Show Review

Being called the heirs apparent to “Phish’s jam-smeared crown” by Rolling Stone magazine must be a strange crown to wear for Umphrey’s McGee. With that tag comes a load of healthy pressure and a pinch of burden. In fact, it almost pigeon holes the band to the extent of unavoidable comparisons for the rest of their careers just as Phish had with the Grateful Dead. With this type of hype, it was impossible to not be curious to see and hear what Umphrey’s McGee is all about.

The band took the stage with a powerhouse trio of segued tunes: “Glory,” “Passing,” and “Plunger,” which served as a good introduction to Umphrey’s McGee style and sound. The style is slightly harder edged at times, while spacey and airy at others. The harder edged stuff is really their strong point with harmonized almost metal sounding guitar runs and spacey fills, which unfortunately serves as "typical jam band 101" material.

Later in the set, Umphrey’s brought out Burlington jazz stars Dave Grippo on sax and Jen Hartwick on trumpet for a stellar version of “Big Heart.” This collaboration basically put UM in the spot of back-up band for the horn duo. Grippo was in top form and really used the band’s foundation to deliver some elevated solos. Yacavone, another native Vermont guest, arrived to close out the set with the UM original “Thin Air.” Yacavone, who mainly plays solo these days, appeared to dig playing in a rock band again, as he ripped it up and down the fret-board to close the first set.

The first song of the second set was the jazz inspired “Wife Soup,” which was a nice change from the heavier side displayed in the first set. The song, along with a few of the others, had many different interlocking sections reminiscent of early Junta-era Phish. Halfway through the set they brought up Jen Hartswick to soulfully sing Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Hartswick’s voice fit in perfectly with the band and added a needed texture that lacks from their main vocalist Brendan Bayliss.

The evening ended with an encore that started with Yacavone stting in for a high energy version of JJ Cale’s “Cocaine.” Concluding the show was the UM original “Pay The Snucka,” which was more of a hip-hop flavored jam that they playfully accented with guitar runs from Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven.”

In the end, the two one hour and fifteen minute sets served as a solid night of music. Did the band live up to the hype? Well, Umphrey’s still lacks some of the refinements and originality to break out from the mold that will enable them to truly find their own voice and sound. Give these guys a few more years, and they may very well prove to be quite a rock and roll powerhouse with years of longevity. Surely, the talent is there.

Setlist

Set One:

Glory > Passing > Plunger, 2x2, Big Heart^, In the Kitchen, The Triple Wide > Thin Air^^

Set Two:

Wife Soup$, Bridgeless, The Pequod > Ahab > The Pequod > jam > Believe the Lie, Ain't No Sunshine$$, Higgins > 2nd Self, The Crooked One

Encore: Cocaine^^, Pay the Snucka*

Notes:

Tea Leaf Green opened

^ with Dave Grippo on saxaphone and Jen Hartswick on trumpet

^^ with Seth Yacavone on guitar

$ with Dave Grippo

$$ with Jennifer Hartswick; first time played, Bill Withers

* with Stairway to Heaven teases

Photos courtesy of Scott Preston