Umphrey’s McGee brings Mantis to First Avenue

On the run to support the newly released album Mantis, Chicago’s finest band Umphrey’s McGee paid Minneapolis and the best rock club in town a three day visit once again.  It was eleven months since their last shows at First Avenue and expectations were high, especially from those of us who attended the 2008 run.

Night one was Friday, January 30th and for some reason this night turned into the amateur hour.  I secured one of the best spots in the house on the balcony, had a pint, and made some new friends while waiting for the show to start.  Finally Umphrey’s McGee was back onstage in Minneapolis and they opened with “Red Tape” and also worked in “Spires” off of the new album during the first set.  “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” was an interesting rendition but wait, did I just see a crowd surfer down on the floor?!?  No way…

Set two was more lively and became a good primer for what night two would bring.  They brought in the set with “Pay the Snucka” and worked through an awesome “Ja Junk” which pushed the energy levels up.  Hey is that girl crowd surfing down there?  What the shit?  Hey there’s another guy crowd surfing too!  Awesome!!!  I’m surprised the usually iron-fisted and authoritative First Avenue security guards didn’t start cracking heads.  “Cemetary Walk” from Mantis ended the set in style and for the encore they finally worked back to resolve “Pay the Snucka”.  This show was average due largely in part to the disrespectful distractions on the floor, but it did leave a lot of possibilities open for a Saturday night rock show.

Saturday, January 31st was the first time in the entire month of January that Minneapolis reached above the freezing mark.  The sun was shining bright and warm, loosening those winter blues and optimistic smiles were pasted on everyone’s faces.  I went back to the same balcony rail as the night before and met some new friendly faces as well as the guys from the night before.  The area soon became known as “the circle of trust”.  Saturday night was going to go off!

The band waltzed onstage and drummer Kris Myers clicked his sticks together one-two-three-crack right into the slow and heavy head bobbing “Push the Pig”, a perfect show opener.  “Andy’s Last Beer” was terrific as was “Turn & Run” from Mantis.  For the first time I got to see “Bright Lights” live which was jazzed up by the addition of local-boy Kevin Sinclair on saxophone.  Now there was no turning back.

Set two started with a big “Hell’s Bells” tease which worked into the teenage wasteland “Baba O’Riley”.  Awesome!!  Soon the song “Mantis” came big and my wait was over, this song is grand in every which way.  Not to be outdone, “Front Porch > Resolution” stepped up next and the show officially went off the deep end.  High-fives were flying all around and it was impossible to stop smiling being engulfed in the wonderful energy.  The night ended with a nice “Syncopated Strangers > Cemetery Walk II” mash and then it all seemed to be over too soon.  Thankfully Sunday night was still remaining.

Each night Pittsburgh native and bassist Ryan Stasik sported a different Steelers jersey.  Night one was Willie Parker, Hines Ward was night two, and for Super Bowl Sunday it was Troy Polamalu.  First Avenue held a pre-show Super Bowl party and I walked in during the wild fourth quarter and joined a few others who had been watching the game.  About twenty minutes after the game, the curtain was raised for night three and there Stasik was waving a terrible towel.

By the time the headbanging “Wizard Burial Ground” was complete, it was obvious the band was loose and it was going to be a fun night.  With First Avenue maybe two-thirds full there was room to move and soon “Phil’s Farm” brought the boogie and was easily the highlight of set one.

The Mantis number “1348” that I’d been waiting to hear live opened the flood gates to set number two and it was every bit as good as I had hoped.  Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” cover was a nice treat and “Triple Wide” was fun although not quite as rockin as usual but set-ender, “40’s Theme”, didn’t have a problem making up for it.  The encore of the night was Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” and upon its conclusion a very memorable fist-pumping, music-uniting, rock show of a weekend was over in style.  And I could not be more grateful.