the venue for the night’s show. Doors opened at 6PM and the venue was quick to fill. The band sounded well rested and they brought great energy straight from the start. The first set rocked.   The second set opened with the title track to their spectacular 2009 release, Mantis. The song was huge and from there I knew the second set was going to get heavy.  The band worked into a jazzed up version of “Wappy Spayberry” with the help of Minneapolis  saxophonist, Kevin Sinclair.  “Fussy Dutchman” was excellent before a dark and nasty “Ocean Billy” into “Plunger” mash. This was the best show I witnessed all weekend, and one of my favorite Umphrey’s McGee shows ever.

Saturday, March 13th, 2010 setlist:
Set I:  Prowler > In the Kitchen, Cemetery Walk > Pay the Snucka (parts I & II) > Atmosfarag > Resolution* > In the Kitchen , That’s All > Pay the Snucka (part III)

Set II:  Preamble > Mantis > Wappy Sprayberry^ > Mantis, The Fussy Dutchman, Push the Pig, Steppin’ Razor > Ocean Billy > Plunger > Kula > Plunger > Ocean Billy
Encore:
Alex’s House^, 1348

Notes:
* with Norwegian Wood jam and Rock Your Body (Justin Timberlake) teases
^ with Kevin Sinclair on sax

Sunday, March 14th was the finale of their recent American tour. Minneapolis’ own, Heatbox, opened the show with some funk driven hip-hop. Heatbox is a one-man band minus the tangible instruments. He plays beats and instrumentations with his voice and samples them over before adding lyrics. Umphrey’s McGee joined in for his last tune, and worked straight into “Jazz Odyssey” to start their show as he picked up his gear and left the stage. That’s not a show introduction one often sees.

First Avenue was maybe over two-thirds full leaving ample space to move. This was appreciative on a Sunday night as the band once again rocked for the hard cores. Last year I made some friends at the First Avenue shows. We labeled ourselves the “Circle of Trust” and on this night we returned to the same balcony rail that we met at a year before.

Set one was fun, but set two was powerful. The “Nothing Too Fancy” and “Andy’s Last Beer” mashes got things moving and the wicked “Wizard Burial Ground” encore tore the place down.  This was another terrific show and a great way to end the weekend.

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 setlist:
Set I:  #Jazz Odyssey > Hangover > Wife Soup > The Triple Wide*, Slacker > Dear Lord > Slacker, Rocker (part II) > YYZ > Hangover

Set II:  Nothing Too Fancy > Higgins > Get In the Van > Nothing Too Fancy, Andy’s Last Beer > Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty > Andy’s Last Beer, JaJunk > London Calling > JaJunk
Encore:
Wizard Burial Ground> Made to Measure > Wizard Burial Ground

Notes:
Heatbox opened
# during his closing jam, Heatbox was replaced by Umphrey’s before seguing into Hangover
* with Rhiannon teases

If Umphrey’s McGee can top this weekend in their next Minneapolis run, I’d be a little surprised. But then again nothing this band does should be surprising. After all, it was Sunday night when singer Brendan Bayliss also sang in “Slacker”, “In the end I must confess, you have yet to even witness our best.”